Will not shift out of neutral

135,000 MILES
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ABRAHAM JAIME TORRES
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
My manual car turns on, but when I try to move the shift to change gears from neutral to first, it wont even leave from neutral. What can be the problem?
Jul 16, 2019 at 1:19 PM
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JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 110,248 POSTS
Welcome to 2CarPros.

With the engine off, can you shift to any gear? Is there a grinding with the engine on?

If you are able to shift with the engine off, the clutch isn't disengaging the transmission. Most likely, if this happened all at once, is either the clutch master cylinder or slave cylinder has failed.

Take a look through this link:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/clutch-doesnt-work-sometimes-or-not-at-all

If that isn't the issue and you can't shift even with the engine off, it is most likely related to the shift linkage.

Let me know which of those fits what is happening.

Take care,
Joe
Jul 16, 2019 at 2:22 PM
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