The warning light for the automatic transaxle came on. It won't shift out of first gear till about 5000 rpm's. The transmission fluid is full. Th e owner's manual says take it in for service. What could be the problem?

linkage came off

TRANSAXLE warning light (exclamation mark inside a gear symbol)
Indicates problems with transmission.

The first thing to check is the level and condition of the transmission fluid. Possibly as simple as low transmission fluid, but it may be a serious transmission fault.
The high RPM sounds like the transmission is slipping.

Mechanic will be able to read the codes and tell you what is wrong.

is it a linkage issue? if the shift lever is working and you can feel the detents, check your fluid make sure it is full and clean, if not you could have internal issues with the trans

is it auto or manual ? the inner trans axle are the drive shafts , don't think they would stop engaging gears , would be best to get a mechanic as could be a number of things

Well, the car is 20 years running on the road, one can expect gaskets and seals to start leaking. If you stop the leak and keep it full, you may be alright. But running low fluid for very long will definitely damage the transmission, so do get it fixed, and keep it full but not overfull till fixed. There aren't that many places for an automatic to leak. There are axle seals where the two front axles go into the transaxle. Fairly easy to replace. There is a gasket where the bottom fluid pan bolts to transaxle. Also fairly easy to replace. There are two fluid cooling lines from transaxle to radiator or to a small radiator-like cooler in front of radiator. Leaks can develop in the lines, at the fittings where they connect to transaxle or to the radiator. Leaks anywhere there should be fairly easy to fix. There is another seal, a front transaxle seal, and if bad, fluid will be dripping off the bottom front of the tranny where it mates to the engine. If this seal is bad, the transmission will have to be removed from vehicle to replace it. A $5 seal, but the fix requires pulling the transaxle-ouch! That is about all the places where leaks can develop-except there may be some bolted on or screwed in fittings (like the reverse light switch, for one). These fittings would have seals, O-ring seals, or gaskets that may start leaking.
If it gets low on fluid that fast, it would seem that you should be able to spot where it is leaking. Use rags and wipe off all the old fluid and dirt from the transaxle. After a drive and then parked, you may be able to see where the leak has allowed new fluid to escape. Good luck.

For Automatic transmission problem,click the link below:----Overdrive light in the dash blinks? http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.com/2012/01/overdrive-light-in-dash-blinks.html
--------- Automatic transmission troubleshooting:----

http://howtobyme.blogspot.com/2011/11/automatic-transmission-will-not-go-into.html

---------
Automatic transmission shift lever issues?-------

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/automatic-transmission-shift-lever-hard.html

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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL? --

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-check-automatic-transmission.html

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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-change-automatic-transmission.html

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Transmission fault light on car dash?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/transmission-fault-light-on-car-dash.html

--------
Transmission shifting problem?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2012/01/transmission-shifting-problem-on-toyota.html

--------
Transmission Slips out of 2nd gear?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/transmission-slips-out-of-2nd-gear.html

-----------
OD light flashing and transmission fluid leaking?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/od-light-flashing-and-transmission.html

----------
Why Transmission fluid leaks near radiator?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/transmission-fluid-leaks-near-radiator.html

----------
Transmission fluid leaking?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/ford-windstar-transmission-fluid.html

-------------
****** wont go in reverse?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/dodge-neon-wont-go-in-reverse.html

-------------
Automatic transmission will not go into reverse?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/dodge-automatic-transmission-will-not.html

----------
Transmission is making buzzing noise?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/transmission-is-making-buzzing-noise.html

-----------

This will help.

Thanks.

For Automatic transmission problem,click the link below:---- Automatic transmission troubleshooting:----

http://howtobyme.blogspot.com/2011/11/automatic-transmission-will-not-go-into.html

---------
Automatic transmission shift lever issues?-------

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/automatic-transmission-shift-lever-hard.html

-----------
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL? --

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-check-automatic-transmission.html

--------------

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-change-automatic-transmission.html

-----------
Transmission fault light on car dash?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/transmission-fault-light-on-car-dash.html

--------
Transmission shifting problem?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2012/01/transmission-shifting-problem-on-toyota.html

--------
Transmission Slips out of 2nd gear?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/transmission-slips-out-of-2nd-gear.html

-----------
OD light flashing and transmission fluid leaking?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/od-light-flashing-and-transmission.html

----------
Why Transmission fluid leaks near radiator?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/transmission-fluid-leaks-near-radiator.html

----------
Transmission fluid leaking?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/ford-windstar-transmission-fluid.html

-------------
****** wont go in reverse?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/dodge-neon-wont-go-in-reverse.html

-------------
Automatic transmission will not go into reverse?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/dodge-automatic-transmission-will-not.html

----------
Transmission is making buzzing noise?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/transmission-is-making-buzzing-noise.html

-----------

This will help.

Thanks.

For Automatic transmission problem,Check the list of help links below.click the link below:----Automatic transmission troubleshooting:----

http://howtobyme.blogspot.com/2011/11/automatic-transmission-will-not-go-into.html

---------
Automatic transmission shift lever issues?-------

http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2012/01/automatic-transmission-shift-lever-hard.html

-----------
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL? --

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-check-automatic-transmission.html

--------------

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-change-automatic-transmission.html

-----------
Transmission fault light on car dash?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2011/12/transmission-fault-light-on-car-dash.html

--------
Transmission shifting problem?

http://schematicsdiagram.blogspot.com/2012/01/transmission-shifting-problem-on-toyota.html

--------
Transmission Slips out of 2nd gear?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/transmission-slips-out-of-2nd-gear.html

-----------
OD light flashing and transmission fluid leaking?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/od-light-flashing-and-transmission.html

----------
Why Transmission fluid leaks near radiator?

http://repairhelpcenter.blogspot.in/2012/02/transmission-fluid-leaks-near-radiator.html

----------
transmission fluid leaking?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/ford-windstar-transmission-fluid.html

-------------
****** wont go in reverse?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/dodge-neon-wont-go-in-reverse.html

-------------
Automatic transmission will not go into reverse?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/dodge-automatic-transmission-will-not.html

----------
Transmission is making buzzing noise?

http://technoanswers.blogspot.in/2012/02/transmission-is-making-buzzing-noise.html

-----------

This will help.

Thanks.

if it is the automatic transmission and the other gears work but it wont drive in reverse. then I suspect the transmission fluid is too low.
are you checking the fluid correctly?
my sister had a car that reverse went out on. my dad asked her, how long has it been doing this?
she said 6 months and that she had to always park in a position that she wouldnt need reverse.
my dad asked how is the fluid? my sister said its always full on the dip stick.
she showed my dad it was full.
she didnt check the level correctly..
she checked the fluid when the car was cold. she checked the fluid when the car had been sitting for quite sometime and when it was not running.
.
run the engine till the transmission is warm. shift the car in all the gears. leave the car running in park on level ground and check the fluid then.