my car won't drive in first gear, only in second. What are possible problems?

Answer 1

Hold up here guys. Don't go out paying for a new tranny plus installation just yet. You could just be dad low on tranny fluid. happens quite a bit actually. again, your synchros could be screwed over, you could have a bad shift throw that won't move the first gear plate into place, or lets the idler gear slide into place(unlikely btw). other than that, you'll have to take it to a mechanic to see whats with it.

Answer 2

Wow, some of those answers......?. OK, need more info. What year, make and model is your car? Is an automatic or a manual? If a manual, is there any noise in first when it wont move? How about in second when it does move? If automatic, will it shift into third after you reach 35 or 40 mph? Just to correct some other info, almost every passenger car manual trans has had a syncro on first gear since at least the 1960's, not every automatic, if any, use a band to apply low gear, not every automatic trans that isn't working perfectly needs an overhaul, I'll just stop there.

Answer 3

first off, first gear on a manual transmission has NO syncro gears as there is no need to shift into first while the cars is moving, assuming this is a manual transmission?

if this is a manual transmission, you need a full rebuild.

if this is an automatic transmission, your first gear bands are shot and no amount of adjustment is going to fix it. you need an overhaul.

good luck

Answer 4

Blown planetary gear in the transmission.

Answer 5

If it won't even "go" into 1st gear then the synchros are gone

Answer 6

Ask your mechanic.
if the car's old that could explain the problem.

Answer 7

1st gear is out. You need tranny work.

Answer 8

your tranny is shot, you need a new one