You went out to start up your Toyota and head out, but the car won’t go into gear for some reason. If that’s ever happened to you, you know how frustrating it can be. Toy Doctor has some suggestions for you to try.
Press the Brake or Clutch More Firmly
Whether your Toyota has a manual or automatic transmission, you might not have the clutch or brake firmly depressed enough to get the gearshift to move. Release the clutch if you’ve got a manual transmission or the brake if you’re in an automatic. Press the respective pedal again, firmly, as far as you can. Try to put the transmission in gear again.
Try a Different Gear
If that doesn’t work, you might need to try shifting into a different gear. That might sound completely opposite of what you need, but this gives you information. Sometimes just one gear is damaged and you can get the car into a different one. If the problem is bigger, though, you may not be able to get into any gear at all.
Look for Transmission Fluid Leaks
Still having trouble? Take a look under the car. You’re going to want to look toward the rear of the car and see if you can spot any fluid leaking under the rear of the car. If you do, this may be transmission fluid. It’s typically reddish brown in color and is really greasy. A leak lets you know why you might be having transmission trouble.
What Else Is Happening?
It might be time to take a deeper look if absolutely nothing has helped so far. With the car on, are you hearing any strange noises, particularly coming from where the transmission is in the rear of the car? Pay attention also to unusual smells, particularly if something smells hot. Look at the dashboard, too. If you see the check engine light, that’s a big sign of trouble.
Don’t Force It
Ultimately, you don’t want to force the car into gear if these gentle steps aren’t working. That can cause damage that takes a lot more time, effort, and money to fix. It can even cost you the entire transmission.
Transmission trouble in your Toyota? Call on Toy Doctor in Denver, CO for help with whatever is causing issues for your Toyota’s transmission. We can accurately diagnose the problem and help you to get safely back on your way again quickly.
