having problems putting car in reverse

[jaynsee79]

just curious...i just got my car a month ago and i'm having trouble putting the car into reverse. i have a manual, and for some reason the reverse is getting stuck. anybody else experience this before or am i just trippin?

 

[X2sandman]

just curious...i just got my car a month ago and i'm having trouble putting the car into reverse. i have a manual, and for some reason the reverse is getting stuck. anybody else experience this before or am i just trippin?

It's happened to me twice since I got the car back in January, but my friend with a Impreza 2.5rs used to have the same problem, so I didn't think much about it.

 

[Togan]

yup, it happens to my friend too, he's not in this board but he was complaining about it

 

[Bijou-MP5]

just take it to the dealer.

 

[LinuxRacr]

Push the clutch down, put it in 1st gear, and then try to put it in reverse again when this happens.

 

[MonsterB]

I must have gotten lucky with my pr5....maybe its because its only 3 months old or because it only has 5500 miles, but my car shifts smooth as silk in all gears....sometimes when it really cold(below 20) I get a little notchiness from first to second, but after a shift or two it goes away....plus it always goes right into reverse, and I can do rolling stops into first....seems like alot of peeps cant do that....

 

[TheJohnny]

don't worry man, I have the same problem. Mine is going into the shop soon, very soon.

 

[adc0642]

Reverse has no synchros and the car needs to be at a full stop to shift into reverse. If it doesn't go in the first time, it's because it's not meshing perfectly. Put it in first, roll forward a few inches, then pop it into reverse. Every manual I've ever had has this happen occasionally, it's not a problem, just inherent in the design.

As for shifting into 1st while rolling, the synchros have a hard time matching speed for 1st gear if you're going more than a few mph and the engine is at idle . You can alway blip the throttle and do a little rev-matching... you should do this pretty much whenever you downshift anyway, right?

(redp5)

 

[cbcbd]

Let the car roll a little or put it into 5th and then back into reverse.
If that doesn't work just use a hammer and start smacking the shifter until it clicks into it. (smash)

 

[CrazyCaker]

When this happens to me, I just let the clutch up slowly while trying to put it into reverse, works everytime.

 

[shinzen]

I have had this problem with my ES, but when I switched to Redline MT90 in the tranny, it seems to have made a really huge difference.

 

[adc0642]

I have had this problem with my ES, but when I switched to Redline MT90 in the tranny, it seems to have made a really huge difference.

I switched to Redline also, though it didn't seem to make a difference in getting into reverse.

 

[shinzen]

hmm, could just be the placebo effect for me then...

 

[jaynsee79]

Push the clutch down, put it in 1st gear, and then try to put it in reverse again when this happens.

i've tried that before and it still happens. it doesn't happen all the time but just once in a while.

 

[jaynsee79]

If that doesn't work just use a hammer and start smacking the shifter until it clicks into it. (smash)

HAHAHAHAH

 

[jaynsee79]

Reverse has no synchros and the car needs to be at a full stop to shift into reverse. If it doesn't go in the first time, it's because it's not meshing perfectly. Put it in first, roll forward a few inches, then pop it into reverse. Every manual I've ever had has this happen occasionally, it's not a problem, just inherent in the design.

As for shifting into 1st while rolling, the synchros have a hard time matching speed for 1st gear if you're going more than a few mph and the engine is at idle . You can alway blip the throttle and do a little rev-matching... you should do this pretty much whenever you downshift anyway, right?

(redp5)

i'll try rolling forward and then stop and putting it into reverse. i've even tried blipping the throttle when putting it into reverse, still the same. everything is is fine though...rev-matching when down shifting has no problems either.

i guess i'll take it to the dealer if it doesnt go away. thanks for the help.

 

[xxmikkoxx]

same problem but i just let go of the clutcha bit when im pusing it into reverse and it grabs fine...it also used to happen all the time in my accord so im used to it

 

[jonlong]

ya, just let up slowly on the clutch while pulling the stick back into reverse. you'll feel it pop in.

 

[gino]

This problem is common to many manual shifters, not just Mazda.
When my P5 won't drop into reverse, I shift into another gear and
back to reverse. I may have to repeat the process, but I don't find
it a dealer issue.

 

[jaynsee79]

thanks guys for the input. yeah, all my cars in the past have been stick but i havent experienced something like this in any other car, or at least not as bad. but thanks again guys for the help...i appreciate it. (dance)