By Texas Tows Inc.
A transmission towing service in Dallas moves your car to a shop; it does not diagnose or repair the transmission. If your car will not go into gear or will not roll, the most useful thing you can do is describe exactly what it is doing. Give that to the dispatcher at Texas Tows' towing service and the driver can pick the right way to move it.
Quick Summary
- A symptom such as "it won't go into gear" is not a diagnosis. Describe what the car does, not what you think is broken.
- Tell dispatch the year, make and model, whether the car rolls and steers, and any warning messages.
- Putting a car in neutral is not a universal way to make it safe to tow. The vehicle's own manual and the tow operator decide.
- Towing and repair are separate jobs. The shop you choose does the diagnosis.
What does a transmission towing service in Dallas cover?
It covers moving the vehicle, nothing more. If your car will not shift, slips, makes noise or will not move, a tow company can take it to the shop or garage you choose. The tow does not tell you what is wrong with the car; the shop does that.
That separation helps you plan. You are arranging two things: transport now and a repair decision later. Our towing service page says you can have the vehicle taken to a repair shop, your home or another place in the area. Pick the destination first, because the shop may have its own questions about the car.
Why is a symptom not a diagnosis?
Because many different problems can look the same from the driver's seat. A car that will not go into gear, will not move or feels wrong while driving might have a transmission problem, but you cannot tell that from the roadside and neither can a dispatcher over the phone.
So describe what you observe and leave out the verdict. "The shifter moves but the car does not go" tells dispatch more than "my transmission is gone." If you guess wrong, the tow operator may prepare for the wrong situation. Our guide to what a check engine light means in Dallas covers warning lights. This post covers what to say when the car will not move normally.
What should you tell dispatch about the car?
Give the dispatcher what the driver needs to choose equipment and plan the pickup. According to our towing service page, the dispatcher confirms your address and gives you an ETA, and the driver assesses the vehicle and confirms the destination and pricing before touching it.
Have these ready:
- Year, make and model.
- Whether the car rolls, and whether the steering turns.
- Whether it is front-wheel, rear-wheel, all-wheel or four-wheel drive, if you know.
- What it did just before it stopped: a noise, a jolt, a warning message, no response from the shifter.
- Any warning lights or messages on the dashboard, exactly as displayed.
- Where it is parked and how easy it is to reach, such as a driveway, a garage or a tight space.
- Whether the car is blocking anything, and how low it sits.
- The destination address, and who will meet the truck there.
If you do not know something, say so. "I don't know if it is all-wheel drive" is a useful answer, because the driver can check the vehicle when they arrive.
Does putting the car in neutral make it safe to tow?
Not always. Neutral is a setting in some situations, not a rule for every car. What is allowed depends on the vehicle, and the maker's manual and the tow operator decide.
As one example, the 2014 Lincoln MKZ owner's manual says to contact a professional towing service. It recommends a wheel lift with dollies or flatbed equipment and says not to tow with a sling belt. It says an all-wheel-drive vehicle needs all wheels off the ground, and that a front-wheel-drive car towed from the rear on a wheel lift needs its front wheels on dollies to prevent transmission damage. It also describes a narrow emergency exception for flat-towing, with conditions on direction, speed and distance, and it says the maker produces a towing guide for tow operators.
That is one model and one year, and it is an example, not a rule for your car. Another vehicle's manual can say something different. If you have your own owner's manual, find its towing section and tell the dispatcher what it says. Do not rely on a tip you read online, including this one, in place of your manual.
How might the car be moved?
The driver decides on site, based on the vehicle and the situation. Texas Tows' flatbed towing page describes a flatbed carrying the vehicle with all four wheels off the ground, and a pre-tow inspection before loading. A flatbed may be an option, depending on the manufacturer's instructions and the driver's assessment.
For more on the equipment, read our guide to flatbed versus wheel-lift towing in Dallas and our guide to towing AWD and 4WD vehicles, which is organized around drivetrains rather than a car that will not shift.
What should you avoid at the roadside?
Avoid trying to make the car move. Do not force the shifter, and do not try to override it, to get the car rolling. If it will not shift, stop, get clear of traffic if you can do so safely, and call for help.
Other things to skip:
- Do not drive the car "just a little further" to a better spot if it is not behaving normally.
- Do not tell dispatch the car is fine to tow in neutral because you read that somewhere.
- Do not diagnose it for the shop. Describe what happened and let them find the cause.
If you are in a live lane or on a shoulder with traffic, safety comes first. Call and say where you are and that the car will not move normally.
What happens after the tow?
The shop you chose looks at the car and tells you what is wrong. That is where diagnosis and repair happen. Only the shop can tell you the cost or length of a repair.
To make the handoff smooth, tell the shop how the car arrived and what it did before it stopped. Write down the notes you gave dispatch and send them to the shop as well. If the shop is closed when the car arrives, confirm before dispatch that it accepts vehicles after hours and where the car should be left.
Frequently asked questions
Does Texas Tows repair transmissions?
Texas Tows' service pages describe towing and related transport. The shop you choose diagnoses and repairs the car, and Texas Tows takes the car there.
Can you tow a car that will not go into gear?
Tell dispatch exactly what the car does, including whether it rolls and steers. The driver confirms how it will be moved when they arrive, based on the vehicle and the situation.
Is it safe to tow a car in neutral?
It depends on the vehicle. The 2014 Lincoln MKZ manual gives narrow conditions for an emergency flat tow; other vehicles may have different instructions. Check your owner's manual and tell the operator what it says. Do not assume neutral is safe for every car.
Does a flatbed always get used?
Not as a blanket rule. The driver chooses the equipment based on the vehicle, its condition and what the manufacturer says. Texas Tows' flatbed towing page describes carrying the vehicle with all four wheels off the ground.
How much does it cost to tow a car with a transmission problem?
This guide does not quote prices. Ask the dispatcher when you call. Our towing service page says the driver confirms pricing before touching your car, and our towing cost guide explains what affects it.
Need a tow for a car that will not move?
Call Texas Tows at (817) 512-1024, 24/7, and describe what the car is doing. You can also send a request through the Request Service form on our contact page.
Sources
- Texas Tows towing service page: what to expect when you call; the dispatcher confirms your address and gives an ETA; the driver assesses the vehicle and confirms the destination and pricing before touching it; destinations include a repair shop or home.
- Texas Tows flatbed towing page: a flatbed carries the vehicle with all four wheels off the ground; the driver performs a pre-tow inspection.
- 2014 Lincoln MKZ owner's manual, "Transporting the vehicle" and "Emergency Towing," pages 236 and 237: used as one model-and-year example only.
This guide is general information. It does not replace your owner's manual, the dispatcher's instructions or a mechanic's diagnosis.
