Shifting to the rear gear

[PolarBear]

I noticed that quite often my Mazda 5 doesn't let me shift to the rear gear and I have to clutch in again and shift. I press clutch pedal to the floor and shift to rear being in neutral from the full stop. Do you guys experience the same behaviour? Is it normal?

 

[jandree22]

Yes, it's normal with all stick shifts... something about the way the gears are actually meshed/cut, reverse is the opposite as the forward gears. Something I've heard that will work if it's being particularly stubborn is to either coast for a few inches or shift into 1st then R immediately after.

 

[Zoom5Zoom]

just "giggle it" in first... someone wrote a song about it

 

[doctorz]

It's normal. No synchros in reverse, which means the car must be stopped completely and the input shaft must come to a complete stop in order for the tranny to be shifted into reverse. But occasionally the input shaft is still spinning from inertia. Try waiting a couple of seconds after pressing the clutch pedal, de-clutch and re-clutch, or shift into first at a complete standstill then reverse.

I think every car is a little different in this regard. My Protege will let me shift from neutral to reverse every time without complaint, while the 5 occasionally balks and requires declutching and clutching. On the other hand, my old '88 Accord usually refused to go into reverse without grinding unless you did the first-reverse trick.

 

[Jager12]

Yep, I just can tell you all the same to all other Mazda5 answers. It's normal. My Mazda 323F before the Mazda5 and also the mazda 323F before that one works also like doctorz say. Just de-clutch and re-cluth. It's just a matter of seconds since you already stopped and wanted to go reverse. No big deal and you will get used to it.