I have and R registered Honda Civic 1.5 LSI with the vtec engine. From new I have had problems with engaging the reverse gear. Honda have had three attempts to rectify the fault. New clutch after only 600 miles with a skimming of the flywheel under warranty. Still not fixed, Honda official position is as follows.
Their gearboxes on all civic's do not have syncromesh in reverse gear so sometimes will not engage in reverse without.
1. Moving the car and trying to select the reverse gear again.
2. Changing to first gear going into neutral and then trying to select reverse.
3. Waiting three seconds after stopping before attempting to select reverse.
NO honest it's not a wind up this is what I am supposed to believe and swallow.
Could it be however that a £2000 + replacement was not an option under any circumstances.
I am going to a transmission specialist next week to hear what his verdict is.
Has anybody had similar problems.
I would be grateful of any advice. HONDA UK are just not interested in resolving this problem.
|
Hi Mike,
I've had problems with my 'w' plate Polo, reverse is a bit of a pig and first was a hit and miss affair. After having the car looked at it was decided to adjust the gear linkage and clutch cable. It appears, like your Honda, that VW's don't have syncro on reverse. So, i now wait a few seconds before engaging reverse and it seems to have done the trick. But, i'll still have the car looked at again when it goes in for its next service as i've also been told that the self adjusting cluth cable mechanism tends to be faulty.Also, first gear is has a more positive feel to it now.
When your engine is idling in neutral with the clutch engaged the drive shaft in the gearbox is rotating at engine speed eg. 1000rpm. When you depress the clutch you need to give the shaft a few seconds to slow down and stop, otherwise the straight cut gear will not mesh smoothly. That's what i have learned and it looks like being true.
Hope this helps,
Ash.
|
|
|
|
My beloved r reg Civic 1.5 lsi vtec has never given me any trouble, though can appreciate that sometimes engaging from standstill could cause a problem.
|
|
|
|
Ask for more advice down the post office when you next collect your pension.
|
|
Tell me JOHN does your XR2 "LOOK ALIKE" with the furry dice and the 998cc engine come with a coat hook to hang your jacket on as "standard".
|
|
|
|
All the cars I have ever drove have had difficulty engaging reverse at times. I have always understood this to be because reverse does not have syncromesh. Educate me if I am wrong, but do some cars have syncro. on reverse?.
I own a J reg Civic and a Y reg Civic and they both have the same difficulty engaging reverse at times.
Was the dealer only too keen rectify the "problem" because the car was still under warranty,in my experiences I have found this to be the case.
Regards Malcolm
|
|
|
I thought reverse could only be engaged whilst at a standstill unless you want to wreck the gearbox!!!!!.
Regards Malcolm.
|
|
|
MG Rover, who used a version of the excellent PG1 gearbox had reverse gear selection gripes a few years back. They now have a type of synchro device on reverse gear and it is a dream to use - easy gear selection with no crunching.
Synchro action is obtained on the PG2 'box by the partial engagement of 4th gear as the lever is moved into the reverse position. So simple and it works!
The same, cannot be said for the widely used R65 (U) Peugeot-dervived gearbox fitted to most K series engined models. Nearly every one we sell comes back with the customer complaint 'Difficult to engage reverse' or 'Car jumps out of reverse gear'
This is caused by the two-stage reverse gear engagement feature of this gearbox.
There is nothing we can do to adjust/lubricate the linkage - it is an internal 'feature'
Engaging 4th gear before reverse usually ensures smooth reverse selection.
Rgds
David
|
|
|
|
Quite a few cars and many lorries have a synchro on reverse gear. It sorts out the difficult selection / crunching problem. Some time ago I was following a newish camper van off the M3 onto the M25. The driver seemed unsure of his route and on came the brake lights, at about 40mph on came the reverse lights. Black smoke from both rear tyres, rapid decelaration of van. As I passed the van it was moving on again, all occupants staring at the driver, driver staring in the direction of the gear lever. I suppose he'd managed to beat the interlock that prevents engagement of reverse from top and a synchro had enabled him to engage reverse. Don't know about long term damage but the van still moved.
|
|
Steve, is that what you call "reverse thrust"!
|
|
|
Most company cars will go into reverse when still going forward, I'm told! In common with others, I would still suspect the clutch dragging. Was a new pressure plate really fitted? If slow running is a bit fast that wont help either.
Hope the specialist finds the cause.
Regards,
Mike
|
I should have mentioned that the PG1 & 2 gearboxes I was rabbiting on about are Honda gearboxes
PS Nothing ever goes wrong with them
|
To the embarrasment of owners I have "cured" a couple of difficult reverse selection problems by pulling out thick floor mats and saying now see what it's like - perfect!
David
|
You may be interested to know that your remedy was another desperate piece of advice from HONDA. I cut 6 inches off their "free" mat to prove the point. I AM NOT STUPID, the clutch is always fully depressed BEFORE SELECTING REVERSE.
The service manager admitted there is a problem, the driver who collected it and returned it to us after trying to fix it has the same problem with it.
The problem is a basic design flault which will not be admitted. The gearbox PS1 is now PS2 with syncromesh on reverse QED. My wifes X REG GOLF GTI never has this problem and no other car we I have ever owned.
Fact, this is a three door car made in JAPAN and I am afraid to say one of their Friday cars. Their infalibity is a myth take it from me I've been there.
|
Mike,
My comments were thrown in the pool, not specific to your problem. I rather thought that yours had been looked at enough for all such avenues to have been explored.
The mat experiences were both with Citroen BXs which can need careful clutch adjustment in the latter life of the clutch to give a non slipping/freeing clutch. One car had a Citroen fitted mat set with a bit of house carpet on top.
David
|
|
|
|
|
Though I accept that mike's problems with his Honda are real and an immense irritation all this talk and complaints of not engaging reverse without a crunch result in a wry smile.
Who remembers the technique for engaging a non synchro first, the recommended technique was to select second and then straight into first. Still something I occasionally do if first is a bit recalcitrant on a cold morning.
Are we really so molly coddled today, synchro on reverse! Wish I had that on my autotest mini!
|
|
|
