Will not move in Drive or Reverse

240

Asked by cbradley Oct 20, 2013 at 01:54 PM about the 1995 GMC Sierra 1500 K1500 SLE 4WD Extended Cab SB

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

1995 GMC Sierra k1500, 350, 5.7 Automatic : Take it out of park, into drive or reverse, step on gas, rpm's fly, but won't move an inch.  Have not driven in a week or so, had to replace radiator because of leak, replaced radiator yesterday and it works fine, ...but now get no movement at all when out of park.  Fluids are fine. I have no idea.  Please help, because I have no money to spare.

20 Answers

240

There were coolant lines... all reattached. Transmission level is fine, maybe slightly too much.

10 people found this helpful.
30,425

Well that sounds like quite the pickle. It sounds like an issue with the tranny coolant lines to me too. Nothing else but the rad was worked on? Did you plug the lines after dis-connecting and maybe left something in there. Trannies run on low pressure and the fluid may be blocked. No flow, no go. If you did plug them it might be a good idea to disconnect both ends of each tube and blow them out with air, ensure no forgein material gets blow into the tranny. Blow out the new rad and ensure there is communication between the two ports you are connected to? New cooling coil may be pinched.

13 people found this helpful.
240

I did not plug the lines. Nothing but the rad was worked on. Do you think fludhing the trans system, and adding new fluid would help? Or could it be something simpler? I can't figure it out. I appreciate the help.

8 people found this helpful.
30,425

No. My best guess is that you are not circulating tranny fluid. When you flush your tranny you are replacing burnt or degraded fluid for fresh fluid to extend your trannies life, it will still operate. Was there shipping plugs in the new rad in the cooling ports? You need to verify that the transmission is pumping fluid. The top line should be the return. Get a helper, disconnect the line and put it in a pail, get someone to briefly start the truck. You should have fluid flowing from the hose. Do it with the tranny cold and I tape a rag over the end to reduce splashing. Safety glasses would be smart. The tranny should start pumping as soon as the engine starts to rotate. If there is no fluid you have a blockage somewhere in the connections or the cooling coil in the new rad is plugged.

22 people found this helpful.
120

Some how you are over looking something simple and it is something in the area that the other people are telling you. If you just make a good cub of coffee or what ever you like and sit somewhere alone and go back to the day you installed the new rad. Take your time and go over each and everything that you did you might just remember moving or bending or unplugging but just go back to everything that you did right when you removed the rad and then cleaned the area and what ever else you did to get things ready to install the new rad. Then go to thinking about everything you did when you put the new rad in and make sure you not only think of putting the new rad in BUT EVERYTHING AROUND THE INSTALL AREA. Look very slow and good in the front of the engine and both sides of the inside finders, I am sure you will find what it is just take your time. Good Luck my friend........... Logan

12 people found this helpful.
30

i have a transmission leak in which transmission fluild has to be used in order to move my suv!

3 people found this helpful.
540

my car wont move it starts fine runs fine but when i put it in drive or reverse it wont move when i push on the gas rpms go up like normal but like i said car wont move so i thought a fuse or something checked it all good but if i bang on my relay box under the hood and start the car i can drive off like nothing is wrong for a couple blocks then back to the same problem. could it be electrical problem?

54 people found this helpful.
2,180

i am having the same issue with my 2002 Toyota Camry . first radiator was damaged so i changed it and connected all the hoses and lines from the transmission but it doesn't drive nor reverse when i shift. After reading the helpful tips on here I took out the radiator and started the engine and really didn't see fluid pumping out of the lines. it has enough fluid in the transmission so why is it that the fluid doesn't seem to be flowing when the car starts. The upper line had little fluid coming out slowly . I did the same to my other car packed in the garage and it had fluid pumping really fast from the transmission line. So i assumed that the transmission line connecting to the radiator is somehow blocked due to the cold weather since it's winter. I will post any updates in few days after heating up the lines to see if there has been any improvement.. thanks guys for your tips...

9 people found this helpful.
100

Im having a very similar crisis. ..I was going through bank drive thru, put my 2000 ford Taurus into par, did my transaction stuff, then as I put car into drive it wouldn't budge in either direction

10 people found this helpful.
170

I was driving down the interstate and my RPMs starting going crazy and when i pressed the gas i couldnt accelerate. Pulled over and couldnt get it to drive or reverse. Towed it to triple A and they said i blew my transmission and had to get my radiator replaced as well. $1900 fix. I didnt go through with it because i wouldnt think it was that serious without a warning light or overheating. My friend checked my transmission fluid and it was still red. He said it may just be a sensor. Waiting til next week to go to pick and pull and test the sensor.

15 people found this helpful.
270

Did anyone find out what the problem is? I just had an engine replaced in my car. I pick it up from shop and it drove great. I parked it and changed clothes at home. Went back in it 30 min later, started right up, drove fine until about 2 miles into the drive. It would barely move and then stopped moving all together. Now it will go into drive and reverse but will not move at all. It revs but don't move. Any ideas?

27 people found this helpful.
220

My surburban is doing the same it turns on and goes into drive but wont drive ??? Wat can i do

22 people found this helpful.
320

I have a 1991chevy 1500 silverado automatically tranny 4x4 wheel drive transmission and couldput it in lower gears and go somewhere now won't do anything when puting in any gears how u find out whats a matter with it

20 people found this helpful.
90

possible transmission pump issue ? check for baseline pressure .then boost pressure (need a gauge ) if nothing wrong then one of the clutches or planet sets has broken up.

9 people found this helpful.
120

I have a 2000 Chevy same problems but never in it and put it in drive it just revs up what did you do

12 people found this helpful.
120

I have a 2007 GMC Sierra 4x4 I just put a transmission and transfer case in it put fluids in both and started it up and it will not go anywhere

12 people found this helpful.
290

I gave a 1991 GMC Sierra changed the breaks on it drive it up the road and it ran fine parked for 4 hours or so and it want go in gear at all when you go to put it back in park it grinds on the gears

7 people found this helpful.
460

Hmm guess no one saying anything about the mileage on these junkers lol but most automatic transmissions seem to fire like bacon over time I took a still so good ford apart and could see the the very first snap ring was loose and all the friction plates were burnt but never gave any sign of slippage so I assume the transmission could fail anytime

3 people found this helpful.
10

Patrick is right about the transmission could be toasted in a second which happened to my 2015 Yukon yesterday It would not move forward but reverse was ok I have 250,000 miles in my truck Just replaced engine at 200k and transmission at 250k All the best

1 people found this helpful.

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