Transmission wont engage I have had no recent problems

There are a couple things that could do this. However, the first thing is to start with checking for codes. Here is a guide that will help with that:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

If there are no codes then we most likely have an issue with the pressure inside the transmission.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/automatic-transmission-problems

So we need to find out what the pump pressure is because I suspect the pump failed or you have a seal that is allowing the pressure to escape. I attached the testing that we need to do. Let us know what you find. Thanks

Truck listed above 1500 was submerged in water. changed filter and canister filter, new fluid and a bottle of sea foam transmission conditioner. cleaned all the plugs and dried them. reset the TCM, but the truck will not go into any gear.

Good afternoon,

It sounds like the water damages all the seals and the transmission will not hold pressure.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/automatic-transmission-problems

It will have to be removed and either rebuilt or replaced.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/transmission-replacement-removal-manual

Roy

Shift lever seems to go into Park position, but idiot light on dashboard shows Reverse, and engine will shut off and act as if it is in park. But the truck will not start unless placed into neutral. Transmission does not actually shift into any gear at all. Seems to be stuck in Neutral. Even though shift lever on column goes to the park position the Park light never comes on just Reverse and truck will only start in Neutral, it does stop in the R with the column shift vlever in the appearant park position. There were No warning signs at all that I noticed. I just pulled into my drive way to park after driving home from work and driving around town running errands Yesterday. The truck drove fine all day it has been rnning rough in idle and at slow speeds, like it is due for a tune up which is past due really. (The dealer want's $600.00 for a Dealer so called "Full Service Tune-up" on this thing) but no obvious warning signs that I noticed until this problem happenned. I did try to shift it into and out of 4X4 and it does seem to shift into and out of 4X4 but with a lot of hard clunking of the drive train or axle and efforft to get it to go into and out of 4X4, still does not move in any drive position selected.

had sort of same problem drove home put it in park went to put it in reverse nothing turned out the snap ring broke and took out my reverse no warning signs at all. drop your tranny pan and see if you have anything siitting in it that should not be there

well I was on the highway coming home and started going up a hill and when my truck down shifted it made a loud noise and then there was nothing couldn't go forward or backwards I put it in drive it starts rolling backwards put it in revers nothing the only gear that works is park other then that there is nothing fluid is good I don't have a clue on what could be wrong can u help me??? Please

Hello,

It could be something broke inside the transmission or the pressure control governor has gone out which is common. here are the instructions and diagrams to help see how to fix it. We should run the codes as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

This guide can help as well:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/automatic-transmission-problems

Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.

truck has had a problem sometimes starting in drive for a while now not a big deal just start it in neutral! Well now I went to start my truck had no problem, pulled it out of the garage put it into park, let it run for like 5 minutes get back in it and Now it won't engage into any gear, tried to put it back into park while running and it grinds/clicks put it into park with it off and it still will roll I have the tranny pan off and the linkage looks fine and everything moves as it should! Why won't my transmission engage? No codes either! Btw trans fluid was perfect and absolutely no metal shavings on the magnet in the tranny pan! Solenoid? If so which one? Please help! Thankyou, Luke.

Hi Lipert85. Welcome to the forum. This sounds like an issue with the transfer case. Is it in neutral? The grinding when you put it in park suggests the transmission is working and the output shaft going into the transfer case is spinning. You're hearing the parking pawl chattering on the spinning drum as it tries to drop into a notch. Normally that drum stops rotating when the driveshaft stops rotating.

caradiodoc

alright this is the farthest ive gotten! 4x4 is in nutral however when this all happend i put it in 4x4 to see what would happen while running and it didnt chatter as i put it in park however it didnt engage either?its just so confusing this all happend two days go.just a little bit ago i went out there tranny pan still off i turned the key shifted it and it engaged into park....(wont roll as it did) so im assuming its gonna work now? but there was or still is something wrong would the transfercase need to be replaced? also the problem starting in park sometimes but never a problem starting in nutral..... is this gonna be the nutral saftey switch? i appreciate all ur help and also if you keep helping me i dont have any problem donating more money>. thanks, luke

Thank you for the donation, but think of it as a tip, not a requirement. Isn't it neat that the owners of this site don't insist on dollars to get help?

It is possible to have a defective neutral safety switch, but it's more likely the shifter linkage is slightly misadjusted and not allowing the lever in the transmission to go quite far enough in park to trip the switch. The fastest way to check is to pop the linkage apart at the transmission, put the shifter in park, move the lever on the transmission to park, then try to put the linkage back together. The link should line up nicely with the hole in the lever. If they are off, look for the adjustment and tweak it a little as necessary. By the way, as long as you have the lever on the transmission in park, try the starter to be sure it works. If it doesn't, the switch is bad, (that would be weird), or it isn't screwed in all the way.

caradiodoc

Alright thanks again for ur help! Back to my engaging problem though? U had metioned the transfer case? I'm gonna put it back together tomorrow and if it does work, great but who's to say it's not gonna happen again? So what would need to be done? And thanks again for helping me, when I make well a (tip) is it gonna get to u again?

I'm guessing the transfer case got bumped into neutral or the shift linkage was not quite solidly in gear. The only other option would be if a chain or gear broke inside it, but then it wouldn't start working again. If this happens again, I would check the adjustment of the shifter linkage. I could envision it getting bent by hitting something while 4-wheeling, but even that would not be common. A loose mounting bracket would be more likely, but as I recall, it is mounted directly to the transfer case.

Don't worry about the donation. It is greatly appreciated and keeps my computers working, but the main thing is we know people who donate will remain in the conversation until the problem is solved. I am happy to answer free questions too, but there is less incentive to stick my nose in a book or make phone calls because many of those people never reply back. I don't even get to know how much you donated so it might already be more than average. Somehow it does get to me. Regardless of the amount, thank you.

caradiodoc

Please help! I am having the same problem, but have tried all of the above. Also, it starts in ANY gear and still rolls even in park?! Linkage adjustment was done and then still starts with both connections to trans unplugged? Wow confused.

The truck should not roll in park, I would disconnect the shift cable and work the shift arm of the transmission by hand to gain the park position, you may need to roll the truck slightly to get into park. Please let me know when happens.

Transmission will not engage in drive but will in reverse, second and first. Made sure transfer case is in two wheel drive.

Hello,

This sounds like you have a transmission position sensor that is out but to but sure lets run the test on the wiring diagram and through the switch.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-use-a-test-light-circuit-tester

Here is a guide on how the sensor works:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-a-neutral-safety-switch-works

Below is the wiring diagram and sensor location.

Check out the diagrams (below).

Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem.

Cheers, Ken

My truck was driving just fine and suddenly it just stopped going. It won't go into any gear at all. It feels like it shifts I to gear but does not go at all.

Hello,

First check the fluid level and if okay I sounds like you have a pressure control solenoid that has gone out. here is the location so you can check it out. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what you find. We are interested to see what it is.

in line at drive thru, put in park, then moved on in drive, put pack in park, tried to move into drive, nothing, except car now goes backwards, tried to put it in any other gear, no luck, still going backwards. After a while of flipping thru gears and nothing except backwards going, i turned the engine off and two guys helped push car out of drive thru. Now, since truck is in reverse stuck, it won't start because it's not in park or neutral. I didn't have nay problems before with the tranny shifting not smoothly. Could it be the gear shifter in the steering wheel or tranny? any other ideas? What am I looking at spending approximately?

Hi garfieldshome,

You mean the gear shift is now not able to move or it moves but the gear shift indicator light is showing R?

1. If gearshift moves freely but indicator is not moving accordingly, it should be due to a dislodged/broken linkage along the gearshift to trans shift lever.

2. Another possibility is a faulty inhibiitor (PNP) switch.

[quote:6a95e8834b="KHLow2008"]Hi garfieldshome,

You mean the gear shift is now not able to move or it moves but the gear shift indicator light is showing R?

1. If gearshift moves freely but indicator is not moving accordingly, it should be due to a dislodged/broken linkage along the gearshift to trans shift lever.

2. Another possibility is a faulty inhibiitor (PNP) switch.[/quote:6a95e8834b]

the gear is in rear, the shift part on the steering wheel is movable in every gear and shows then which one, but it won't shift, instead it stays in rear

Hi garfieldshome,

If you shift to P or N and are able to start and the linkages to the trans from the gear shift is ok,then the trans is faulty and you need a rebuild/replacement. The forward clutches are defective.

i can not shift to P or N, thats the problem

i just replaced the transmission because the transmission was no good. So i went to pick N pool and pulled The transmission out of the same exact truck, the only difference was that it was a 1996 not 1997. But everything is the same on it. So i got it to drive now but will only drive when its in 4Low but have to rev it up until a certain rpm's before it engages and then starts driving. And when i put it into 2High and try to drive it, it just sits there and does nothing. And usually you are supposed to feel a jerk when you take it out of (P)park an go into (R)reverse or (D)drive but i do not feel any jerk at all. And then if i try to put it into (P)park then it sounds like grinding and wont go into (P)park. But when i am in 4Low it will go into (P)park with no problem and it will Drive and Reverse no problem. But only in 4Low. Have any idea's? Please let me know. Thank you!

Since the gear lever is stuck, you need to check the linkages and shift column.

if it is a used transmission that one can be bad as well. scan for codes and make sure that the transmission is full of fluid. you might also try adjusting the shift linkage and throttle cable linkage. see pictures.

About a year ago thought my transmission went out. was told to put new hose on and fill it up and try it. I did that and it started out in first gear then could go up to second then drive. now it wont come out of first. It will go up to drive but wont engage. I replaced the sensor solenoid and governor and the filter but that didn't help at all. what else can I do that will fix it? Thank you, Missy

If the fluid is low it will cause this issue. However, I suspect you have a cut seal inside the unit. I would suggest monitoring the transmission pressure and see what it is doing when this is put into gear.

Unfortunately, it sounds like it needs to be overhauled or replaced.

Without going into the unit I don't think there is a way we will know for sure what this is. Basically on these older units we need to check for codes, then fluid level, then monitor pressure. However, if it doesn't engage we can pretty much jump to removing the pan and looking for metal and then going further depending on the results.

Hi,

From what it sounds like is the transmission cooling hose was leaking and all the fluid leaked out and you replaced the hose and filled it backup with fluid, Make sure the fluid level is correct. When the transmission was ran without fluid it done some internal damage. You can drop the transmission pan and check how much debris and metal is in the bottom of the pan and check the filter to see it if it is dirty, You can try changing the fluid and filter but It sounds like the third gear clutch is slipping it will need replaced with an overhaul kit, torque converter and new fluid to make it right. I am attaching a link below on servicing transmission. Please let us know if this information was helpful.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-service-an-automatic-transmission

Thank you
Joe Terwilliger

When putting on replacement filter it did not have any type of grommet or any type of gasket that would mate up with the valve body. What mean filter material is held against valve body with only pressure from 3 mounting screws. With filter material just pressing against the valve body this seems like a potential fault and could create fluid loss.should there have not been some kind of grommet against valve body?

Hi,

The transmission filter on the side that goes to the valve there should be a small cork flat gasket this will seal to the valve body, Note If this gasket is missing take it back and exchange it, Make sure not to over tighten the screws, I'm attaching a pic, filter replacement and transmission fill procedure. Let us know if this information was helpful and what your results is.

Thank you
Joe Terwilliger

I can drive it a couple of miles and then all of a sudden it's just like it's not in gear anymore. I pull over turn it off and wait a few minutes and start it back up and go another few miles and then it does it again. Can you tell me what causes that?

Hi, it sounds like your filter is plugged. There is probably a lot of junk in the pan and when you drive it the filter sucks it up until it plugs and when you shut down and wait it all settles back in the pan.
Do not drive it like this or you will burn it up!

Let me know what you find.

Rich