What Are the Reasons for a Car's Failure to Move When in Gear?

[LeAnastasia]

Reasons for a car not moving after shifting into gear: Functional comprehensive failure, involving the clutch, transmission, and drive axle. Diagnosis should first determine the fault location. Specific reasons for a car's inability to move when in gear: Automatic transmission oil pan leakage, with all hydraulic oil drained; Loosening or detachment of the linkage or cable between the control handle and the manual valve rocker arm, keeping the manual valve in neutral or parking position; Clogging of the oil pump inlet filter screen; Severe leakage in the main oil circuit; Damage to the oil pump. Diagnosis of the car's failure to move when in gear: Check if there is hydraulic oil in the automatic transmission; Check if the linkage or cable between the automatic transmission control handle and the manual valve rocker arm is loose or detached; Check if hydraulic oil flows out from the pressure test hole; Check if there is any looseness between the manual valve rocker arm shaft and the rocker arm, or if the manual valve spool is broken or unhooked; For functional comprehensive failure, check if the rear axle or half-shaft is broken; If the drive shaft does not rotate, the fault lies in the transmission; If the drive shaft does not rotate in any gear, the fault is in the clutch. Check if the clutch is severely slipping, or if all the spline teeth of the driven plate hub and the rivets on the steel plate are sheared or the steel plate is fractured.

[Brynlee]

I've encountered similar situations before, mostly due to transmission fluid issues. This stuff is like blood – when it deteriorates or runs low, shifting gears feels like wading through mud. My old Passat had exactly these symptoms last time: it would roar in Drive but not move, and when we drained the fluid, it had turned soy-sauce black. You should also check if the transmission filter is clogged – it's like trying to breathe through a blocked mask. Additionally, worn CV joints can prevent power from reaching the wheels, and you'll hear clicking noises when this happens. Don't forget to inspect the shift cable too – my car's issue was a seized cable that took three WD-40 treatments to fix. If your mileage exceeds 60,000 km, you must change the fluid – this is absolutely not an area to cut corners.

[LeoAnn]

Listen up, folks. This issue needs to be analyzed from three aspects: First is mechanical jamming - like when you force the gearshift into Park without fully stopping, causing the transmission lock mechanism to get stuck. Just last month, I helped a neighbor fix this exact situation by prying open the emergency release with a screwdriver. Second is electrical issues - there's a microswitch under the shift lever that's prone to water damage and oxidation, preventing signals from reaching the ECU. Lastly, the TCU control module might go haywire, especially after driving through water in rainy weather, showing symptoms like flashing gear indicators. If you see engine RPMs spike but no vehicle movement, check the torque converter immediately - repairing that thing costs a fortune.

[McMaci]

The most common mistake beginners make is shifting gears without fully depressing the brake pedal! If the locking mechanism under the gear lever isn't triggered, the car naturally won't respond. Also, check if the floor mat is obstructing the brake pedal—last year, my brother-in-law's Mercedes E-Class had to go back to the factory for this very reason. For older cars, it's likely due to worn-out transmission mount bushings, causing the entire transmission to shift and over-tension the shift cable. Another possibility is a faulty neutral safety switch, where the ECU mistakenly locks the powertrain thinking you're in neutral. If you smell burning, it's bad news—most likely the clutch disc is burnt out. In such cases, never force it; calling a tow truck directly will save you money.