wow, that's weird.

have you tried starting it in gear to see if it will move.

had a simular problem once, it was the clutch exploded.

 

Just so we're clear on what's going on, when you say "push it", do you mean trying to drive it or are you actually outside the car physically pushing it with your body?

Check to see if any of your brakes are seized. Jack up each corner and try to rotate each tire in both directions. Have the tranny in neutral, engine off, ebrake off.

 

that was going to be my second thought, but how would the brake be locked in only forward motion?

but could be possible.

 

I added another comment in my last post. Please read and comment on it.

As for why brakes would grab in one direction and not the other, there may be a couple of explanations.
If a brake is partially seized, it is easier to drive the car in reverse than it is to move it forward. This is just an odd characteristic of RWD. If the front brakes are locked, it's very hard to push forward againt the locked front brakes, but you can still manage to drag it in reverse.
Some brakes will have a mechanism where they can "reset" themselves when backing up and braking. This is particularly true with drum brakes but it may also apply to certain types of disc brakes. This design principle may have some bearing on what's going on here.

 

You were dead on. The dealer called today to say that a bolt on the brake caliper had broken causing it to shift and lock against the disc in the forward direction. Going backward made it slip back in place so it could roll. No charge fix.

 

just fyi, I pm'd xviper and told him what the problem was before he posted. no I didn't.

amazing that he thought of that. brakes, wtf?

 

 

xviper is the man!!!

 

Very interesting! It's amazing some of the little details that can be learned on this site.

To the OP, I'm glad things worked out without too much hassle. Certainly an easier/cheaper fix than an new tranny.

 

xviper