Car sputtering/won't shift

[Onita]

This morning, my car started sputtering when accelerating and won't shift gears easily. Checked the tranny fluid and the oil - when I pulled out the oil dipstick, a small amount of smoke was coming out.

Anything I should check before I tow the damn thing somewhere?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Could be a number of things. Is it a manual transmission? Does it go into gear easily and just hesitate and stumble on acceleration or is it difficult to get into gear?

 

[Onita]

Its auto. Takes forever to accelerate, and if by chance I ever make it high enough, won't shift gears.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Its auto. Takes forever to accelerate, and if by chance I ever make it high enough, won't shift gears.

Yeah, that sounds like there could be something wrong with your transmission...unless you have the parking brake on of course. :awe:

What kind of car? YMM? How many miles are on it? When is the last time you had the transmission serviced?

When you say there was smoke coming out when you checked the oil was it white smoke? How about the exhaust? Any white smoke coming out the exhaust? That would be a blown head gasket, completely different problem but might feel like a transmission problem if it is bad enough.