Little Black Pony

I don't know if it's me or my car, but it is really difficult shifting into reverse. I even am doing the tried and true shift into first then select reverse method with little success. Sometimes I have to really pull hard to get it in. The clutch pedal is all the way to the floor. Takes me a couple of tries to get it to engage. And, I'm at a complete dead stop.

What would everyone else rate the ease of operation for selecting reverse.
1 being easy and 5 being difficult .

I'm at a 4 to 4.25 right now.

Ugh, I really don't want to think I have a warranty issue this soon.

mrkabc

I'd say 2 if going directly into reverse from Neutral, and 1 if using the "first then reverse" method.

Your clutch may be out of adjustment. If you are stopped at a light, clutch fully down, and car in first, do you feel any "creep" forward?

Little Black Pony

Hmmm... I haven't noticed any forward creep in first with the clutch in.

It's actually intermitent. Sometimes it just slides right into reverse and other times I really have to fight to get it to catch. Both my wife and I have ground gears believing it was in reverse. I want to gauge everyone elses experience before I haul it into our service dept. Rule out user error.

theedge67

Whitestang06

I find I have the same trouble shifting into reverse. I did find that if I shift into reverse immediatly after starting car that it goes right in. I don't know what makes the difference in waiting too long.

codeman94

the owners manual explanation sounds good...but I know from driving older cars, sometimes having the clutch all the way down won't let it fall into gear, and if you keep pressure on the shifter and let out slowly an inch or two, it will fall into gear....just like when it "grinds"

Little Black Pony

Hah! That's it! Thanks Steve!
I guess I should have read my owners manual.
I'm just used to 1st being the lockout disconnect from the other 5-spds I've owned. A little different for the S197 body style, cos my coworker has a '04 Mach 1 Mustang and he shifts 1st to R.

Stupid Driver Error! (LOL)

SonicGT

i have the same problem. it get annoying after awhile

Little Black Pony

Good news! I'd have say that shifting into R is a good 1.5. Now that I know the trick to disengage the lock it's easy.

I've had easy shifts into R all day today.

theedge67

Glad your not having problems anymore! I've never had problems with it, but then again I've always been gentle on the tranny and only noticed the lockout feature once or twice I think.

94tbird

mine is liek that at times, though itseems to do it more after hard accelerations or sudden stops

GRAYPNY

That's a good bit of information since I never read owner's manuals.

FireFighterHill

I notice sometimes when im driving and I go from 5th or 4th and put it in neutrel to cost to a stop for a light that it makes it alot easier to get into first if (with the clutch in of course) I throw the shifter into 2nd (dont let the clutch out) and then go to 1st. Anyone else do this?

jdanza

Yes, when I'm stopped I do the same thing, shift into 2nd then 1st.

theedge67

If while coming to a stop, shift to neutral, then let out the clutch. Once you get stopped, put in the clutch and go to first, it should pop right in. That gets the syncronizers all lined up right. Going from 5th to 1st is hard on the syncronizers that have to get all the moving parts going the same speed in the tranny. Shifting to neutral and letting out the clutch kind of "resets" the syncronizers.

touring

thanks for this thread,i had the same problem getting into (r).thanks for the info

Little Black Pony

hey guys, I noticed another trick as well...

Shifting into forth will disengage to lock if flicking over past 3 - 4 doesn't get it done. But generally, the method described in the owners manual works like a charm.