Ever lost reverse?

[unclebilly]

I have an older neighbor who helps us out on our farm as well as his nephew and a few others around here. He’s a super nice guy and is about 75…

He had 2 dodge trucks in a row where he lost reverse in the transmission. His nephew and I bought him a GMC 1500 HD a couple years ago and somehow he lost reverse in it too. I’ve since given him my mom’s old 94 Corolla wagon which he really likes despite it not being a truck - the fuel economy is a fair bit better.

I have put on a lot of miles and never once lost reverse in a vehicle. Come to think of it, I don’t know anyone else that has.

I’m thinking this is a user problem more than a tranny problem given that this problem has spanned 3 vehicles in a row with 2 different manufacturers.

Have you ever lost reverse in an automatic transmission? What caused it?

[Bill Douglas]

Not actually lost it. Just couldn't find it. And hit the car in front.

That was in a Corolla too.

[Arizona_928]

Lots of engine braking would be my guess. Or burnt up his low/reverse clutches or some other mechanical part issue.

[flatbutt]

No never. Were they all manual or auto? It's hard to imagine how you'd wipe out reverse unless you're using it A LOT as in stump pulling and the like.

[shadowjack1]

My 62 corvair had no reverse. Turned out it was linkage. New shift rod, all was better.

[peppy]

I did in an 82 Olds cutlas. Drove it when I was in high school for about a year before I had it fixed. Yes it was user error in my case. I could ruin an automatic transmission pretty fast. I remember 4 that had to be rebuilt after I drove them.

[id10t]

Only single gear I've lost was 2nd in the '84 911, right at 72k miles. Known issue wiht the 915 transmission.

Of course, loose 'em all when the throw out bearing goes, or the master/slave cylinders stop holding pressure...

[sugarwood]

Losing reverse is the first symptom of low tranny fluid
Eventually, reverse is the first thing to go, even if you top it off

[Starless]

A friend of mine bought an old Dodge Polara years ago with no reverse. He never fixed it and drove it for a couple of years. As i remember we used to call it the One Way.

[fanaudical]

What year/model on the Dodge pickups?

Would definitely check fluid level and condition on all.

I think in general the low gear clutches are shared with reverse and lots of low gear hauling on the farm may have trashed those. Not sure about the GMC, but the older GM transmissions used a brake band; excessive slippage if out of adjustment would impair reverse.

[masraum]

Weird, the only thing that I can think (that I wouldn't think would kill reverse, but I'm not auto-tranny expert) would be if he backs up and throws it in first while he's still rolling backward instead of stopping and then starting again. But I'd think he'd have to be going backwards fast or doing that a lot.

Does he have any teens that might drive the car, maybe doing burnouts like that?

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by Arizona_928

Lots of engine braking would be my guess.

Why would engine braking at all cause lost reverse???

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by masraum

Weird, the only thing that I can think (that I wouldn't think would kill reverse, but I'm not auto-tranny expert) would be if he backs up and throws it in first while he's still rolling backward instead of stopping and then starting again. But I'd think he'd have to be going backwards fast or doing that a lot.

Does he have any teens that might drive the car, maybe doing burnouts like that?

Not always, crappy transmission design will do it. I bought my 86 El Camino in 1991, with 40,000 miles on it and it was 100% stock. At 60,000 miles reverse just went away. I parked in a normal spot, and when I tried to leave, no reverse. I had to push it backwards and fortunately it was pretty level ground.

The Elky came with a metric 200 3 speed transmission, designed for the Chevette. It was a POS design, and undersized for an El Camino. I just replaced it with what was an optional transmission in 1986, the 4 speed 2004R with lockup. It just required a new cross member and adjustment of the shifter, and replacement of a little metal cover on the shift indicator to show the extra gears. I have had to have the 2004R rebuilt once after all the miles. 378,000 miles will wear out items never designed to go that far.

So whoever ordered my El Camino when new got the cheapest transmission possible. It is a SS version, yet it only had a speedometer and fuel gauge, the rest were just idiot lights. Those too are long gone and it has had full instruments for the last 30 years. I have the original build sheet.

[Scott Douglas]

Yes, our '87 Ford Taurus, bought new, lost reverse enough so that we traded it in before it totally went out. I had a pucker time when trading it in as I hoped they wouldn't find out about it until after the deal was done. Only car I've ever seen a reco of DO NOT BUY from Consumer's Report's. Wish I hadn't but we needed a wagon for hauling the kids and it was the best car I could afford at the time, or so I thought.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by svandamme

Why would engine braking at all cause lost reverse???

Not braking, engine braking. IE, downshifting the transmission to a lower gear to slow the car down while NOT using the brakes.

[stevej37]

I've never lost reverse.....but I have twice seen a car coming towards me and lose the rear wheel and axle all in one piece while rounding a corner!
The first time I saw it...it came very close to hitting another car. (I don't think the driver had even noticed yet)

[LWJ]

High school buddy had a mustang 2 (what an absolute POS) that never had reverse. He parked so he could pull forward, coast backward, or get the occasional push!

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by svandamme

Why would engine braking at all cause lost reverse???

You wear the band then the drum holding the low/reverse clutches. Then drum breaks.

[smadsen]

Some people habitually select rinse while they're still rolling forward. Or vice versa. Over time, eventually it breaks.

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by masraum

Not braking, engine braking. IE, downshifting the transmission to a lower gear to slow the car down while NOT using the brakes.

yeah i know what engine braking is, hence , i said engine braking? ??

Originally Posted by Arizona_928

You wear the band then the drum holding the low/reverse clutches. Then drum breaks.

I only now realize this was about automatics, but how the hell do you engine brake on an automatic... its automatic??
engine braking to me is a manual thing.. clutch in, downshift
revs pop up and the engine brakes it

how would you even do that on an automatic?