If your transmission can only shift when the car is off, there could be an issue with your pressure plate or clutch disk. The car’s transmission is responsible for transferring power from the engine to the driveshaft. It’s prone to wear and tear than other parts of the car since it is subjected to a lot of heat and friction.
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Transmission problems like failing to shift when the car is running can happen even if a car is well-maintained. The first thing you can check when your manual transmission can only shift when the car is off is the clutch disk.
The clutch disk of your car should be inspected every 15,000 miles or less than that if you often do city driving (stop and go driving). To find out whether the pressure plate or clutch disk is having an issue, the bell housing of the transmission should be dismantled. If either of the two is worn, the best solution is a replacement.
Transmission Can Only Shift When Car Is Off – Symptoms
Replacing or repairing any part of the transmission is a headache. It takes a lot of time, requires a good amount of money, not to mention very inconvenient. This is why detecting it while it’s still in its very early stage is very important to save yourself from all the trouble.
Here are signs related to a transmission that can only shift when car is off:
- The transmission is unable to shift and the car makes a grinding noise when the engine is on. Pulling out of 1st gear is more difficult than usual.
- The transmission shifts in and out of gear without any problem when the car is not running.
- It doesn’t come out of the reverse gear when the car is on.
- You are able to push the clutch to the limit, however, the engine almost stops when you allow the clutch out.
When you start to notice any of the signs above, have your car checked by a trusted mechanic immediately to avoid the problem of reaching the point when transmission can only shift when car is off.
Transmission Can Only Shift When Car Is Off – Causes
There are mainly two causes why your transmission can only shift when car is off. These are the following:
- Clutch Problem – A stubborn clutch that refuses to disengage might be the culprit. To check if this is the case, start your car after engaging the gear and clutch. If your car stumbles forward, take it to a servicing shop immediately.
A professional mechanic can diagnose if there is a problem with the clutch system. It will indicate if the hydraulic clutch is unable to put any pressure on the pressure plate.
Make sure not to test your clutch in a busy area as the car will abruptly lurch forward when starting the engine. Do the clutch test in a vacant place where you won’t hit anything or anybody.
- Low Level of Transmission Fluid – The parts in a modern manual transmission are designed in such a way that they are always moving when the gears are in neutral.
The engine and the transmission parts will be damaged seriously when there is not enough lubricant. You may end up having to replace the whole transmission system if not having to spend lots of money for repair.
Transmission Can Only Shift When Car Is Off – Solutions
Here are two things you can do when your transmission can only shift when car is off:
Check Transmission Fluid
Check your transmission fluid. Your transmission has plenty of moving parts and transmission fluid keeps them lubricated. Checking your fluid every 30,000 to 60,000 is a must for a manual transmission vehicle.
If you fail to check and change/add transmission fluid when necessary, it can get contaminated with bits of metal from the gears, bearings, and synchronizers. This can be the reason you’ll have a hard time shifting gears or not being able to do so at all.
Transmissions give few signals when their fluid is low so you should be checking it in regularly based on recommended intervals. Sometimes, it may be necessary to upgrade to a different type of fluid if you have problems with the transmission due to the cold weather, or if you are using a fluid not originally recommended for your car.
Check The Pressure Plate Or Clutch Disk
When your manual transmission can only shift when car is off but not when the car is running, the issue could be with the pressure plate or clutch disk. When either of the two is worn, the best solution is to replace them.
If the clutch engages near the floor or moves easily but cannot shift, the clutch linkage may have become detached, or the clutch cable may have snapped. Clutch pedal bushings that are already worn can also cause the same issues.
Visit your mechanic to know if a replacement of the entire clutch assembly is needed, or you’d only need to replace individual parts of the clutch.
Transmission Can Only Shift When Car Is Off – Prevention
Proper care and maintenance of your car’s transmission are needed to prevent having problems such as a manual transmission can only shift when car is off (and any other types of transmission problems).
Here are 5 things you can do to make your manual transmission last longer and prevent it from breaking down:
- Lift your foot off the clutch pedal completely when shifting gears. To put it simply, do not ride the clutch. Riding on your clutch is a habit you should avoid when driving since it puts undue strain on the gearbox and the clutch.
- Have the cooling system of your engine serviced in regular intervals. The cooling system helps in preventing the engine from overheating. Aside from that, it also makes sure that the transmission fluid that gets into the gearbox is cooled too.
Chances are you’ll need to repair your transmission before your engine completely overheats. Making sure your car’s cooling system in optimal condition will help keep your transmission in good condition as well.
- Make sure your transmission is flushed regularly. It’s best to have a professional change your transmission fluid. Check your car’s owner’s manual, but generally, it is recommended to have your car’s transmission flushed once a year.
How long your transmission fluid will last depends on your car’s operating temperature and how much you drive it.
- Avoid downshifting when you need to slow down. It’s a common misconception that downshifting when slowing down or coming to a complete stop is good for your engine or your manual transmission.
The truth is downshifting adds more wear and tear to your gearbox. Better stick to using your brakes when slowing down and stopping your car.
- Do a yearly transmission inspection. Have a certified transmission repair specialist perform a diagnostic check of your car’s transmission for leaks and other irregularities at least once a year. Other things to check periodically include the level of transmission fluid, color, and smell.
FAQ Related To Transmission Can Only Shift When Car Is Off
What would cause a manual transmission to not shift?
When your manual transmission is becoming more difficult to shift or all of a sudden becomes more difficult to shift into gears, the reason will almost positively be one of the following.
In this list, we’ve excluded two causes that were already discussed – the clutch issue and not enough transmission fluid. Here are the other four reasons why your manual transmission is hard to shift or not shifting at all:
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Gears
The main component of a manual transmission system is the gear. It is made up of the reverse gear, counter gear, 1st to 5th gear, and sometimes 6th gear. Each gear has big and small teeth.
The smaller teeth’s purpose is to accept the engagement of the hub sleeve with the synchronizer ring. It would be difficult to shift the transmission if these small teeth got damaged or become worn out.
On the other hand, when a gear is shifted, the bigger teeth’ function is to engage the spinning counter gear which delivers a transmission to the output shaft. The transmission will make noise once the bigger teeth get damaged or worn out.
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Hub Sleeve
The Hub sleeve’s job is to engage the main gears from the hub gear. It can move to the right and left, depending on the location in which the gear shifts. The hub sleeve is situated between the main gear and the hub gear and is like the conveyer of the engagement.
As a gear shift takes place in the transmission, the small teeth on the hub gear will synchronize with the teeth of the synchro ring. However, if the sleeve gets damaged or worn out, shifting the transmission would be difficult.
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Synchronizer Ring
The synchro ring or the synchronizer’s purpose is to smoothly engage the gear. The ring is made up of small teeth that allow it to effortlessly be engaged by the hub sleeve and then into the main gear.
It would be difficult to shift the transmission if the synchro ring were to get damaged or malfunction in any way.
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Hub Gear
The hub gear is situated between two different gears, and it engages them. It serves as a bridge between two gears, a bridge to the first and second gear, and a bridge between third and fourth gear.
The hub gear is linked to the transmission shift so it is unable to turn freely. A worn-out or damaged gear will cause issues when shifting your manual transmission.
When it comes to manual transmission problems like it can only shift when car is off, it is always best to have it checked by a mechanic as soon as possible. You don’t want the issue to get worse since the solution can be very expensive and a hassle.