# Car moves foward and back but stops suddenly 93 BMW 318i **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** transmissions, brakes, bmw, 318\ **Created:** [December 3, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958 "2017-12-03T22:23:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sukhi26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@sukhi26](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sukhi26)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/1 "2017-12-03T22:23:46Z")
I drive a 1993 BMW 318i 5 speed manual 1.8 L 4-cylinder, and I have run into a problem with it. the car shifts perfectly but when I accelerate or reverse the car will move about 3 feet then stop. same for when the car is in neutral. I have no idea what it could be… please help! ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/2 "2017-12-03T22:26:41Z")
If the vehicle won’t move while in neutral, the next thing to check are the brakes. Tester ---
**Author:** ![sukhi26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@sukhi26](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sukhi26)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/3 "2017-12-03T22:28:15Z")
the car moves in neutral for about 5 ft and the whole car stops ---
**Author:** ![sukhi26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@sukhi26](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sukhi26)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/4 "2017-12-03T22:29:35Z")
the car still runs after it stops ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/5 "2017-12-03T22:31:38Z")
Check the rear drum brakes. Tester ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 10:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/6 "2017-12-03T22:32:59Z")
> [@sukhi26](#): > > the car moves in neutral for about 5 ft and the whole car stops The car in neutral should only move if you are on a hill. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/7 "2017-12-03T23:36:08Z")
Perhaps you can clarify the symptoms OP 1. In Drive, with your foot off the brakes, with the car initially not moving, what exactly happens when you press on the accel pedal? 2. In Reverse , same question…? 3. In Neutral, same question … ? ---
**Author:** ![sukhi26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@sukhi26](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sukhi26)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 12:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/8 "2017-12-04T00:35:13Z")
the floor is a slightly slanted, enough for it to roll back a good amount ---
**Author:** ![sukhi26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@sukhi26](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sukhi26)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 12:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/9 "2017-12-04T00:44:10Z")
in first gear when it accelerates about 4 ft and the car breaks itself as if something was stuck in the wheels on the passenger side. same for neutral, the car rolls back a bit and does the same but rolling back and forth. and the same when reversing. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2017, 12:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-moves-foward-and-back-but-stops-suddenly-93-bmw-318i/109958/10 "2017-12-04T00:48:28Z")
That sounds more like a brake problem than a transmission problem to me. Could be something broken in the axle/cv joint area on the right side of the car too. A general brake inspection on the right side seems reasonable, and the flexible brake lines on the right side should be checked too. Problem brake booster possible, but less likely.