Q: Car not reversing, but going into forward.

asked by on December 17, 2015

My car does not go into reverse even though it goes into forward fine.

Not able to change gears Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

Hello, the transmission your car is equipped with has a dedicated band that locks up to one of the drums to make the trans rotate in reverse. This band is only applied in reverse and manual low (putting the shifter in gear 1). Reverse is a mechanical gear and has no solenoids involved. The hydraulic fluid is applied to a piston inside, that is connected to one end of the band. Fluid fills the chamber where the piston is located and applies pressure to the band. The band has pressure on one side and locks on the other tightening around the drum causing the gear to rotate in a reverse direction. There is the possibility that the piston has an internal leak, letting fluids bypass the piston and not engaging reverse. It is possible the rod between the piston and band fell out or the band is broken. You may need to enlist the aid of a mechanic to do an inspection of your gears. It may be necessary to have the trans removed to repair the band.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

What does the daytime running lamps (DRL) on light mean?
The daytime running lamps (DRL) on light is located on your instrument panel. When the DRL on light is illuminated, the DRLs are in use. When the DRLs are turned off, the DRL on light will disappear.
Gas tank leaks
Hello, sorry you're having problems with your gas tank. It might just be a loose or damaged filler hose that is leaking and needs to be replaced. I would recommend having a technician from YourMechanic come out and inspect the...
Whining noise when accelerate and then let go of pedal
The whining is in the CVT transmission and depending on the noise, it may be a normal noise from the transmission. The noise is the transmission CVT belt changing pitch as you drive faster. Sometime the noise will get excessively...
Car producing a rattling sound
Your 2015 Kia may use a brand new dual cutch transmission, which works differently than a traditional automatic transmission. That sound, combined with the conditions under which you hear it, makes me think you have a problem with your flywheel....
Where could this oil leak be coming from?
Hello. You mention the power steering reservoir, so just be sure it is oil and not power steering fluid which of course would change the nature of the repair. To answer one of your concerns, if oil leaks onto the...
Chime in car is annoyingly Too Loud - 2016 Chevrolet Volt CVT
The Chime Volume setting has two values, Normal and High. Check your settings to make sure it is in the Normal position. If that is still too loud for you, you might try putting some duct tape over the "door...
Starter grinding
Hi, thanks for your question. It sounds like the starter bolts may not have been tightened properly or the starter could be faulty as a new part. I would recommend retracing your steps to make sure that the starter was...
Starting problem
Hi There, This may be related to many different possibilities, some of which may be related to a lack of spark or possibly timing issues and some of which may be related to a fuel delivery problem or a combination...
Oil pressure sensor location - 2005 Dodge Stratus
Hi - the oil pressure switch/sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-oil-pressure-sensor) is located next to the oil filter on all Dodge engines of this vintage (3.0, 2.5, 1.8l, etc.), and screws into either the engine block, or the oil filter housing, depending on engine...

Related articles

What is Rear-Wheel Drive?
For For the better part of the twentieth century, nearly every vehicle on the road had the engine sending power to the rear wheels. This arrangement makes a lot of sense to designers, with the rear wheels handling all of...
Is it Safe to Drive With a Slipping Transmission?
The transmission converts the power from the engine into motion so the vehicle can move. Vehicles have either an automatic or manual transmission....
How to Double-Clutch Downshift a Manual Transmission Car
Learning how to double-clutch downshift on your cars manual transmission can optimize your acceleration, deceleration, and help maintain components.