Why Will My Car Go in Reverse But Not Forward?

If your vehicle can only go in reverse, you may have a serious transmission problem.

If you are driving an automatic transmission vehicle and it can only go in reverse, you may have a serious transmission issue that can only be solved by a mechanic. However, some transmission problems can be fixed by the novice do-it-yourself mechanic.

Faulty Transmission

Typically, when a vehicle is losing one or more gears, it is most likely a problem with your transmission or gear shifter. If the problem lies with the inner parts of the transmission, you will need to have it serviced or replaced by a professional mechanic who specializes in transmission repair.

Low Transmission Fluid

Once your vehicle has warmed up, check the transmission fluid level by removing the transmission dipstick, wiping it clean and reinserting it into the dipstick check. Remove the dipstick and note the transmission fluid level as indicated by the minimum and maximum lines on the dipstick. Add more transmission fluid if it is low.

Safety

If you have lost one or more gears from your vehicle transmission, it is not safe to drive your car on the road and it must be towed to a mechanic's shop for repair. Do not attempt to drive a vehicle, even for short distances, that does not have a properly working transmission.

References

• Samarins: How to Check Transmission
• Family Car: A Short Course On Automatic Transmissions
• AA1 Car: Automatic Transmission Fluid

Resources

• Samarins: How To Keep The Automatic Transmission Alive
• AA1 Car: Diagnosing & Repairing Transmission and Driveline Problems
• AA1 Car: Diagnosing Automatic Transmission Problems