Wouldn't go into drive or reverse?

[Luvtohunt]

Have an 88 Comanche with a inline 6 and auto transmission. Truck has 85,000 miles on it. Today when I started it and drive to put it into drive it didn't move, tried reverse, same thing. Shut it off, checked the trans fluid, re-started it and it went into drive and reverse with no problem. Any idea what would cause this?

 

Please advise if you can.

[Geonovast]

Auto trans fluid needs to be checked when it's warmed up and running.

[Luvtohunt]

Auto trans fluid needs to be checked when it's warmed up and running.

 

 

I did that, and it looked really good,

 

Thanks for the reply.

[Automan2164]

Is there any noticeable kick when going through the gears? Does it low-idle like there is a load on the engine when in drive or reverse? Or does it just act like its in neutral? When you put it in neutral can you push it, and it roll?

 

Rob L.

[Luvtohunt]

Is there any noticeable kick when going through the gears? Does it low-idle like there is a load on the engine when in drive or reverse? Or does it just act like its in neutral? When you put it in neutral can you push it, and it roll?

 

Rob L.

 

 

It acted like it was in neutral, however, after I shut if off and tried it again, it worked perfectly.......

[Eagle]

Random thought: Would this truck have a column shift? If so, the linkage to the transmission is rather, ah ... "indirect." Don't recall if PARK has a brake interlock. Is it possible that nothing moved except the lever, and that the tranny was in PARK the whole time? When you shut it off, you may have somehow reset an interlock, so the next time you tried it the lever actually moved the linkage.

 

As I said ... random thought.

[Luvtohunt]

Random thought: Would this truck have a column shift? If so, the linkage to the transmission is rather, ah ... "indirect." Don't recall if PARK has a brake interlock. Is it possible that nothing moved except the lever, and that the tranny was in PARK the whole time? When you shut it off, you may have somehow reset an interlock, so the next time you tried it the lever actually moved the linkage.

 

As I said ... random thought.

 

 

Sounds like exactly what happened. Do you think this will be an on going worse condition, or just a random event?

 

Thanks again for your input.

[Eagle]

I would say that you probably need to discipline yourself to use the parking brake, to make certain that the parking brake is set and holding the vehicle before you put it in PARK, and to keep your foot on the brakes when shifting out of PARK.

 

PARK is a physical pawl inside the transmission. If you are one of the new generation of drivers who grew up after they stopped teaching standard transmissions in drivers' ed, you also probably don't understand how PARK works or how much pressure is on that pawl if you use PARK as a substitute for the parking brake rather than the redundant safety device it is intended to be.