2003 Msp Reverse Problems
 

I have 5000 miles on my 2003 MSP and am having more increasing problems of finding reverse. Is anybody else having this problem? This morning I got into the car and let is warm up for about 10 minutes before leaving. I got in pressed in the clutch all the way to the floor and it would not go into reverse. I had to screw with it for about a minute or so pushing the clutch in and out a few times before I got it. This only happens in reverse.

Thanks

Scott

How cold is it getting overnight?

I've heard of having to pump the clutch a little when it's really cold. (Perhaps warming the car up doesn't include the tranny? :dunno: )

I live in Arizona and it is staying about 60 degrees at night. But the temp doesn't seem to effect it.

Yeah 60 wouldn't do that... I was just trying to remember if I heard that somewhere... hmm.
(I think it might have actually had something to do with the WRX...lol)

Reverse in my car almost never takes the first time when it's cold.

Try putting it into reverse, andfrom what you describe it should only go about halfway in. Then, keep a good but gentle pressure on the shifter, and let he clutch out a bit and it should slide in. Mine works this way at least...

Sometimes a little throttle helps too. Or I put it in 1st, then try reverse again.

I was just saying that mine does the same thing, and it's not a symptom unique to ZZOOOMM's MSP.

I have the same problem. ALl I do is re-clutch and it goes.

Another thing to try:

If it's difficult to get into reverse, shift to a forward gear (try 1st gear). Don't let off the clutch, and then just try to go from first to reverse.

I had the same issue in my Miata (and several other manual trans cars, both front wheel drive and rear wheel drive). This trick almost always got me going backwards.

Also - if you are warming your car up, has the engine "kicked down" yet? When the car starts, the engine will rev high for a while, and this can also make reverse hard to grab. Give the throttle a blip, and let the engine settle back to normal warm idle before trying to shift.

~HH

same thing here putting it into first usually works. every manual car i've ever had did this so it isnt unusual.



jeremy

You're right, it's not unusual, but my 95 Contour wasn't as sensitive about gear engagement. Even after my Pro is warm, I have to be going exactly zero mph for 1 or R to engage. The Contour could be going +/- a few mph and it would still engage.

Edit: I wasn't exactly clear. If I'm going -1, 1st won't engage, and if I'm going +1, R won't engage.

Funny, I don't have any engagment problems in 1st or Reverse (knock on wood). I never warm my car up - just jump in, pop it in reverse, and go. Plus, I don't any problems putting it in first if I'm rolling backwards. Maybe you should bring it in and get it checked. I'm sure it's still under warranty. Sometimes it's a little sticky going from 1st to 2nd at high rpms, but that's about it.

My mp3 does that also.. just put it in first and let clutch out a hair for a plit second, then to reverse...

bleed the clutch....will go in reverse at -25C without warm up....
Alex

Thanks for all the responce to the topic, I went to Mazda yesterday and was told that they are aware of the problem and believe it is the short shifter. They will have a mod kit in about a month.