A car is made of many sophisticated components and the transmission system is one of
them. You cannot operate your vehicle smoothly if the gears don’t work right.
Sometimes you may have issues with multiple gears. This can happen due to many
reasons.
The reverse gear of a vehicle is the one that easily gets affected. It is needed to take your
car out of a parking space or driveway. But if your car doesn’t go in reverse, your car
will be stuck in the parking spot. In that case, you will have to first figure out the issue
and then fix it. You may also need the help of a tow truck to carry your vehicle to a
mechanic.
Reasons Why Your Car Won’t Go In Reverse
Many reasons could cause this problem. To find the right solution, you need to first
understand what’s causing the problem.
Here are some of the primary reasons that stop the reverse gear from working:
1. Low transmission fluid
If there is low transmission fluid in your vehicle, the reverse gear can get stuck. Not just
that, but it can also cause many other issues such as shifting problems, overheated
gears, and gear slippage.
The reverse gear can get affected due to overheating if you have low transmission fluid
to lubricate the internal gears. In that case, you need to top off the fluid to fix the
problem. If you are car is driving fine, but won’t go in reverse, you are advised to check
your fluid level.
2. Faulty valve body
All automatic transmission systems are equipped with a valve body. This looks like a
maze that helps the hydraulic fluid to flow to the valves. This in return helps the vehicle
to shift gears whenever it is needed.
However, if you have a faulty valve body, it won’t function properly. As a result, the
reverse gear of your car may get stuck or you may experience delayed shifting.
3. Transmission position sensor not working.
Another reason could be when the transmission position sensor stops working. When
you shift an automatic transmission vehicle into reverse, an electronic sensor directs
the powertrain control module to shift the vehicle’s transmission into reverse. However,
if the sensor fails, it will not allow the vehicle to shift in reverse.
If you have a faulty transmission position sensor, your vehicle will not go in reverse.
Instead, it can end up in a limp mode which means you won’t be able to go above 3rd
gear. In such a situation, you are advised to check the engine light and find any error
code using a diagnostic tool to confirm the problem.
4. A dirty filter or transmission fluid
Over time, the transmission fluid gets dirty with hardened gunk or deposits. When this
happens, it affects the gears of your vehicle. In this case, changing the filter or
transmission fluid should help you solve the issue. This is comparatively a cheaper
solution.
You should keep a check on the condition of your car’s transmission fluid so that you
can replace it at the right time. If changing the transmission fluid doesn’t solve the issue,
it means your vehicle has prevented future transmission issues. You should take your
car to a mechanic to get it fixed.
5. Broken teeth on reverse gear
This is one of the most common problems faced by car owners. It mainly happens due to
car abuse or when you don’t shift gears properly.
Whenever you shift into reverse, you may hear a loud noise or clicking sound. The only
solution to this is to replace the gear with a new one.
If your car is not going in reverse, there are chances you are facing the mentioned
issues. No matter what the reason is, take your car to a mechanic and get it fixed.