Cannot reverse or push car backwards in neutral - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

sbosshardt · 02-12-2010, 10:01 PM

Hi, I have a 90 Camry DX (2WD). It had been acting up making me think there's transmission problems. Right now, my car is almost against the wall and I can't move it backward - only forward. This problem happened before, and I changed the transmission fluid. I was able to get the car going again for 1-2 weeks but the problem came back and during that time it wasn't acting completely normal when driving. After I changed the transmission fluid the first time I had to almost floor the pedal while in reverse and it was able to overcome and went backwards. It slowly got better and I was even able to just put it in reverse and the car would move backward without my foot on the pedal.

Anyway, since the problem came back I replaced the fluid and the filter. The transmission sounds better and my car is hardly rattling anymore (it had a rattle before for a long time which might have been from old fluid and a potentially clogged filter). But now when I shift through the gears, they do seem to shift ok (judging by the change of noise and vibrations they seem like they're moving without problems).

I'm wondering if clutches in the transmission or torque converter might be responsible. I've also heard something about one way clutches. I've been reading all about how automatic transmissions work trying to figure out what it could be. Again, I can push the car forward in neutral and if I put it into drive it will move forward without pushing the gas pedal. With reverse, if I floor it nothing happens, and with neutral I can push back really hard but the car just rises off the ground a little but won't budge a millimeter. I wasn't able to find out anything from the diagnostic computer. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to tow it to a shop. Any thoughts on this?

Kenny_McCormic · 02-14-2010, 09:04 AM

Are you sure the rear drum brakes aren't acting up? Jack up the rear end and try to turn the wheels by hand.

sbosshardt · 02-14-2010, 05:04 PM

Haven't tried, since the car goes forward fine I didn't really think about the brakes. You really think the brakes might be responsible? I can try to find a jack and test that theory out

Kenny_McCormic · 02-15-2010, 02:37 PM

Car comes with a jack, you can lift one rear corner and check, then move to the other. Trans should roll in neutral no matter what.

sbosshardt · 02-16-2010, 02:36 PM

I went ahead and jacked it up and tried to spin the tires. The brakes aren't the problem. Though with one tire it does have some resistance for part of the rotation (a problem which doesn't help gas mileage but the rear wheels are definitely not keeping my car from moving). I'm trying to come up with a way to get my car turned around. I don't think it can be towed out like this and if it's turned around I can drive it to a shop.

spp · 02-16-2010, 06:27 PM

Towing companies usually have some dollys that can lift the front end at the tires and enable it to be moved.

csaxon · 02-17-2010, 11:52 AM

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38959

Dollies like these may help.