Automatic, shift cable broke, is it harder to push?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 190
Likes: 4
From: austin tx
Automatic, shift cable broke, is it harder to push?
Car would not start. I had it towed to Lambs Automotive. Mechanic said he pushed my car into his shop, slight upgrade, and it took a while to diagnose the problem, which he said is a broken shift cable and was stuck in reverse. I thought it would be hard to push if car was in reverse, so that would be a huge clue. Could he have found a cheap problem and just said it was the cable?
Thoughts please................
Thanks
Thoughts please................
Thanks
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,596
Likes: 67
From: Bahama North Carolina
Being stuck in reverse will keep it from starting. You should always ask to see any replaced parts from any shop you may not fully trust. I doubt you suffered any transmission damage. With the engine not running I don't think the trans would be engaged.
Last edited by BigGun; Oct 24, 2014 at 12:34 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4,439
Likes: 406
From: Portland OR
It won't hurt a thing to push an auto trans car while it's stuck in reverse. But it will be hard, the trans gears are engaged.
The switch that tells the car it's in gear is on the trans end of the cable. It's a neutral safety switch, hence the no start.
The cable isn't trivial to replace.....
Ron
The switch that tells the car it's in gear is on the trans end of the cable. It's a neutral safety switch, hence the no start.
The cable isn't trivial to replace.....
Ron
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 4,346
Likes: 755
From: Greensboro Nc
Agree. The shift cable shouldn't be that big of a deal to replace. My question: how did you get the key out in the first place? Every automatic I've ever seen break a shift cable did so while trying to put it in park. The key wouldn't come out of the ignition.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 11,150
Likes: 890
From: South Western Ontario
Gears are actually engaged by the oil under pressure coming from the pump. Without the engine running no fluid gets pumped so no gear can get engaged regardless of the position of the shift lever.This is also why you can't tow an automatic vehicle very far on it's drive wheels if the engine isn't running. The pump also pumps oil to the various bushings, clutches, sprags etc for lubrication.
Last edited by lionelhutz; Oct 25, 2014 at 08:30 PM.
