Reverse

[paulkramer]

OK, I searched. Didn't find it. I know much has been said here and elsewhere about RSX transmissions.

I was wondering how many of you have trouble putting your car into reverse when the drivetrain is cold, and whether or not this is a common inconvenience with manual transmission cars. I haven't driven an MT car in many years and I don't recall it being such an issue.

Last car I drove regularly with a manual transmission was a Chevette that my dad bought for us kids. As I recall, it was a lot less troublesome than the RSX tranny.....

[Cliffnotes69]

I'm having a simular problem. Mine also takes extra effort to put into reverse if I'm already rolling backwards. While the car is moving backwards, if I take it out of reverse and try to go back into reverse, it takes alot of force or won't go in at all.

[paulkramer]

Interesting....I have never tried to put a manual transmission in reverse gear unless the car is completely stationary......

Are you messing with me?!

[RSX-S777]

I used to have that problem with the Mustang, I've experienced it in my brother's Integra, but not yet in the RSX. So it's common with MT, but I havent a clue what causes it. In those instances I used to lift the clutch slightly and it would pop right into reverse. I would love to know what causes it also...

[Cliffnotes69]

Originally Posted by paulkramer

Interesting....I have never tried to put a manual transmission in reverse gear unless the car is completely stationary......

Are you messing with me?!

No I'm serious, many of the places I park at are on a slight incline and by the time I let go of the brakes and put it into reverse the car is rolling backwards at what can't be more than 1 mph.
The time when I put it in reverse twice was because I was backing out of a driveway, noticed a car was coming down the road so I slowed down and put it in neutral but never completely stopped. Then I tried to recreate the incident a few times to see if that happened every time.
Now that I think about it. I used to have a 92 Eclipse GS that also had problems with reverse. Even more interesting was that if the drivetrain was cold, the tranny would grind badly while shifting into 2nd for the first 2 or 3 shifts into 2nd, but only if I had put it into reverse first. If I backed in when I parked and didn't have to use reverse before the drivetrain warmed up it wouldn't happen.... weird.....

[paulkramer]

Wow, I would never put in reverse while car is moving.....I did once or twice and the grind scared the shit out of me. It's not easy to remember after driving automatics for most of my life!

Interesting thing you mention about the 2nd gear grind being related to whether you used reverse or not! I'm going to see if that happens with my RSX. I'll park it so I don't need reverse first thing in the morning......not a bad idea anyway, since reverse is more stubborn in the AM.

BTW, no problem this morning putting it in reverse - right of the bat!! Freaking weird. It helps, if it is giving me trouble, to put the trans in a forward gear (other than 5th, because of the lockout) first and then into reverse. I remember someone somewhere saying that doing so "gets the synchros spinning" or something to that effect. Makes zero sense to me especially since reverse is not synchronized!!

[Mistaphace]

Originally Posted by paulkramer

OK, I searched. Didn't find it. I know much has been said here and elsewhere about RSX transmissions.

I was wondering how many of you have trouble putting your car into reverse when the drivetrain is cold, and whether or not this is a common inconvenience with manual transmission cars. I haven't driven an MT car in many years and I don't recall it being such an issue.

Last car I drove regularly with a manual transmission was a Chevette that my dad bought for us kids. As I recall, it was a lot less troublesome than the RSX tranny.....

Hey -

I drive a civic, but I was told by a good friend that you have to "engage" the clutch. I told him that I was having this issue -

In order to get into reverse on a cold start, try putting the car into first, then right into reverse. It should be a smooth switch. I have tested the theroy many times and even though I can't explain it, it works for me.

Did that do it? Let us know -

[paulkramer]

Yes, that's what I was saying earlier. It works, I don't understand it either, someone said something about "spinning up the synchros".

BTW, this morning it went into reverse easily on the first try.....

[mmont0]

Um, yeah. Don't put the car in reverse if you're already rolling. Did that once and never did it again!

I've had a similar problem with the transmission. When it is cold it's a bit hard to shift, but once the car gets warmed up it's much easier.

[87bluebird]

I've not noticed this problem being related to temperature, but yes sometimes it doesn't want to go into reverse. My CRX gives the same "trouble" sometimes. This is likely the same with all MT's.

I think it's because there is not a synchonizer gear for reverse (which is why you can't typically get the car to go into reverse when the car is already moving). Without a synchro, I suppose that many times the gears aren't lined up to allow them to engage each other. Sometimes the gears are lined up and it goes right in. What I've always done is what 777 said, let up on the clutch just a tad and it'll slip right in. Hey! that deserves one of these guys~~~> hahahaha

[mason_RsX]

Subaru's have that reverse problem as well...Im backing up, slide the shifter into R and it doesnt catch the gear, so im technically still in neutral (I think this is the problem ur having)

I found that if I keep the clutch in, shift into 3rd, then put it in reverse with a little effort, it will slide in....my buddies RS he basically has to slam it into reverse for it to catch, but hes getting a new tranny before warranties over so it doesnt matter to him