Both manual and automatic transmissions are complex and require a significant number of components in order to operate. Of course, automatics are the more complicated of the two systems. However, your problem might have nothing to do with the transmission at all. For instance, if you can’t shift out of park with an automatic transmission, chances are good that the problem lies elsewhere, perhaps with the brake light switch attached to the brake pedal. In a manual transmission, changing gears requires a working clutch pedal, clutch and other components. You press the clutch pedal, which engages the clutch and stops the transmission from spinning with the engine. This allows you to shift gears. Sequencers allow you to shift smoothly into each gear. Additionally, there’s the question of your master cylinder if you have a hydraulic clutch (some cars have a clutch cable, but some are hydraulic and will have a fluid-filled master cylinder and slave cylinder that must be in operation in order to shift gears, or the car will act like the clutch pedal isn’t pressed). In an automatic, the transmission does all the work for you. All you have to do is press the accelerator, and the transmission will shift on its own as your speed increases. This requires a number of components not found on a manual transmission.
One of our professional mechanics will visit your home or office in order to inspect the transmission and verify the problem. The mechanic will then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.
The mechanic will verify that the car’s transmission will not shift. This may require a test drive (if the transmission will not shift while moving). The mechanic may also need to pull diagnostic codes from the car’s computer via the OBD II connection under your dash.
If your car will not change gears, there’s a significant problem and you should not attempt to drive the vehicle. Regular maintenance can help prevent issues like this, including master cylinder inspections, fluid changes and more. One of our mechanics can inspect the system and determine the actual underlying cause of the issue, and then repair your car to get you back on the road.