Q: Car starts but doesn't accelerate or backup

asked by on October 01, 2016

My car starts and the engine sounds fine when I give it gas while in parked. However, once I put the car in drive or reverse, the car makes a loud grinding noise and the car doesn't move at all. What could be the problem?

My car has 100000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

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Hi, thanks for writing in. I’d be happy to provide my insight. This may be clutch-related if the clutch plates are worn or could possibly be worn out or damaged gear synchronizers. These are small fork shaped components in your transmission that help transmission shift in and out of gears. When these are broken or damaged, this can cause a grinding and sometimes not allow the car to move.

If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect and diagnose this issue for you, and make or suggest any repairs as needed.

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