Driving our 95 Mitsubishi Galant in the rain at 65 mph, I hit a section of road that had water on it. After hitting the water the transmission quit working and I had to pull off the side of the road. The gear shift works find but the car will not move. We had it towed home and when the car was being pulled on the trailer I watched the wheels and they turned fine. There was not fluid on the ground and the fluid level was fine in the car. Any ideas of what the problem may be and how much it might cost to repair? Thanks.
I'm guessing it's an automatic trans. Does the car hold in park, or will it roll with the trans in park and the parking brake off? If it rolls you might have a broken axle joint. Also try starting the car and putting it in drive or reverse and have someone watch the axle shaft, if the one axle shaft spins but the car doesn't move that also will show you have a broken joint and need a reman axle.
I believe some transmissions are electronically controlled... perhaps whatever piece of electronics which controls the transmission has failed. Ya hit the water, it splashed up on something and damaged it.... these are just wild guesses, but mechanical failures often (although not always) give notice... i.e. you'll hear something grinding, feel a large jerking, feel the transmission slipping or similar. If you felt nothing unusual, heard nothing or had no prior indication that the trasmission would fail, then maybe electronics. cheers,
Thanks for the information. I did try to see if the car would roll - it didn't. The car is too low to the ground (or I am too large) so I couldn't look under it while the car was in gear. Janon, now that you mentioned it, I think I will look at the electrical side/fuses and see if I can see something.
