Truck not going into four-wheel drive

ANSWER : This kind of reaction is often a sign of low transmission fluid or a faulty transmission control solenoid. As you know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a gear change is required, the car’s computer activates a transmission solenoid, which directs transmission fluid into the valve body to engage the correct gear. When this is faulty or not working properly, this can cause a delay in gear shifting or in some cases cause the car to not shift at all. This type of problem is amplified any time the transmission is low on fluid creating a drop in hydraulic pressure. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

ANSWER : The problem sounds like you have flat spots on the tires in the rear when the tow truck operator dragged and pushed the truck with the transmission locked. I would recommend having a vehicle safety inspection to see if there is tire damage or other possible damage done by the tow truck. Have a mechanic from YourMechanic come and do the inspection and check the problems for you.

ANSWER : This is an internal transmission problem with the valve body or the 1-2 sprag unit binding internally in the transmission. Have a qualified transmission diagnose the problem firsthand to pinpoint what is going on. The mechanic may have to do a pressure test to isolate the cause of the shift concern.

ANSWER : Hello. I have a couple of ideas. You mentioned it happens in the morning and this indicates the truck is cold. When the seals in a transmission get old and hard, they allow ATF to leak internally and the transmission cannot build enough pressure to move your car forward. Once the car warms, the seals soften and seal. This will affect every gear, including reverse.

I assume, when you say the motor revs, you have a tachometer and the RPM’s rise but the car does not match speed. If this is the case, then the above explanation still applies. If you don’t have a tachometer, but the motor just makes a loud noise as if it were revving high, this is most likely the fan clutch pulling more air through the radiator. This will make a very loud rushing sound that sounds very much like the motor is revving high. It may be that the motor is not running well when cold and lacks power.

Either way, you should have one of our qualified technicians check it out. They can come to your car’s location to test the vehicle and diagnose the loss of power symptoms.

ANSWER : Hi There,
It sounds like you are describing the symptoms of a failing throttle position sensor. The throttle position sensor monitors the throttle position of the throttle plate inside the throttle body in relation to your foot position on the gas pedal. Based upon the inputs from the sensor reading your foot’s position on the pedal, the ECU then makes the direction to supply more or less fuel to the motor. When this sensor is not working properly, this can cause intermittent responses when pressing the gas pedal. I would suggest having a professional from Your Mechanic come to you home to diagnose and inspect your vehicle.

ANSWER : It sounds as if you are having further issues with your transmission. If the vehicle will only go forward and not reverse, it is possible that a shift solenoid replacement will resolve the issue. It is also possible that internal transmission damage may have occured. I would strongly recommend having your transmission inspected by a qualified professionial who is proficcient at transmission diagnosis. When your vehicle is hesitating to move forward, this sounds like the transmission is slipping. Maintaining proper fluid levels is essential to proper transmission operation. Be sure to have the transmission checked for leaks as well during this inspection.

ANSWER : Hello, this concern is possibly the slave or clutch master cylinder failure. These two components use brake fluid to apply pressure for movement of the clutch system. This fluid breaks down in time and causes the seals to fail (leak). A low fluid level would cause this concern as well as internal leakage. Replacement of components would be necessary. This type of concern would need to be inspected. If you’d like, a certified technician from YourMechanic can come to your location to diagnose your vehicle, and possibly replace your clutch master cylinder if need be.

ANSWER : Hi there! There are several reasons why your TL can act this way.

First off, if this behavior is predominantly after the car has been sitting overnight or longer, it can be the result of "flat-spotting" – the low profile tires, with very stiff sidewall, develop "flat spots" where the tire sits on the pavement. This is overcome with 5-10 miles of highway driving, and the tire heat up a bit, and air pressure in the tire makes them round again.

The second possibility is out-of-balance tire/wheel combinations. Your tire shop can check the balance for you, and correct balance if necessary.

The third possibility is an axle with bad CV joints. If the CV joints are worn, they essentially "wobble", and this vibration is transmitted into the structure of the vehicle – which you could feel both with the steering wheel, and "seat-of-the-pants".

To avoid any unnecessary repairs, I would recommend having the shaking symptom diagnosed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, to diagnose this problem, get an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.