Hello, this is my first post and i hope someone will help me with my problem. My civic would start just fine but when i try to accelerate the car it does not go anywhere. The rpm's would climb but it won't move, its like the cars in neutral. I lifted the car and even when i put it on reverse the wheels wouldnt turn. I tried turning them myself and they are locked. It feels and sounds as if the car wouldnt catch gears when i change between them. Sometimes it would do it for a brief second and the car would go and then just stop accelerating out of nowhere. Any help would be appreciated and please try and dumb it down because im not a that much of a car guy.

 

Automatic, or standard transmission?

Make sure the axles are both properly seated.

 

sorry forgot to put that in. yeah its automatic

 

For starters, make sure your axles are seated, like I said.

What color is your transmission fluid? If you put the car in 2 rather than D, does it still do this?

 

sorry but what do you mean by seated axles? I have also tried every gear and still the car will not move. As for the fluid color il get back to you in a second.

 

The trans fluid color is some form of red.

 

I mean make sure your axles are fully and correctly installed in the transmission. Get under the car, and grab the CV joint where it goes into the transmission. It should have very minimal space between it and the transmission housing, and you shouldn't be able to move it in and out.

 

The axles seem fine. I also have some new info to add. The car started acting normal after it had a period of cooling down. I rev'd it a bit to let it heat up and as soon as it heated up the wheels stopped turning again. Friend of mine who was just here looking at it said it might be an internal trans problem

 

When the car won't move in drive, does the speedometer register movement when you rev the engine or does the needle stay at 0 rpm?

 

Yep, your clutch packs are probably going/gone.

Cheapest option: Find an auto transmission from a similar-trimmed Civic in a junk yard. Swap it in.
Better option: Pull the transmission and have it professionally rebuilt.

 

yes the speedometer registers movement and my friend, who is a mechanic, is going to be putting his computer in it tomorrow to do a diagnostic on it. Hopefully i wont have to do either option and its a quick and easy fix but considering its a trans problem I highly doubt it.

 

If your speedometer is registering, that means your differential is moving. Your differential moving means your axles probably aren't seated correctly.

 

This^

One or both axles are broken or popped out of the differential.

 

Sorry I assumed that was the first thing the mechanic looked at besides the fluid levels. I will take a look myself, but does this problem still apply even though the car runs normally after its had a period of cooling down?

 

Yes, if the speedometer is registering speed when the car is not moving. You have an axle problem.

 

is this a quick fix?

 

It could be quick and easy, it could be expensive and complicated. Most likely, one (or both) of your axles just aren't seated correctly in the differential. Also possible is that the splines on the axle are damaged. Extremely unlikely, but also a remote possibility is that your diff, or the splines in the diff are damaged.

 

Quick for who?

Broken axle = replace

Popped out axle = check c-clip and fully insert into differential

 

Well thanks alot guys. I will most likely get back to you with more details tomorrow after the mechanics taken another look and i will inform him of what you guys said.

 

Sorry something just came to mind. I previously said that the car runs perfectly normal when the car has cooled down. It this was an axle problem wouldn't the car not be moving at all? The wheels lock in place only after the car has heated up a bit.

 

Maybe you missed post #15?

 

no i saw it but i wanna know if its still the axle even though it moves normally after being cooled down? I'm not an expert it just seems strange to me.

 

You ask the same question twice because you don't like the first answer?

Dude - CHECK the AXLES.

 

Sorry about that just frustrated about this car. I will check the axles and get back to you guys tomorrow. Thanks again.

 

Seems to be a trending issue right now. 2 possibilities. 1) clogged trans filter (its internal so trans has to come out) 2) cracked clutch drum. Either way a rebuild is in order. Funny thing is ive done 6 civic 4 speed autos this month and all but one was the result of a completely pacled filter