Car won’t shift into 1st gear.
I replaced the shift cable bushings due to the car shifting hard into 1st. Now it will not go into 1st at all.
My car has 74000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi and thanks for contacting YourMechanic. From what you’ve described, you’ll need to check the adjustment of the cable. The cable may be too short, not letting the transmission engage 1st gear. If you need a diagnosis with your shifting issue, then seek out a professional, preferably a YourMechanic professional to help you with your vehicle. Best of luck.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Hard, and sometimes impossible shifting into first and reverse is caused by the clutch disc not moving away from the spinning flywheel. This is commonly referred to as the “clutch is not releasing”. The number one cause is the hydraulic system that operates the clutch is leaking and has low fluid.
The main reason the car won`t go into gear is that the level of transmission fluid in the vehicle is lower than required. If the level is low despite regular maintenance, there may be a leak. Transmission fluid, therefore, is important to ensure that the car`s moving parts are properly lubricated for functioning.
A transmission may stay in first gear due to low transmission fluid, a faulty shift solenoid, a worn clutch (for manual transmissions), a malfunctioning transmission control module, or broken transmission bands. These issues can prevent proper gear shifting and result in the vehicle being stuck in first gear.
The first thing to do is check the transmission fluid. Hydraulic transmission fluid is the lifeblood of an automatic transmission. If the level is low or if the fluid is too old, there`s a good chance that it`s responsible for issues when shifting gears.
This could be caused by a worn clutch, a damaged clutch cable or hydraulic system, or other issues with the clutch assembly. Transmission problems: If the transmission is damaged or worn, it may not be able to shift into 1st or 2nd gear.
This may be a sign of low transmission fluid or a faulty transmission control solenoid. As you know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears.
Transmission Shift Solenoid Location
The Transmission shift solenoids are located inside the valve body of your automatic transmission. They are integrated into the valve body, and on some car models, you can see them without removing the valve body, while on others, you have to remove the valve body to reach them.
Transmission Range Sensor (TR)/ Transmission Position Sensor
The Transmission Range Sensor tells the PCM the position of the transmission shifter. The PCM uses this information to control which gears of the transmission to enable or disable.
A failing transmission position sensor may no longer send the right signals to the Powertrain Control Module, or PCM. Without signals from the position sensor, the PCM will no longer know when to shift the transmission`s gears out of park into a moving gear. Transmission shifts into the wrong gear.
Among the possibilities are faults in the throttle position sensor, mass airflow sensor, vacuum leaks, a clogged fuel filter, defective EGR valve or control circuit, and worn out spark plugs and wires.
Put the key in the ignition and turn all the way until the engine starts. Put the clutch pedal down with your left foot. Move the gear stick into first gear. Use your right foot to press down on the accelerator gently to increase the engine`s revs very slightly.
If your transmission fluid looks like a strawberry milkshake, you`ve got water in the transmission. Once water gets into the transmission enough to affect operation, a rebuild is required.
Shift Linkage refers to the car cables that connect the gearshift or gear selector to the transmission. Gear shift linkage, shifting linkage and transmission shift linkage (transmission linkage) are related terms.
The national average cost for a transmission shift cable replacement in 2023 is $455.
For one reason or another, there are times were you think it might be beneficial to start off from a stop in second gear rather than first in your manual transmission car. In most cases, though, doing that will cause more wear on your clutch.
Grease, dirt and moisture can collect in or on the interlock and brakelight switches as well as on the shift cable and related parts, hampering their operation and making it hard to shift into gear.
1st gear is made to get you moving from a stop so it`s only made for getting from 0–15 or so mph. When you downshift, your car`s engines rpm will go up when you engage the lower gear. Downshifting to 1st gear shouldn`t be done unless your speed is under 15 mph.
Grease, dirt and moisture can collect in or on the interlock and brakelight switches as well as on the shift cable and related parts, hampering their operation and making it hard to shift into gear.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
When shifting into 1st gear and attempting to take off, car shakes and then stalls. Car also won’t let me shift into reverse.
ANSWER : Hi there. Either the shifter rail is damaged inside the transmission keeping the gears from going into reverse and the first gear from connecting all the way, or the transmission first and reverse gears are damaged causing the transmission to have a hesitation on the forward 1st gear and no reverse. I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you diagnose your transmission shifting issue.
Read Full Q/A … : Car won’t shift into 1st gear.
My manual car won’t go into gear, it turns on and the clutch goes down perfectly fine. It happened after my gears grinded, the car
ANSWER : If the clutch mechanism is releasing properly, and the shift linkage is not malfunctioning, your transmission will have to be removed from the vehicle and inspected. Once a transmission has been removed from a vehicle, if the problem is a broken or worn part or parts, and the transmission has 100,000 miles or more, the most cost effective approach is to just simply rebuild the whole transmission. There are transmission rebuild kits that are sold just for this purpose. Rebuilding a transmission is no big deal and is indeed easier in many respects than rebuilding an engine. You can rebuild your transmission right in your own garage. You can NOT rebuild an engine in your own garage due to the highly specialized, and extremely costly, machine shop equipment required. Occasionally, mobile mechanics will take on a transmission rebuild job especially as once the mechanic removes the transmission from the vehicle, it is just simply a modular unit that can be easily transported to a mechanic’s shop and rebuilt right there and then returned to your vehicle. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Read Full Q/A … : Car won’t shift into 1st gear.
The car doesn’t shift into first gear while it works fine in reverse
ANSWER : The problem could be that the internal transmission pump is weak, or the transmission clutch seals are leaking. It sounds like the transmission will need an overhaul.
I recommend having a transmission mechanic test the pressures and diagnose the problems to verify whether you need an overhaul with a new torque convertor.
Read Full Q/A … : Car won’t shift into 1st gear.
I got sound when I shift to 3rd gear and it’s get hard to put shift to second gear when car is in 3rd gear.
ANSWER : Hello. It sounds as though the synchronizers in the transmission, which are used to adjust transmission internal gear speed when upshifting or downshifting are possibly worn out or you are shifting a bit too fast. It is also possible that the clutch is not releasing fully when you press the clutch pedal. In some conditions, utilizing synthetic gear oil in the transmission can help the quality of gear shifting. If the clutch is not fully releasing an inspection of the clutch hydraulics is a good idea. I would recommend having an inspection of the hard shift completed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost for repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : Car won’t shift into 1st gear.
Car won’t go into gear. 2002 Audi A4 Quattro
ANSWER : Hi there – Your symptoms describe the behavior to expect when your clutch hydraulics go out (clutch master and clutch slave cylinders). Check your clutch fluid level – it may be low. If the fluid level is low, this usually means your clutch slave cylinder has worn out, not unusual with your mileage, and should be replaced. I recommend a malfunctioning clutch inspection performed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, diagnose this problem, give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : Car won’t shift into 1st gear.
the car will not shift into any gear, but the gear shift moves
ANSWER : transmission shifting
Read Full Q/A … : Car won’t shift into 1st gear.
Car won’t move. I can start the car but when I put the shifter in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, ect. The car will not move.
ANSWER : The transaxle is not engaging internally to the axle shafts inside the transaxle or you have one or both axle shafts disengaged from the transaxle. The fact that the speedometer moves when gear is engaged and clutch is released shows the speed sensor in the transaxle is getting turned.
You will need to have the vehicle raised and the axles inspected for broke or stripped shafts. If the axles do not have anything visually wrong with them then hold one wheel and try to turn the other wheel while transaxle is in gear, with engine off, to see if the wheels are locked together. When you spin one wheel the other wheel should turn in the opposite direction. If it does not then the problem is in the transaxle differential gears and the transaxle would need to be removed and disassembled to find the broken internal components.
If you need some assistance with this, consider YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come to your home or office to diagnose your acceleration issue and help make the necessary repairs to get you going again.
Read Full Q/A … : Car won’t shift into 1st gear.
Car in park shifter will move through gears but wont shift through the gears its stuck in neutral have emergency brake on so it wont roll
ANSWER : From what you’ve described, it sounds like the shifter cable came off at the transmission or the shifter. I’d suggest checking the shift linkage on the transmission to see if the cable came off. This is due to the connector end bushing falling apart and not being able to hold the cable on any longer. Some cables have to be replaced as a whole and as with others the bushing can be replaced to fix the cable. I’d suggest contacting a certified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, who can come diagnose your shifting issue and make the necessary repairs to your vehicle. Good luck.
Read Full Q/A … : Car won’t shift into 1st gear.
