In gear, but not moving

[iceman_kimi]

Dear PW fellow,

I had a strange problem today en route to my office just before getting on Isb Highway. The car was in gear but not moving. Just imagine, engine is running, the car is in first gear, hand brake's down, noone's in the car (clutch is released) and i'm standing in front of the car staring at the engine, clueless. Tried shutting it down and re-starting but to to avail. After a while, pushed (me and a cab driver) it to the other side of the road and voila!! the car was moving with the gear. It's running fine till now.

Clutch is no problem since I was able to shift gears with this problem too. RPM would increase when I would rev it but it would not move. What could be the possible cause (what do I need to get fixed).

Car: Corolla (Indus) XE 2000. No Mods.

[iceman_kimi]

Thank you guys for your thoughts and time.

@c123pk
lolz. No change in diet so I'm ruling that out

@air_explorer
I'm in contract to drive a Ferrai when on track. Off the track I can drive any car (or yacht) I like. Driving competitors' car (BMW, Mercs etc.) would only cause media issue nothing else.

@blueanwar
Godas normally start producing sounds long before they're damaged enough to be decommissioned. No such thing here. Will get it checked though.

@UsmanAnsari & NoWorNeVer
I don't know what a driving shaft is, so can't comment.

@hamad_ahsan
The mechanic checked for clutch issues and also checked the gear oil. Both seemed fine.

@testdriver, elvis840 & afarooqi
The mechanic's first approach was to check the Axel. If it had slipped out there would've been oil spilling on the area. It was dry and the gear oil was fine (checked both quality and quantity). However, the transmission might be a problem and that is what I'll get checked next.

@khfhasan
The car was in gear, clutch not pressed and engine running. Not technically stalled. Why? I'm looking forward to finding out.

[mac11]

@iceman_kimi
The same thing happened with me some two years ago in my VTI 99. The problem is with the front Axle (also known as as inner godday's by our mechanics. It's not a big issue, so no need to worry.
You can confirm it by lifting the car by jack (on both sides one by one) and then check whether the wheels are properly moving when you accelerate the car after putting in gear.

[saadtn1]

A-0-A!

i faced exact 100% similar problem!

The problem was with Axel! (due to alteration) its size was not exact! that created trouble!!! got it fixed from a kharadia...

i hope u r facing similar problem! if so... then its not a big deal!

[khfhasan]

@iceman_kimi

Sorry, I don't get it.. If you put the car in gear and let go of the clutch without pressing the accelerator, the engine will stall... no?

[ToofaneBatameezi]

^Depending on ur RPM acceleration settings - It will go ..as usually CNG running vehicles have raised acceleration settings!!

@Kimi ..Have you tried any mechanic - if not then atleast for the sake of a discussion so we and you can get known for this problem and his views!!
Now I dont know but the engine could've gone into hibernation mode? lol :s

[iceman_kimi]

@mac11 & saadtn1
Thank you for your guidance and encouragement. Glad to know I have a popular problem. The car is again going to the mechanic this Monday (since I'll be in Lahore for an official visit on the weekend). Will update all about the issue and its resolution.

@ToofaneBatameezi
Sorry, forgot to mention in the topic. After the car was up and running I went straight to my mechanic. He may not be the best in diagnosis (although I have no reason to think otherwise) but he's not a rip off. Helps you save any penny you can. Only calls for a new part when the old one can't be made to serve any more.

The first thing he said when I told him about the issue was 'Axel' problem. 'Axel nikal gya hoga' were his words. Got his workers under my car to see if there was gear oil leakage. There was none and gear oil was fine (as posted earlier). The worker drove the car (a bit ruggedly for testing reasons obviously) and declared the Axel problem free. Also checked godas etc. and declared them fine and working as well.

One thing that was not checked by him is the transmission end, something that is under the 'boot' and getting that checked is my next agenda.

@khfahsan
My cars idle RPM is around 1100 and is enough to make the car move in first gear with clutch released even without pressing the accelerator. However, I revved the car to 3.5k-4k rpm, clutch released and handbrake down (tried that in all gears). The car did not move at all.

The funny thing was, my odometer/ trip meter was telling me that I'm moving and the reading increased by a whole KM during the process

[hash4u]

maybe the axle did not move out of place but the "grooves" on it which go inside the gear slipped.......

[spectra]

If the reading increased while car was idle then gear is fine and issue is with the inner side of axles splines/grooves. They are gone.

[iceman_kimi]

What made it to happen for just a while only? It has been running smoothly now since the incident yesterday morning on speeds ranging from 0 kmph to 105 kmph. There have been numerous gear and direction changes since then.

[bluntknife]

I think the problem is with the clutch master cylinder. Different axle splines fit into the gear assembly for different gears. It is difficult to imagine all of them going out before you noticed any problem and not for the problem to reoccur afterwards. The master cylinder can however by pass the internal seals occasionally.

[iceman_kimi]

@bluntknife
Thanks for the explanation. It was rather technical for me. But I'll discuss it with the mechanic too.

[bluntknife]

Any updates?

[iceman_kimi]

Hoping to go to the mechanic tomorrow. As posted earlier, I was in Lahore over the weekend.

[toofast4u]

i had a same issue on my civic, when i replaced my drive shaft, my car was in a gear but it was not moving at all, so that could be the possibilty, so put on the hose and see if you dont have any prob with drive shaft.