# Car would rev and speedometer would increase but tires wouldn't move **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** civic, honda\ **Created:** [January 25, 2018, 1:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664 "2018-01-25T13:08:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Joe\_Maiello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@Joe\_Maiello](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joe_Maiello)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 1:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/1 "2018-01-25T13:08:20Z")
Yesterday morning I pulled out of my parking lot and my car started acting like it was on a sheet of ice, which is what I thought at first because it was very slippery out. When I stepped on the gas my engine would rev and the numbers would increase on my speedometer but the two front tires would not be spinning. When I took the foot off the gas it would idle and move slightly forward, as it normally would. I was able to have it move slowly to the side of the road. In a few hours, I went back out and it worked fine. Any thoughts? PS- No recent bumps, accidents. Etc. ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 1:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/2 "2018-01-25T13:18:03Z")
Is this a standard transmission? Could be clutch or transmission related. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/3 "2018-01-25T13:37:33Z")
If it’s an automatic, it’s possible that the shift linkage is out of whumpus and the tranny was actually in Neutral when the shifter was in Drive. Actually, I suppose the same could be true if it was a manual. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 2:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/4 "2018-01-25T14:01:43Z")
How do you know the front tires weren’t spinning? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/5 "2018-01-25T14:49:08Z")
The speedo moves? The speed sensor says something is turning? ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/6 "2018-01-25T15:23:06Z")
If you are concluding that tge right front tire was not spinning just because the left one wasn’t, you could be mistaken. If one front tire is spinning on a Civic, no force is being transmitted to the other one. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Maiello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@Joe\_Maiello](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joe_Maiello)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/7 "2018-01-25T17:13:56Z")
I leaned out the car to look to see if the tire was spinning and it wasnt. The speedomterer mph went up as I stepped on the gas. I am not sure if the right one was spinning but the car should have moved somewhat if it was, no? ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Maiello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/77aa72/32.png) [@Joe\_Maiello](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joe_Maiello)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/8 "2018-01-25T17:14:10Z")
And it is an automatic. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/9 "2018-01-25T17:33:29Z")
If on glare ice the right one could have been spinning with no movement. The reason we’re thinking that’s the problem is the speedometer moving. Most other problems wouldn’t have the speedometer move. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/10 "2018-01-25T18:25:54Z")
I agree. If the shift linkage was in neutral, the speedo wouldn’t be moving. For some reason I was thinking the tachometer rather than the speedo. ---
**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:** [January 26, 2018, 4:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/11 "2018-01-26T04:02:04Z")
That’s a very weird symptom. If once the problem started it never went away I’d guess a problem with one of the drive axles. But since it is now working fine, the most likely explanation is that the other front wheel that you couldn’t see was spinning, presumably on ice. If there was no snow or ice at the time, just dry pavement, no clue. Next time it happens try to find someone who can look at the other front wheel. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 1:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/12 "2018-01-26T13:43:17Z")
You have witnessed the ramifications of a car with an open differential with one drive wheel having no traction. Perfectly normal and expected. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2018, 1:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/13 "2018-01-26T13:45:20Z")
Here’s an excellent video on the topic. Your front wheel drive car’s differential looks different on the outside and doesn’t translate motion 90°, but the rest is the same. > **[A Brilliant Demonstration Of How A Car's Rear Differential Works](http://musclecarsclub.com/brilliant-demonstration-cars-rear-differential-works/)** > > Many of us have been always wondering how our car is able to get around a corner without the rear wheels locking up. We are all familiar with the fact that the outside wheel on the rear axle is always traveling faster than the inner wheel and tries... ---
**Author:** ![Krystle\_Morton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@Krystle\_Morton](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Krystle_Morton)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/14 "2020-02-05T01:56:50Z")
Just wondering if you ever figured out the issue as I am experiencing the same issue with my 2007 Honda civic LX manual transmission ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 2:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/15 "2020-02-05T14:31:02Z")
> [@Krystle\_Morton](#): > > I am experiencing the same issue In slippery conditions or dry? ---
**Author:** ![Krystle\_Morton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a5b964/32.png) [@Krystle\_Morton](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Krystle_Morton)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 11:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/16 "2020-02-05T23:46:51Z")
Dry conditions ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/car-would-rev-and-speedometer-would-increase-but-tires-wouldnt-move/111664/17 "2020-02-06T00:34:42Z")
OK, does the car go at all? If not, and the speedo does jump with the tach, then my first guess is a broken drive shaft or differential.