# Why is my Car Doing This (Not Shifting)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-car-doing-this-not-shifting/218487>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 12, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-car-doing-this-not-shifting/218487 "2003-12-12T01:28:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BlueMit11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@BlueMit11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMit11)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-car-doing-this-not-shifting/218487/1 "2003-12-12T01:28:10Z")

</div>

Every once in a while in the morning my car would do this thing where it refused to shift. It is an '94 LeBaron with an automatic transmisson, and it would start straining at about fifty miles an hour. It is now doing this more frequently-possibly more than 50% of the time. It has been prone to “buck” in the past, but I kind of took that as it came. I am almost positive it is the transmission, and therefore almost positive that it will cost a lot to be repaired. Is there any hope for me getting off easy?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-car-doing-this-not-shifting/218487/2 "2003-12-12T01:37:51Z")

</div>

You have checked the fluid? First thing I would do is change the fluid and filter.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-car-doing-this-not-shifting/218487/3 "2003-12-12T16:06:23Z")

</div>

Yes, check the fluid, and see if it’s time for a trans filter.

I don’t know the year on this, but Chrysler introduced an electronically controlled tranny around that time. It was troublesome at first. If it sensed a problem, a “safety feature” would drop it into 1st gear and keep it there. Ask a dealer about it.