Shifting into reverse problem
 

Ok, about 10% of the time I start my car and put it in reverse it does not get in gear all the way and I have to put it in neutral and do it again. Today it did it, but normally putting it in neutral and then reverse again fixes the problem. Today I had to try about 4 times and one time I heard some clicking when I tried to put it in reverse.

Also I was told to let go of the clutch slowly when upshifting past first. I find that if I do this, the car jerks. If I let go of the clutch quickly, the shift is extremely smooth.

is it that the automatics are less susceptible to problems? vibrations, transition etc?

don't worry, it might just be because of new synchros... i had that issue with my IS300 when i got it. just shift into another gear and shift back. my friend with a 330Ci sometimes has that problem too.

Happened ALL the time with my ep hatch... not really sure what the science is behind, but rest assured, your car is not the only one.

Is this your first manual, dude? Cause the more I read that thread starter the more it sounds like you're not used to it.

If it is your first, to answer that question about the letting the clutch out, and the speed at which you do so, it's all about finding a balance between the two pedals and making smooth transisitions. The more you work at it, the smoother you'll get it.

Even if this is not your first manual this is still the case. I don't think that anyone is a professional at driving any stick the first time they drive it. Every car behaves a little differently.

This is my fourth car with a manual but my first in over 5 years so I am not used to it.

Hey man to anwser your question about switching into reverse its actually a safety feature so you cant pop it into reverse by accident like when you are in 5th trying to go to 4th. Sometimes even when starting it thinks you are coming from a gear. To fix the problem just wiggle the stick left and right in the neutral position and then go into reverse and it should be fine for ya. ho0pe this helps

thanks Timbo!

That happens to me and I press in the cluth twice before shifting into reverse. Works everytime.

I'm still driving my ep hatch (BigGuyRy....I take it you dumped yours for a tC)...anyway, I tend to put the car in 1st and roll the car forward ever so slightly(just enough to rock the car), then shift into reverse. Works better than just shifting into another gear and back to reverse.

it's because the gears are straight cut on reverse...happens on 90% of standard transmission cars. my wrx would barely go into reverse unless i pumped the clutch 20 times.

that's also the whine you hear when you drive in reverse...the gears

ive noted the problem for my tC as well... my quick fix, put the car into first, then neutral, then reverse.... most trannnies use the same synchros for first and reverse gears...

Thats not really a problem, a mechanic once told me it was normal, if you let the clutch out just a tad while applying pressure back it will fall into place, also try putting it into first and then shift into second, my dodge avenger does this same thing about 10 percent of the time

That's the way I've done it for years. It's pretty common for reverse and first to be non-synchronized, it keeps you from grabbing either accidentally.

I'm having the same problem zizi.

Your car jerks if you let off the clutch slowly? Did you have other cars that you can compare to? I am not used to driving stick so I do not know what is normal. I Just know if I let off the clutch relatively fast after switching gears everything is smooth. If I let off the clutch slowly after changing gears I get that jerk. Anyone know what is up?

I've never had my own manual before but I have driven my sisters and fathers. I typically didn't get that type of "senstive" response from their cars when I let off the clutch slowly.

I don't get the "jerking" from the Tc when I let off the clutch quickly and I'm not sure if it is okay for me to let off the clutch so quickly? Anyone know if that's bad/okay for the car?

Anyone know why we are getting that type of "jerking" from the Tc when we release the clutch slowly as opposed to quickly?

Yeah weird, I was told letting off the clutch quickly is dropping the clutch and it hurts the clutch. But for some reason when I do this the shift is smooth.

Also sometimes under heavy acceleration after I let off the gas and push the clutch, I can feel the revs under the clutch pedal like it feels like the car is still applying gas, is this normal?

I guess it is because we do not have the experience with manuals that others have. I let my friend drive my Scion and he shifted smoothly and said everything was ok, he also told me to let off the clutch slowly heh.

practice practice pracetice...

be lucky that you have several cars to drive stick with! i only had my IS300 and to be honest i didn't get better at driving it until i bought a beater car (92 Taurus SHO)... american clutches are the worst. when i drove that car i got more sensitive to the sweet spot you have to find.

I just practiced on my lunch break and I had to try reaaaaalllly hard to make sure I let the clutch off slow enough not to make it "jerky" and it worked. I had smooth transitions...so I guess that's really it Zizi...just finding that "sweet spot". I still need practice though! :lol: