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2000 Celica GT: Automatic Transmission Worries and Question
Hi All
I just bought a 2000 Celica GT, with an automatic transmission. I really wanted to buy a car with a manual transmission, but could not (even after one year of searching), so bought the first thing that came up. In fact, I spent almost all the money I had in buying the car, and this is the first car I have ever owned.
Today, I tried starting the car, and as I moved the shifter from P (park) into R (reverse), I saw the light on the dashboard also go from P to R. But, the car wont budge!! I saw the tachometer go up as I pressed the gas, but the car just sat there. I moved back into P, then back into R, nothing. Into N, then into R, nothing. Then into P, and then into R, and then, finally, it moved back.
I am really worried because a friend of mine had to junk his Corolla one year ago because the transmission went bad. But I can't even afford to junk this car!!! It has all my money in it. I did have it checked by a well trusted mechanic before I bought it, and the only thing he suggested was a change of spark plugs and a tune up, which I promptly got done. The car has 83K miles on it.
Could someone tell me how serious this could be? Could the transmission be on its way out? What should I do? In the manual transmissions that I have driven, sometimes the gear does not engage as you go into reverse, does that happen in an automatic too? If I take it to a mechanic/dealer-repair-shop, what should I ask for?
I would really appreciate any input. Thanks a lot in advance,
EE
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