auto wont reverse

[andrewlee31]

had same problem with mine.. bill was 1700 but garage paid for it, had a full rebuild and a new torque convertor.. sorry

[Uplander]

car wont reverse...

Hi,
I cant see why you dont raise the rear wheels clear of the ground after first loosening the wheelnuts...when you remove the wheels you may have great difficulty removing the brake drums....thats because I reckon someone has driven this motor with the parking brake ON and its now almost locked up, not solid but almost... ---so you can drive forwards but not backwards very far...cheaper "first check" than spending dosh driving to autobox place...yes, Chillit was on the money IMHO, but then internet guessing games is what its all about eh ?

[Morr]

I note two things you have mentioned which point to a problem other than the autobox.

Firstly in post #10 you say you could not push it in reverse even with neutral selected; this suggests something else is jamming/binding. Try putting the transfer box into neutral as well, this will eliminate all but driveshafts, rear axle and brake system from the equation, see if you can push it in reverse then.

Then in post #13 you mention that you can reverse in 4wd, this suggests that the obstruction (whatever it is) is in the rear drivetrain, when reverse is selected the torque converter is slipping rather than overcome this obstruction, however in 4wd with the front wheels engaged you can reverse, this suggests that the autobox is actually selecting and engaging reverse correctly but being stopped by something externally, the addition of drive to the front wheels then enabling it to exert enough force to overcome the obstruction.



My money is also on a rear brake or other rear axle problem.

[Koi]

Agree with that, if you can't push it in neutral then I would say not gear box related more like back axle or related to the rear end only.

[kenbo]

thanks for all your replies, its good to know theres people out there willing to help, i dropped her off at the garage this morning for the free check over, when putting the handbrake on ,it didnt feel right, anyway i left her , the garage rang later to say they couldnt find anything wrong and she drove perfect, they kept her for the rest of the day running her in 2wd and flicking her into 4wd, and they couldnt make her not reverse, they put it down to the lack of me not using the 4wd enough and somthing binding but releasing itself, but with the handbrake thing this morning and reading your replies i agree its more likely to be the brakes binding, so im going to get them to look at the brakes for me.but it would never have crossed my mind about the brakes, im just glad i took it for a second opinion and decided to join this site, youve made me a happy surf owner again, thanks to you all for taking the time out to reply,

[Koi]

Always pays to ask or get a second opinion, if you hadn't it would have been a grand for something you didn't need doing.
Glad we could all be of help

[kenbo]

well its looks as if im back to square one, the garage as just rung, theyve inspected the rear brakes and there fine, but when they put it in nuetral the surf tried to move forward, theyve hooked it up to there computer but as its a import they carnt read the fault on the gearbox, any ideas , thanks,

[Uplander]

well its looks as if im back to square one, the garage as just rung, theyve inspected the rear brakes and there fine, but when they put it in nuetral the surf tried to move forward, theyve hooked it up to there computer but as its a import they carnt read the fault on the gearbox, any ideas , thanks,

Hi,
I, for one, expect there are many others on here, who are sad we cant pinpoint the answer to your trucks' snag...It remains for you to get the best deal you can on a fix in nottinghamshire IE no fix, no pay...I have read thro your posts twice now an something doesna add up, but thats the trouble when we are all so remote from each other eh ? Hope you get a fix, whether it be a part such as a driveshaft, or a diff part, or the gearbox itself...

Peter

[Tallyman]

Had something similar years ago on a MK2 Escort Auto. In that case the reverse actuator in the gearbox (not sure exactly what it's called) had failed and it wouldn't go into reverse at all with the gearbox hot. Worked OK for a week whilst on holiday but had to be sorted when I got home. Might be something similar in the Surf's gearbox on it's way out.

[BUSHWHACKER]

It's got to be a hydraulic problem in the gearbox, or an intermitant solenoid / actuator problem. Either way, an autogearbox specialist should be able to sort it without the need for a new gearbox.

[kenbo]

thanks for all your advice so far, i dont think it needs a new gearbox, but all the garages ive phoned have put me onto the same autobox specialist, hes the one all the garages take there cars to, and hes the only one in mansfield, he quoted a grand for a new box, and he wasnt interested in finding the fault just fitting the new box, all the places ive phoned, non off them can help as its a import, does anyone know any garages in the nottinghamshire area who may be able to help, thanks,

[BUSHWHACKER]

Then he's not a specialist then, just interested in making easy money.
Have a look through your yellow pages for auto box repairs, especially the adverts without the big fancy graphics. You may find a decent automatic mechanic from the 'old school' of customer care

[kenbo]

ive phoned every autobox repairs in our yellow pages, some as far away as worksop, and theyve all said the same, the box as got to come out, and will cost from a grand upwards to repair, as they carnt pinpoint the problem as the box isnt in safe mode , and i carnt afford a grand at the moment, ive been adviced to cut my losses and get rid, iether way im snookered, what would you do, thanks.

[BUSHWHACKER]

Maybe look into getting a second hand auto box fitted, it's got to be cheaper than paying a garage to repair yours. Give TonyN a shout, he may even have a gearbox that he might sell and fit for you.