Car Starts Fine, But Won't Move.

[btimsah]

I was driving along late at night, and after stopping at a red light I tried to give it gas but it barely moved. Just crawled across the damn intersection.

Finally, had helluva time getting it home, battery died because of emergency lights and door was kept open by ice! Horrible night.. Gave it a jump, and now it starts up and everything work's except it won't go. Reverse or forward.

Just rev's up and goes nowhere. I think it's a bad transmission because I have about 190,000 miles on it. I will try to put more transmission fluid in it tommorrow, and see if that works but I doubt it.

BTW, it has been VERY cold lately and we had an ice storm. Ice was every on it, and tempertures down around like 9 degrees.

I'd appreciate any advice, or suggestions. Or just someone who has had this happen to them? Thanks!

 

[engera]

It sounds like you are low on transmission fluid or the transmission and/or torque converter have gone. The torque converter uses the fluid to create the needed torque to move the vehicle so when there is very little fluid in the torque converter, it will spin rather than act as a coupling to move the vehicle. The only time I ran into this problem is when I had drained all of the trans fluid and upon refilling it tried to drive back and forth in the driveway before there was enough fluid. If the fluid being low is the problem, you may want to ask yourself why is the fluid low and where did it go.

 

[btimsah]

It sounds like you are low on transmission fluid or the transmission and/or torque converter have gone. The torque converter uses the fluid to create the needed torque to move the vehicle so when there is very little fluid in the torque converter, it will spin rather than act as a coupling to move the vehicle. The only time I ran into this problem is when I had drained all of the trans fluid and upon refilling it tried to drive back and forth in the driveway before there was enough fluid. If the fluid being low is the problem, you may want to ask yourself why is the fluid low and where did it go.

Okay thank's Engera! I will try to put more transmission fluid in it, but without a car that work's it's hard to get anywhere to do much more.

If it's not Trans fluid, I am so screwed.

 

[Billy177]

try with the gear selector in 2

 

[CobraSix]

What year is it?

I found out a very interesting fact about my 91 transmission. When it over heats, it throws tranny fluid out a blow off tube in order to try to cool itself down (but then there is less fluid to keep it cool...kind of a catch 22). Anyways, I found this out driving on a beach in NC after a week of 4 wheeling and it stopped below the high tide level. so I inched it up until I knew the tide wouldn't get it and walked to town (3 miles away).

I would definitely look at the tranny fluid level. If you haven't checked it in a awhile, chances are that it just got lower and lower over time from a combination of a small leak and overheated with less fluid until it blew it all out.

Slade

 

[Billy177]

cobra 6 that is not supposed to happen. what is actually going on is that there is enough slippage in the transmission for the fluid to boil out the vent tube.

 

[CobraSix]

maybe that is what he said. It happened like 8 years ago...

Slade

 

[btimsah]

Eghh.. We added some transmission fluid and it did not change anything.

It still goes about 1/2 a mile an hour.. lol It's SOMETHING with the transmission, I think. Problem is trying to get it fixed. I can't get anywhere to do that.

 

[jgilbs]

so is it BOTH forward and reverse? Have you tried it in 2? Does it move (with a push) in neutral?

 

[marragtop]

Before it went 'bad', were there any early warning signs, like occasional slippage or not going into gear? Seems unusual for forward and rev to completely go all at once unless it was run very low on fluid. How much fluid did you have to add? Also, it may be the torque converter instead of the trans itself.

 

[X~FACTOR]

190,000 miles on a '96. You can't really be that surprised that the tranny is gone, are you? I'd be very happy to have mine last that long.

 

[btimsah]

so is it BOTH forward and reverse? Have you tried it in 2? Does it move (with a push) in neutral?

It moves, but barely a mile per hour. Just crawls.. lol kinda funny too watch. Same in every gear, really. Yes it moves if pushed in neutral, that's how I got it home. Pushed it. Everythign else works fine.

 

[engera]

It sounds like your next step is to have it towed somewhere to have it fixed. I would recommend a reputable transmission repair shop rather than the Ford dealer. The dealers in my area seem to do a poor job of troubleshooting and that only means more money out of your pocket. Most places would like to see the problem before they dig into the transmission but pulling the tranny yourself and taking it somewhere would be your other option. I would call around to get the shops opinions too. Good luck.

 

[ox111]

Try Lucus tranny fluid. Its greeeeat

 

[TPLYNCH]

May have blown a seal or servo. Did it make any noises before it crapped out? Possibly a flywheel/flexplate problem?

 

[Glacier991]

Pressure gauge situation. And my Ex has 208K on the A4LD, as we speak (it's coming out soon though)