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Can you drive a car without a transmission?
My mechanic told me I need a new transmission. I’m wondering if I can get away with just removing the bad part and driving anyway. Can you drive a car without a transmission?
Bonnie Stinson · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
No. Although you may be able to run an engine without a transmission, you cannot drive a car without a transmission (unless it’s electric).
In your situation, there are only a few reasons to run the car without a transmission—and none of them involve driving. It all depends on the kind of engine you have and how the starter is mounted.
If your transmission is faulty or absent, please do not drive your car. On the other hand, you can run tests on the engine if necessary without a transmission attached.
For instance, if the starter bolts to the engine block, you can get a car started without a transmission. Be careful about balancing the weight of the vehicle in this case. However, if the starter is held by the transmission case, then you’ll have to find another method of cranking the engine.
Ultimately, transmission problems are very serious. Avoid driving and seek help from a trained mechanic before you drive again!
Car insurance
probably can’t help you cover this type of repair, but now might still be a good time to review your coverage. In fact, you may want to consider buying another car since transmissions are really expensive. If so, use Jerry
, the super app and licensed broker
, to compare rates and find the cheapest possible policy.View full answer
- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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