Reverse lockout? Or transmission issues...

MidnightMonolith

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Is there a lock out to get the transmission into reverse on these cars (Si specifically if it makes a difference)?

I ask because I have had an issue with getting the car into reverse after it has been driven around for a bit. The gear will either grind or almost slam into gear before it actually engages. I've been driven a manual transmission since before I could actually drive, so I know how to make sure it is in gear. I've even tried 2 or 3 times to make sure it is in gear (as much as it can be) before trying to release the clutch. But then the same issues...grinding and vibrating shifter or nothing and then the cars slams into reverse before moving. When the transmission is cold I never have a problem with reverse (leaving for work in the am), but always have a problem getting to work and reversing into a spot.

I have to go back to the dealer soon to pick up my plates and was going to address this anyway. But I wanted to see if I was missing anything before I look like a newb in manual car.

Thanks
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BarracksSi

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You're shifting after coming to a dead stop, right?
 
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MidnightMonolith

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...of course. This will even happen if the car is parked after driving. I've used the brake hold to ensure this as well....


...and just to rule out any other easy things, the clutch is pinned to the floor, after shifter I ensure it is in as far as it will go, I don't tug or pull on the shifter while driving causing the syncros to wear unnaturally.
 
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motoguy128

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Have you tried double clutching? go to neutral, clutch out, then to reverse. Does that help? Just trying to troubleshoot it a little. Wonder if it's as simple as the linkage needs adjustment and it's not fully engaging the shift fork for reverse.

I think Honda us using some newer production lines and factories for these cars and are under pressure to get production rolling and their QC suffering a little. Plus, unemployment is relatively low, so workforce quality starts to suffer a little and your hesitant to discipline or terminate poor workers. Just throwing that out there.

if reverse had a lockout, it would be mechanical and located on the shifter.
 

Froz3nTundra

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My reverse was a little touchy when the car was new, less than 1500 miles, I've got 7200 on it now and haven't had any issues. You have to be at a complete stop and even then it snaps into gear a bit rough when the car is brand new.
 


BarracksSi

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Have you tried double clutching? go to neutral, clutch out, then to reverse. Does that help? Just trying to troubleshoot it a little.
That'd make it worse, as double clutching starts the gearbox spinning again. It's good for preparing to downshift, because it helps match the gears to the input shaft when you want higher engine RPM. But what you want when shifting into reverse is for all the internals inside the gearbox to be stopped -- because, AFAIK, there's no synchro on the reverse gear.

What I've done before is clutch in, stop, shift into a forward gear (this matches the internals to the wheels, which are stopped), then shift into reverse, then start letting the clutch out to move.

Or, more often, wait a couple seconds for the internal gears to stop spinning, then shift into reverse.

It should have a lockout to prevent misshifting while moving, but that's not going to cause a problem when you're stopped.
 

Gsnail13

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My si was hard to get into reverse when I first got it too. Not impossible but it definitely wasn't smooth. Now I'm at around 2,000 miles and it goes in much better now.
 

CivicChina

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Probably it will improve after some driving. my car was difficult to get in first gear on cold starts when it was new but after a few months became very smooth and now i dont have any problem
 
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MidnightMonolith

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Thanks. But what worries me is when i first got the car it was MAYBE once a week. Now it is every trip I make in the car...long or short. To be honest I wasn't sure if I was missing something to get it into gear (pushing down on the shifter, pulling up a switch on the shifter, etc...). I tried everything I could think of before asking here. I've been working on my cars since I've had one out of sheer necessity and have learned a lot over the years. But this has me stumped/worried.

I've actually tried putting it into 5th before going into reverse and still get problems. But like I said earlier this also happens when I am parked and getting ready to pull out of the spot. I actually actively look for places where i won't have to back out bc it is embarrassing to grind out the gears like this. And it got so bad my wife even started trying to help me come up with reasons....that mostly started with, "...if you would just let me try..."

Dealership here I come!
 

Froz3nTundra

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Ok, you had multiple people tell you they experienced very similar things on their 6MT's and you want to go to the dealership who will likely screw your car up worse.

Why ask the question if you have your answer made up already?
 


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MidnightMonolith

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Actually, what people said was theirs started off hard, but got easier. Mine was easy and has gotten exponentially worse over the course of the past 2 weeks. So yes, asking people who have the same/similar cars to see if they have the same problem is a logical course of action. Even though I have a lot of experience working on cars I am not an expert with these cars. So yes, I will ask before I leap. And taking it back to the dealership while it is still under warranty is the best thing to do. So if they do mess it up, it is on them...not me.

But really, thanks for your input.
 

BarracksSi

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And taking it back to the dealership while it is still under warranty is the best thing to do. So if they do mess it up, it is on them...not me.
Always true. Keep us posted about what they say.
 

ac143

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My car won't go into reverse quite often if I release the clutch in neutral before going into reverse, however if I put it into another gear first like 2nd, it goes into reverse much easier.

I'm just guessing that reverse may not have a synchromesh for it or a weak one compared to other gears except 1st
 

BarracksSi

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My car won't go into reverse quite often if I release the clutch in neutral before going into reverse, however if I put it into another gear first like 2nd, it goes into reverse much easier.

I'm just guessing that reverse may not have a synchromesh for it or a weak one compared to other gears except 1st
Yup on both ^^^

You'll want the gears to match the road speed, not the engine speed. If the stick is in neutral and then you push the clutch in, the gears will "coast" for a little bit because they've been spinning with the engine. On my EP3, you could even hear the gearbox when the clutch was engaged (especially if inside a garage with the window open); and then when you disengaged it, the noise faded and stopped after a few seconds.

Here's another thing to try to see what I mean:
Drive and come to a stop, and you put in the clutch before stopping, right? Then, hold it in continuously, then shift the stick into reverse. It should go pretty smoothly, because the gears will be matched up solely with the wheels, which aren't turning.

Again, OP, if none of this works, then maybe the car's got a problem. Have the dealer check it like you've planned, and/or find a friend who knows how to drive stick (might need to find an older guy with gray hair!).
 

myke

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I think you need to put it in neutral, press in the clutch, hold for second, then back out. Then shift in reverse as normal...
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