Q: Car won't shift into drive or reverse. How do I fix this?

asked by on December 18, 2015

Car does not move out of park. It cranks up, but when I try to shift into drive or reverse, the vehicle does not move.

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The first thing I would suggest is checking your transmission fluid level. It’s very easy on your vehicle. Start the engine and allow it to idle in park for about 30 seconds. Under the hood towards the back of the engine there will be a red dip stick. Now pull it out and wipe all the fluid off the stick. Now put the dip stick back in until it is fully seated. Pull it back out and look at where the fluid level is. It should be between the low and full marks on the stick. If it is low you may have a leak that needs to be checked out by a qualified technician. Also, if the fluid is very dark colored, or burnt smelling there has most likely been an internal failure of your transmission which would require a rebuild or replacement. If the fluid level is good, and red in color that means the fluid is good. At this point I would suggest a qualified mechanic to diagnose your transmission and suggest a repair.

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