10 Reasons Why Your Car Won't Go In Reverse - Vehicle Freak

• Mohamed Shamiq

Updated on May 5, 2022

The transmission is a part of the powertrain in your car. Unless you have an electric vehicle, your car will have a transmission. It is safe to say that you won’t be able to drive a car without a functioning transmission.

So, when your transmission doesn’t allow your car to reverse it may seem like a serious problem. There are plenty of reasons why your car won’t go in reverse. Depending on the reason why your car won’t go in reverse, the way you have to deal with it varies.

How Does A Transmission Work?

To understand the reason why your car won’t go into reverse, you first need to understand how the transmission works. It is a no-brainer that the transmission is required for a car to operate.

It transmits the power from the engine to the wheels. Usually, transmissions are mounted to the chassis of your vehicle.

There are two types of transmissions. They are automatic and manual. Though the basics of how the work is the same, they have their differences.

How Does A Manual Transmission Work?

The manual transmission consists of a clutch and shifter. The driver is supposed to manually change gears while driving. The driver has to choose the right gear using the shifter. The clutch engages or disengages the gear.

The transmission uses a flywheel and a pressure plate to disengage the transmission from the engine when the clutch is pressed.

When the clutch is pushed, it releases the pressure plate, which disengages the engine. Then the driver will shift the gear, and after selecting the gear the clutch is released. This connects the engine back to the transmission.

There are different technologies adapted when it comes to manual clutches. Some of these technologies are unsynchronized, single-clutch, preselector, and many more. Though they have different names, the basic principles in which they operate are still the same.

Automatic Transmission

The easiest way to understand how automatic transmission works is to identify the difference between an automatic transmission and a manual transmission.

In an automatic transmission, the process that powers the manual transmission happens inside the transmission itself. In an automatic transmission, you don’t find a clutch.

Instead, the transmission depends on a torque converter to do the job. The torque converter is what shifts the gears in an automatic transmission.

The technology behind automated clutches has come a long way. Automatic transmission started to appear back in the 1900s. Though they were not completely automatic as today’s automatic transmissions are, that laid the foundation for today’s automatic transmissions.

Just like the manual transmission, there are a few variations in the technology that is used in automatic transmissions. Some examples are Tiptronic, hydraulic, and direct-shift gearbox which is also known as DSG. Again, the principles are still the same.

CVT

Continuously variable transmissions are what CVT stands for. This is a transmission that depends on a pulley system to shift gears. These are common in vehicles with smaller engines, such as ATV and snowmobiles.

The basic set of the CVT includes a primary small drive and a secondary large driven clutch. These are attached by a belt or chain.

When you accelerate the primary drive will contract and the second drive will move up. The secondary drive will expand as well. This will move the chain or belt downwards.

Though this type of transmission was primarily designed for smaller vehicles, today they are a popular choice for hybrids.

Common Reasons Why Your Car Won’t Go In Reverse

Transmission malfunction can really frustrating. If you are stuck with a car that you cannot reverse, driving your car is almost impossible. So here are the reasons why your car won’t go in reverse.

1. Low Transmission Fluid

This happens on cars with an automatic transmission. When you put your car on reverse, the light will indicate that it is in reverse. But you will not be able to move backward.

Transmission fluid is the lubricant in your transmission. When the lubricant is low, the transmission will overheat. The lubrication also allows the movements within the transmission to be smooth. So when your transmission is not properly lubricated, the friction between components makes shifting much harder.

The shifting process happens automatically inside an automatic transmission. So you can not manually force a shift.

Usually, when transmission levels are low, it is caused by a leak. So even if you refill the flid, chances are you will run out of it soon. Fixing the leak is the only solution from this point forward.

If you do not get it fixed as soon as possible, you will end up with a bigger transmission issue. Eventually, your car won’t move forward either.

2. Dirty Transmission Fluid

Having low fluid levels will definitely corrupt your transmission. Having dirty fluid won’t do you much good either. So even if your fluid levels are optimal, the fluid can be the reason why your car won’t go in reverse.

Transmission fluid not only acts as a lubricant but also cleans the system. As it flows through the transmission it will absorb all the dirt particles that are in your transmission. After a while, this will cause your transmission fluid to become dirty and ineffective.

This can be the reason why your car won’t go in reverse.

3. Sensor Failure

There are 2 types of sensors that could fail and result in a cat that cannot reverse. These are transmission range sensors and transmission position sensors. Whenever one of these or both malfunctions, your transmission will cease to work properly.

Transmission Range Sensor

In most cars, the transmission range sensor is mounted outside the gearbox. The function of the transmission range sensor is to determine the speed of the transmission. The transmission control system uses the data fed by this sensor to determine the appropriate gear.

If this sensor is faulty, the transmission control system will not get the data it needs. So it will not whether to shift into reverse when needed.

You can check whether this is working by comparing the values sent by the Transmission Control Module to the engine control unit. Using this you will be able to figure out if the transmission control system properly reads the command you send.

Transmission Position Sensor

The transmission position sensor sends information to the transmission control module regarding the gear it is currently in. Usually, when your transmission position sensor fails, you won’t be able to start your car at all. Or it will be stuck at neutral and you won’t be able to shift it all.

So this will result in a car that cannot be reversed. When this sensor fails the check engine light or the power train warning will illuminate. The best way to solve the issue is to take your car to a mechanic.

4. Faulty Valve Body

Valve bodies are present in automatic transmission. It splits and serves transmission fluid to multiple valves. This will send the required fluid to smoothly shift to individual gears for each driving speed.

If your transmission is not shifting into reverse or the shift is delayed, your valve body is a primary culprit.

The valve body often contains a shift solenoid. This is probably the reason why your car won’t shift into reverse. In some models, the shift solenoid can be replaced independently while in other models you need to replace the entire valve body.

5. Shifter Cable Failure

This is a problem that is seen in manual transmissions. When you move your shifter up or down, the shifter cable will move a horizontal lever. When you move it left or right, it will activate another cable. This moves the shifter assembly up and down. A 6-speed transmission will have an additional shifter cable.

Most manual transmissions have 2 cables running from the transmission to the shifter assembly. In automatic transmission often there is only one shifter cable.

When these fail, they will not shift into specific gears. This could cause your transmission to be unable to shift into reverse. When this happens you need to readjust your shifter cables.

6. Shifter Malfunction

This is also an issue with manual transmissions as they are the ones to use shifters. The input you give into the shifter goes through a lot of components before it reaches the gearbox. When one of these fails, you will not be able to move your shifter.

The shifter will feel as it has been stuck in one place. So you will not be able to put your car into reverse gear at all.

Due to the sheer number of moving components, it is hard to pinpoint which has caused your shifter to fail. The best way to deal with it is to disassemble the system and inspect every component for damage individually.

7. Clutch Not Functioning

Since we discussed the basic principles behind a clutch and how the clutch actually works, you now would know that without a functioning clutch, you won’t be able to shift gears. Obviously, this is only an issue with manual transmissions.

Again the clutch is connected to many moving parts. When one of these components is derailed, you end up with a faulty clutch. Usually, what fails is the cable that is moved when the clutch is pressed. Even though it might seem like a cheap fix, clutch repairs can be really expensive.

With a faulty clutch, you will generally lose the ability to shift into any gear. There is a slight chance that only your reverse gear could be affected.

8. Lockout Ring Defects

Lockout rings are becoming more and more common in modern manual transmission. Lockout ring is primarily attached to your car, so the driver will not accidentally shift to reverse while driving.

Since it basically locks the ability to shift into reverse, a defective lockout ring will not allow you to shift into reverse even when you are parked.

You might think that a lockout ring is not necessary. After all, a defective lockout ring will only cripple your transmission. But, it has a huge benefit that cannot be ignored. If you mistakenly shift into reverse while driving, you will shatter your transmission.

If this happens at high speeds, your life is at risk. So even if lockout ring failures can be frustrating, the benefit it offers is worth it.

9. Gear Teeth Broken

The gears in your transmission are made of heavy-duty strong metal. So gear teeth are not going to break easily. But if it does, you are in big trouble.

When wear or damage has caused one or more teeth to become ineffective, you will notice the symptoms. By checking it out early, you could avoid total transmission failure. When one of the gears in your transmission has broken teeth, your car will not be able to operate on that gear.

So if the reverse gear is broken, you won’t be able to reverse your car. This is one of the costliest repairs you can run into if your transmission is not working.

10. Worn out Transmission

Just like a gear teeth failure, a worn-out transmission is also pretty rare. But this is also one of the worst things that you could encounter.

Maybe the reason why your car won’t go in reverse is due to a transmission that has seen its better days. You won’t be able to blame one single component in this scenario, instead, a whole bunch of components might be worn out thus causing your transmission to fail.

Transmissions are meant to last hundreds of thousands of miles. But it all depends on maintenance.

If your transmission runs with low transmission fluid or dirty transmission fluid for a long period, it will accelerate the process of wear. This would easily knock down 50,000 miles or more from your transmission’s life.

Again, you don’t have many ways to deal with a worn-out transmission. You are going to have to spill a load of money to either rebuild or replace your transmission.

What To Do If Your Car Won’t Go Into Reverse?

Once you notice reasons why your car won’t go in reverse, you need solutions. With so many reasons why your car’s transmission might have failed, it is hard to pinpoint exactly what has gone wrong without physically inspecting your transmission.

But this is not exactly a solution but rather a way to fix your transmission. If you encounter a transmission that will not go into reverse, here are some actions that you can take to solve the problem.

Check The Fluid

Often the reason why your car won’t go in reverse is an issue related to the fluid. So the first thing you can try out is replacing the transmission fluid.

Rather than topping it off you should completely flush the system and pour new fluid in. Even a dirty transmission fluid filter can be the culprit. So try to replace it as well.

Examine The Selector Switch

You already know the function of a selector switch. But do you know why it fails? Usually, the selector switch fails due to rust. So your priority is to remove the rust from the selector switch. This is not that hard. Put your gear from the park to the lowest gear.

Do this repeatedly. After a few attempts the selector switch will break free and you will be able to shift into reverse again.

Check The Clutch

If you own a manual transmission, the clutch could be where the problem is situated. Pump the clutch pedal and release it gradually while you try to shift into reverse.

If that doesn’t work switch off your engine. Now try shifting into all the gears. If your car shifts into reverse when your engine is off, your clutch is not working.

Look For Leaks

Changing the transmission fluid or filter will be no good if your car is leaking fluids. Identifying transmission fluid leaks is not that hard, as long as you know to distinguish one fluid from another.

If you notice any leaks you should address them right away. Even if your car is shifting into reverse, a leak could cause your transmission to run dry. This is often why your transmission wears out soon or gear teeth snap off.

If either of these happens, you would have to completely rebuild or replace your transmission.

FAQs

Here are some of the most common questions regarding the reasons your car won’t go in reverse.

How Much Does It Cost To Replace Shifter Cables?

Shifter cables aren’t the costliest repair you could encounter with your transmission. Replacing shifter cables takes about 2 hours of labor. For parts, you would be spending around $225. So with labor, you are looking at a bill of around $425. The prices will vary depending on the car you drive.

Are Transmission Flushes Necessary? And Are They Harmful?

Many manufacturers say that you shouldn’t flush transmission fluid. They have a bunch of different reasons. But is it really harmful?

Actually, transmission flushes will not harm your car in any way as long as you use the right type of transmission fluid to refill it. With time, transmission fluid will accumulate dirt and debris from your transmission.

This will make it less effective and could damage your transmission. By flushing them you will be able to get a fresh and clean fluid in so that your transmission function properly.

How often do you need to perform a transmission flush? If it is a brand new vehicle, you do not need to perform your first transmission fluid flush for a long period. But as the vehicle gets older, you should try to flush your transmission every 30,000 miles.

How To Identify Transmission Fluid Leak?

If you notice a puddle of liquid under your car and wonder whether the source is the transmission, there are a few ways in which you can identify the fluid.

First, look at the color. Transmission fluid is generally dyed in red. But as it becomes old it can turn into a dark brown or black. Then check the consistency and smell. Transmission fluid is basically an oil so expect a slippery texture. It often emits a burnt smell.

Finally, look at the location of the leak. Transmission fluid leaks are usually in the middle of the car.

What Is The Worst That Could Happen To Your Transmission?

The worst possible damage happens when you do not have enough lubrication. If your transmission is starved of transmission fluid, the friction will cause the metal to grind against each other increasing the wear. Eventually, the parts on your transmission will chip and gear teeth will snap.

How Much Does A Transmission Rebuild Or Replacement Cost?

Prices of a transmission replacement range from $1100 to $3500. The average cost is around $2600. Rebuilding the transmission is no easy task. If your transmission replacement costs are at the lower end of the spectrum, replacing a transmission will be cheaper than rebuilding it.

Are Manual Transmissions More Reliable?

Manual transmissions encounter just as many problems as automatic transmission. The reason why people mention that manual transmissions are reliable comes to cost.

A part of reliability is maintenance and repair costs. Manual transmission is cheaper to both maintain and repair.

Conclusion

Whether you are driving a manual car or an automatic, transmission woes are a possibility. With so many components inter connecter to build up the transmission, there are many junctures where a failure can occur. Thus there are many reasons why your car won’t go into reverse.

Driving a car with a malfunctioning transmission is next to impossible. When the ability to reverse is taken out from your car, the moves you can make are limited.

Even if you can manage a car that won’t go in reverse, you should not drive around with that car. The longer you drive with a malfunctioning car, the more risk you’d be taking.

Transmissions are made to last. So when they fail, it is likely to fail due to the lack of maintenance. By being keen on maintenance, making sure you keep your oil at optimal levels, you can significantly reduce the odds of you running into a transmission that does not go in reverse.

Here are some other articles you may want to check:

Car Stuck in Reverse? – Causes & Possible Solutions

Car Won’t Move In Any Gear Automatic Transmission

Parking Sensors Not Working: How To Diagnose and Troubleshoot