5 Causes Why Your Car Refuses to Move in Reverse Gear

Does your car tend to idle first before moving whenever you put it in reverse? If it does, then chances it may have engine issues, other mechanical issues or more.

To help you understand why this happens, here are the 5 most common reasons to reversing right from the horse’s mouth!

Cause 1

Low Transmission Fluid Levels

A low level of transmission fluid will affect reverse. If the fluid levels are critically low, you may face other symptoms as well, e.g. – frequent gear slippage, sticky shifts, etc. For the best results, it is always advisable to seek professional expertise from experienced and qualified garages like Sandy Auto Centre for gear or clutch repairs as well as spares such as Tyres Biggleswade.

Cause 2

Worn-out Valve Body

All cars that have an automatic transmission will have a valve body. It channels the flow of hydraulic fluid to the valves and helps in the movement of a vehicle. Hydraulic fluid is what helps you to shift gears and drive the vehicle quickly. If there is sufficient amount of wear to these valve bodies, it will create a significant hassle while backing up your vehicle.

Valve bodies are not repairable; they need to be replaced.

Cause 3

Bad Tyres

One of the most common, and also mostly ignored, reasons behind poor performance is bad Tyres in Henlow. Over time, the tread depth of your car’s tyres will decrease. But keep an eye out for the legally mandatory minimum mark of 1.6mm. However, in winters, with snow, sleet and ice on the roads, such damaged tyres will be incapable of the minimum safety parameters.

It is generally recommended that your car tyres must have a tread depth of at least 2.5mm, irrespective of the tyre, your vehicle and the season.

Cause 4

Faulty Speed Sensors

Another reason why a car won’t go in reverse is if it has faulty speed sensors. All modern cars with automatic transmission are equipped with speed sensors, designed to calculate the car’s transmission gear ratio. Often, the input shaft speed sensor may encounter a glitch and start malfunctioning. As such, you are bound to face problems while going in reverse because your tranny will be unable to judge the gear accurately and refrain from going into reverse.

Cause 5

Faulty Pattern Select Switch

The pattern select switch is omnipresent in most modern vehicles, especially in larger cars such as SUVs. It helps you decide your driving mode, which normally ranges from sports, economy, ice or others. Issues with the functionality of this switch may reflect problems with your suspension and even your transmission, or just a simple electronic fault. In all cases, you may face problems while going into reverse.

These are the 5 main reasons why a car may not reverse as it should. As you can see, most of these issues are not easy to fix, nor can they be prevented by taking proactive action. Pre-empting such issues will require professional inspection. So, simply make sure to take your vehicle for routine servicing at professional auto garages.