Focus Reverse Gear

[kevin clarke]

1.6, 2003, 52k miles

Anyone got this problem?

Difficult to select reverse in my garage (lot of noise and resistance) but easy if it's rolling backwards down driveway (luckily I live on a slope).

Also easy when the car has been running for 1-2 mins (car not moving).

What's going on?

Btw, selecting the other gears is ok.

[ben1191]

Reverse gear runs on a different cable to forward gears.its likely stretched and needs re adjusting.

Speaking from experience of a merc sprinter though and assuming it's the same/similar.

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[mgaking]

Reverse gear runs on a different cable to forward gears.its likely stretched and needs re adjusting.

Speaking from experience of a merc sprinter though and assuming it's the same/similar.

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Don't think this is correct for Fords.

The cables can be adjusted but if all other gears are OK then probably not this.

Reverse gear has always been a bit iffy on my 51 focus and on my current Fiesta bit no noises.

[kevin clarke]

Great if it had a separate cable but agreed fairly sure it hasn't.

So .... any ideas what's causing the problem selecting reverse gear?

BTW, if I wait 2 mins in the garage or driveway then doesn't improve so why does driving for 2 mins make it easy (as normal)!

[Stoney871]

Try pumping the clutch pedal a couple of times before engaging reverse for the first time.

Sent from my SM-G900F

[ben1191]

Great if it had a separate cable but agreed fairly sure it hasn't.

So .... any ideas what's causing the problem selecting reverse gear?

BTW, if I wait 2 mins in the garage or driveway then doesn't improve so why does driving for 2 mins make it easy (as normal)!

Yeah was pretty much a guess,I've never even looked at the box in the focus.

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[flying clutchman]

Your clutch is dragging slightly. It's probably sticking on the spline slightly when cold. You might find it goes in better if you put it in 1st, keep the clutch down then go into reverse. There's definitely only 2 cables by the way!

[RAIDER32]

Great if it had a separate cable but agreed fairly sure it hasn't.

So .... any ideas what's causing the problem selecting reverse gear?

BTW, if I wait 2 mins in the garage or driveway then doesn't improve so why does driving for 2 mins make it easy (as normal)!

I'm no expert on cars, but I had a little trouble with works Peugeot Boxer van once,

I couldn't select reverse and I was blocking a one way bus lane in Chesterfield for about 5 minutes,

at one point I had the handbrake on and in first gear and the clutch bit a little,from then it did actually let me select reverse.

I repeated it again another time when the gears were a bit off.

Also the other week I got my car back from garage after MOT/Service and the gears were not selecting very smoothly at all,

before I left work last week I left handbrake on and while in first gear I just let the clutch bite slowly just putting a little pressure on,

driving around today the gears were spot on.

So might be worth a shot, just wouldn't do it in the garage!

Handbrake on and just let the clutch bite, might straighten it out a bit.

[Invisible Man]

My 2010 1.8 petrol has problems going into reverse. Sometimes I have to force it into reverse, but not very often.

Or I let the clutch out slightly and it goes in no worries. It crunches if I try to reverse without it being properly engaged

[ben1191]

My 2010 1.8 petrol has problems going into reverse. Sometimes I have to force it into reverse, but not very often.

I've always had to force my gear into reverse,I kept telling it to go into reverse but it wouldn't do it :D

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