MT Stuck in gear. Won't go forward or reverse.

adnonymous · 01-01-2012, 02:33 PM

Hey all, I was parked overnight in my driveway which is slightly downhill. I had the car in 1st and e-brake up during the night. I came out this morning, started the ignition, put the clutch in and released the e-brake. I gave it gas to roll backwards but it got hung up and I stalled it. The car started back up just fine with the clutch pushed in but the shifter will not move out of reverse or what feels like 4th. It is impossible to move the shifter. If I have the e-brake down and I slowly let go off the clutch the car doesn't move forward or back, it just dies. Any ideas? Please, any help is really appreciated.

I'm at a loss because I can't even get a tow truck to get it off my driveway because it's stuck in gear and won't roll at all.

Cliffs

Car stuck in 4th/R
Won't row through gears at all
Clutch pedal in, start car, won't go forward or back just dies
E-brake down, clutch pedal in, won't roll backward (Even though it's on a decline)

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Elbert Bass · 01-02-2012, 11:19 AM

No model/year info only gets you the vague, shot-in-the-dark, generic diag, but here's what my best guess is:

Was the temp below freezing? When you release the e-brake and try to reset do you feel it pulling tension or is is slack until you get to the "click" it was set on overnight?

If so it could be a frozen or rusted e-brake. If you let the transmission hold the car before setting the e-brake that tension coupled with the locked e-brake could also keep your shifter locked. The vehicle will stall as well if the e-brake was frozen/seized.

-OR-

It could be stuck in two gears or something worse...

(me, I'm voting for stuck/frozen e-brake)

i_eat_r1ce · 01-10-2012, 06:23 PM

A tow truck would still be possible, since they can use dollies on the front & back of the car. Good luck with the fix!

Hogie · 01-10-2012, 06:37 PM

My 05 did this once, I had luck pushing/rocking the car front to rear a couple of times. Afterwards everything went back to normal.

some dude · 01-10-2012, 07:07 PM

You left the car in 1st gear overnight right? Then you say it is stuck in either 4th or reverse? That would mean you moved it out of 1st, it went into neutral fine, you jiggled it around a little bit, and tried to put it into reverse. The car didn't move, it stalled, and the stick stayed right where you put it and now won't budge?

And, a wrecker can tow your car with dollies as said before. Just picks both axles off the ground and off you go.

veener79 · 01-10-2012, 09:54 PM

See you have a 08. Would not think your E-brake is rusted.

I would say to try is have someone in the car to play with the stick. With the E-brake down have a few of your friends rock the car back and forth and see if you can get the car out of gear.

adnonymous · 01-10-2012, 10:08 PM

Thanks for the help guys. Rocking the car back and forth popped it out of gear. Everything is back to normal!

Mean · 05-23-2012, 10:59 AM

A quick revisit...

My wife had the same problem. She went to back out of a parking space, went to 4th before reverse as is common when reverse does not want to engage properly, and the car stalled. The gear shift was stuck in 4th and the car would not roll even though it was on a slight grade (nose up) and the clutch was in. Ultimately rocking the car allowed us to pop it out but I was not able to reproduce the issue and she is a little fuzzy on the exact sequence of events.

What is the mechanism here that would cause this to happen? The tranny getting locked up internally. Does this have to do with age? Do I have to buy my wife a new Forester?

TIA,
G
02 WRX w/ 130k miles.

01-01-2012, 02:33 PM	#1
adnonymous Scooby Newbie Member#: 287321 Join Date: Jul 2011 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Seattle / Sacramento Vehicle: 2008 Impreza WRX Silver	MT Stuck in gear. Won't go forward or reverse. Hey all, I was parked overnight in my driveway which is slightly downhill. I had the car in 1st and e-brake up during the night. I came out this morning, started the ignition, put the clutch in and released the e-brake. I gave it gas to roll backwards but it got hung up and I stalled it. The car started back up just fine with the clutch pushed in but the shifter will not move out of reverse or what feels like 4th. It is impossible to move the shifter. If I have the e-brake down and I slowly let go off the clutch the car doesn't move forward or back, it just dies. Any ideas? Please, any help is really appreciated. I'm at a loss because I can't even get a tow truck to get it off my driveway because it's stuck in gear and won't roll at all. Cliffs Car stuck in 4th/R Won't row through gears at all Clutch pedal in, start car, won't go forward or back just dies E-brake down, clutch pedal in, won't roll backward (Even though it's on a decline) * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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01-02-2012, 11:19 AM	#2
Elbert Bass Scooby Newbie Member#: 283429 Join Date: May 2011 Chapter/Region: South East Location: South East TN Vehicle: 1994 Volvo 940 White	No model/year info only gets you the vague, shot-in-the-dark, generic diag, but here's what my best guess is: Was the temp below freezing? When you release the e-brake and try to reset do you feel it pulling tension or is is slack until you get to the "click" it was set on overnight? If so it could be a frozen or rusted e-brake. If you let the transmission hold the car before setting the e-brake that tension coupled with the locked e-brake could also keep your shifter locked. The vehicle will stall as well if the e-brake was frozen/seized. -OR- It could be stuck in two gears or something worse... (me, I'm voting for stuck/frozen e-brake)

01-10-2012, 06:23 PM	#3
i_eat_r1ce Scooby Newbie Member#: 303366 Join Date: Dec 2011 Chapter/Region: VIC Location: Vancouver/Burnaby Vehicle: 1998 Impreza 2.5 rs Black	A tow truck would still be possible, since they can use dollies on the front & back of the car. Good luck with the fix!

01-10-2012, 06:37 PM	#4
Hogie Scooby Newbie Member#: 97017 Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Louisville, KY Vehicle: 1972 240z yellow	My 05 did this once, I had luck pushing/rocking the car front to rear a couple of times. Afterwards everything went back to normal.

01-10-2012, 07:07 PM	#5
some dude Scooby Specialist Member#: 100300 Join Date: Nov 2005 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: MIC\|-\|IG/\N Vehicle: 06 WRX CGM	You left the car in 1st gear overnight right? Then you say it is stuck in either 4th or reverse? That would mean you moved it out of 1st, it went into neutral fine, you jiggled it around a little bit, and tried to put it into reverse. The car didn't move, it stalled, and the stick stayed right where you put it and now won't budge? And, a wrecker can tow your car with dollies as said before. Just picks both axles off the ground and off you go.

01-10-2012, 09:54 PM	#6
veener79 Scooby Specialist Member#: 204304 Join Date: Feb 2009 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: IL Vehicle: 2008 WRX 4D Stage 2 Silver	See you have a 08. Would not think your E-brake is rusted. I would say to try is have someone in the car to play with the stick. With the E-brake down have a few of your friends rock the car back and forth and see if you can get the car out of gear.

01-10-2012, 10:08 PM	#7
adnonymous Scooby Newbie Member#: 287321 Join Date: Jul 2011 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Seattle / Sacramento Vehicle: 2008 Impreza WRX Silver	Thanks for the help guys. Rocking the car back and forth popped it out of gear. Everything is back to normal!

05-23-2012, 10:59 AM	#8
Mean Scooby Newbie Member#: 12116 Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Northern VA Vehicle: 2002 Impreza WRX Sedona Red Pearl	A quick revisit... My wife had the same problem. She went to back out of a parking space, went to 4th before reverse as is common when reverse does not want to engage properly, and the car stalled. The gear shift was stuck in 4th and the car would not roll even though it was on a slight grade (nose up) and the clutch was in. Ultimately rocking the car allowed us to pop it out but I was not able to reproduce the issue and she is a little fuzzy on the exact sequence of events. What is the mechanism here that would cause this to happen? The tranny getting locked up internally. Does this have to do with age? Do I have to buy my wife a new Forester? TIA, G 02 WRX w/ 130k miles.