# Automatic transmission won't go into reverse or neutral **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 29, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235 "2012-10-29T23:28:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sully32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Sully32](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Sully32)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/1 "2012-10-29T23:28:22Z")
1986 S10 blazer automatic transmission won’t go into reverse OR neutral! It goes fwd in both reverse and neutral. It goes into park just fine. The fluid is full and not burnt. It will drive forward when in reverse and in neutral. I turned the engine off and checked neutral, it was not in gear but tried to go forward as soon as I started the engine. I have never seen this! Sully32 ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/2 "2012-10-30T03:33:59Z")
You need a new transmission. Transman might know the most likely cause on your particular transmission but it seems quite certain that a forward clutch is dragging or a planetary has seized. ---
**Author:** ![JayWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@JayWB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JayWB)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 8:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/3 "2012-10-30T08:37:50Z")
**“I turned the engine off and checked neutral, it was not in gear but tried to go forward as soon as I started the engine.”** This sounds like the transmission is just fine, but the selector / shift linkage is broken. The transmission stays in forward / drive regardless of what you do with the selector. If you put the selector in “Park” can you push the car and get it to move? ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 8:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/4 "2012-10-30T08:40:48Z")
Well, I doubt if you need a new transmission. You turned the engine off and checked neutral, it was not in gear but tried to go forward as soon as I started the engine. How did you dertermine that the thing was not in gear?? ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/5 "2012-10-30T16:19:24Z")
With the neutral safety switch on the column it certainly is possible that the problem is in the linkage to the transmission. Maybe I read too much into the OP’s statement that he checked neutral and it goes into park just fine. Maybe the OP will try to push the truck with the lever at Park and post back. ---
**Author:** ![Sully32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Sully32](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Sully32)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/6 "2012-10-30T16:39:09Z")
I tried to push the vehicle with it in park and it did not move. I slowly shifted into reverse and it tried to move forward, then neutral and it moved forward. Each drive gear was the same. I then tried to start the vehicle in both reverse and drive and nothing happened. However, it did start when I had it in neutral and it went forward. ---
**Author:** ![Sully32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Sully32](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Sully32)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/7 "2012-10-30T16:47:17Z")
I will re-check the linkage tonight. I could not see any visable damage when I looked at it yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/8 "2012-10-30T21:12:35Z")
I agree with JayWB, it sounds like the linkage is not right. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/9 "2012-10-30T23:31:56Z")
If the truck won’t moved when pushed in park, doen’t move in reverse and moves forward in neutral there is most likely an internal problem. ---
**Author:** ![Sully32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Sully32](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Sully32)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/10 "2012-10-31T18:27:11Z")
Thanks for all of the inputs. Sully32 ---
**Author:** ![transman618](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/transman618/32/24_2.png) [@transman618](https://community.cartalk.com/u/transman618)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/11 "2012-11-01T20:42:48Z")
Nope… It sounds like the transmission overheated and welded some clutch plates together. More than likely the forward clutches. Does the fluid look dark?? Definitely an internal issue. Especially if the linkages are fine. transman ---
**Author:** ![Sully32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Sully32](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Sully32)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/12 "2012-11-02T18:38:40Z")
The linkage is fine. The fluid is burnt. Thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_Stew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e495f1/32.png) [@Joseph\_Stew](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_Stew)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/13 "2019-10-02T20:40:03Z")
Sully. I am having this exact same issue right now. Parks works grate. Car only starts when in park and in neutral. However, unless im braking in neutral the car will move forward. My shifter linkage is fine. Im curious if you ever determined what your issue was? ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2019, 1:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/14 "2019-10-06T01:56:25Z")
There are several possible causes and all require a complete tear down and rebuild. ---
**Author:** ![Tylor-1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2acd7d/32.png) [@Tylor-1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tylor-1)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2020, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-wont-go-into-reverse-or-neutral/75235/15 "2020-10-13T21:15:43Z")
Ok I have had the same issue but I got my Ford f150 V8 Triton to break loose to where it would go into reverse is there any way for me to prevent that from happening again without are with the cheapest of repairs?