Manual transmission sometimes will not go into reverse.

[gfdcapt]

I have had my Sky for about 3 months. There have been about 5 different times that it would not go into reverse. I have the manual transmission, Redline. I have the clutch completely depressed and no matter how much I try it will not go into reverse. The only way to correct it, is to put the car in first and roll a few inches forward. It will then go into reverse with no problem. Has anyone else had this problem or can anyone help with what might be causing this? I have searched the existing threads and can't find any information.

[stealthsky]

Not sure if this is the case, if you put the shifter in neutral then move it all the way to the left then to the right it should go in reverse. Its to make sure you dont shift into reverse while driving.

[ThunderSky]

Mine does the same thing, and I have never had a manual tranny car that did not do the same thing once in a while. Not sure if there is a fix for that.

[harry777]

it is actually quite common for most manual trannies in many makes......should not happen all the time though.....just on occasion

[Grandpa]

I have the problem most of the time. I just shift into 4th and it will go easily into Rev. Sometimes I just let the clutch out ever so slightly and it will then ease in.

[cfjara]

All the manual trannyes I've owned - 1 - Civic, 2 - Mustangs, my Sky R/L have done this every once in a while. If it happens, just keep the clutch pressed, shift into 3rd...or really any other gear....then go back into reverse. It should shift right in. I mentioned my other cars to show you its not specific to any manufacturer. I would like to know technically why this happens every so often.

[Gerry]

It happens on all manual transmissions. It's because reverse is the only gear that actually has to move in the transmission and if the cogs are not lined up, the gear can't mesh. You can alleviate this by either shifting into another gear with the clutch depressed and then going into reverse or putting the trans in neutral, letting out the clutch, then depressing the clutch again to get reverse. All you're doing when you do either of these is moving the cluster shaft a bit to help align the gears.

[Celt03]

Simple solution for those having trouble shifting into reverse...

You are probably holding the clutch pedal all the way down ...
don't do that ...
let it up just a hair and it will be fine.

Reverse gear is more finicky than the others.
I don't care what car or tranny it is - this is a universal thing.

[e-sarge]

My car does this about 30% of the time, and indeed it is because the reverse gear is not synchronized. In the "good old days" (before synchronized transmissions) this could happen in any gear.

My fix is to use the clutch, but only to get the gears on the engine side of the transmission spinning. That is, in neutral, let out the clutch for half a second or so to get the one side of gears spinning. Then depress the clutch fully and shift in to reverse. Because the one side of the gears is still spinning, it will find an engagement point on its own, and the car will not have any tendency to roll backwards as with other posts here (where they suggest having the clutch partly engaged).

Either approach will work, I just prefer this approach because I think it is ever so slightly safer. Normally your right foot would be on the brake anyways, so it shouldn't be an issue, but to each their own, I guess.

[Celt03]

P.S. - I forgot to mention that I ALWAYS have the brake pedal fully pressed when doing this.
I just forget that some people never think to have the foot on the brake in a case like this.

[JRinKY]

Page 86 of the owner's manual recommends releasing putting the shifter in neutral, releasing the clutch pedal, then pushing in the clutch pedal and shifting into gear if you have trouble in first or reverse. Works every time for me, but I have more trouble with first that with reverse.

The transmission has a lockout that will prevent a shift from fifth to reverse.

[gfdcapt]

Thanks for all of the input. I feel better knowing others are in the same boat and my tranny is not defective or damaged.

[Rob the Elder]

LOL

Kids

I have been driving stick shift since 1965. They all do this. Some all the time, some only part of the time. As stated earlier its a function of the design of the transmission. For about 40 years I automatically shift into first before going into reverse. It works ever time. If you still have the problem, its because the gears are not aligning and / or not spinning. Put the gearselector in neutral, let the clutch out and then depress it again. Put the shifter into 1st then immediately into reverse. On all my vehicles it works every time.

Its not a problem with the transmission its a function of the design.

[GoSpeedGo]

Yep, had this problem with every manual I've ever had. Neutral, clutch out, clutch in, no problem. Occasionally I will find it still will not go into reverse and this usually means I'm pushing over too far. Don't now my own strength.

[lorennerol]

Originally Posted by gfdcapt

I have had my Sky for about 3 months. There have been about 5 different times that it would not go into reverse. I have the manual transmission, Redline. I have the clutch completely depressed and no matter how much I try it will not go into reverse. The only way to correct it, is to put the car in first and roll a few inches forward. It will then go into reverse with no problem. Has anyone else had this problem or can anyone help with what might be causing this? I have searched the existing threads and can't find any information.

My Red Line has started doing this of late. It has 4300 miles and I never noticed this problem until the last month or so. Now almost every time the car has been off and I need to start in reverse (i.e. to back out of a parking spot) it won't go into reverse unless I let off on the clutch as I shift into R. Moving the shifter back and forth (left and right) in neutral doesn't help. Neither does shifting into 5th first, and then going to R. The only way it will engage is if I roll the car forward in 1st, or if I release the clutch a bit as I shift into R.

Loren

[JRinKY]

lorennerol : My Red Line has started doing this of late. It has 4300 miles and I never noticed this problem until the last month or so. Now almost every time the car has been off and I need to start in reverse (i.e. to back out of a parking spot) it won't go into reverse unless I let off on the clutch as I shift into R. Moving the shifter back and forth (left and right) in neutral doesn't help. Neither does shifting into 5th first, and then going to R. The only way it will engage is if I roll the car forward in 1st, or if I release the clutch a bit as I shift into R.

5th to reverse will never work due to the lockout.

The next time it won't go into reverse try letting out the clutch then pushing it back in to shift. That always works for me.

You could also leave the transmission in reverse when you are going to have to back out.

[Darkwing]

Mine does this too once in a while. I'm not patient enough to go through the pattern and finess it in so I just force the shifter into reverse as I release the clutch, grinding a few pounds of gear up in the process.
Seriously though the problem does seem to happen more often in cooler weather.

[JRinKY]

Darkwing : Mine does this too once in a while. I'm not patient enough to go through the pattern and finess it in so I just force the shifter into reverse as I release the clutch, grinding a few pounds of gear up in the process.
Seriously though the problem does seem to happen more often in cooler weather.

Cooler weather = thicker oil = stiffer mechanism. Makes sense to me.