03 Cooper won't go into reverse
Discussion
Hi all, this is my first post in this section having just picked my Mini Cooper up on Monday evening 
The problem I have is that it just doesn't want to go into reverse. It's not like it's a bit stiff or crunchy like the clutch is dragging or anything, I know what that feels like. It feels more like the gate isn't opening to allow it to go into reverse. Does anyone know if this is a know problem with the gearbox on these and if so is there an easy fox for it?
Any help/advice would be most appreciated.
(I did do a quick search on this forum but didn't find anything. I do know however that the search mechanism is a bit crap so if I've missed a thread on this subject I appologise
).
The problem I have is that it just doesn't want to go into reverse. It's not like it's a bit stiff or crunchy like the clutch is dragging or anything, I know what that feels like. It feels more like the gate isn't opening to allow it to go into reverse. Does anyone know if this is a know problem with the gearbox on these and if so is there an easy fox for it?
Any help/advice would be most appreciated.
(I did do a quick search on this forum but didn't find anything. I do know however that the search mechanism is a bit crap so if I've missed a thread on this subject I appologise
).Afternoon, welcome to MINI ownership - although it doesn't sound like you are having too much luck at the moment.
I do know that the gearboxes on the earlier mini's are prone to failure, not that BMW will admit to it. I have no experience of the Cooper box though so can't offer any practical advice other than to try over on Totalmini.co.uk or mini2.com to see if the guys over there have any more insight.
I do know that the gearboxes on the earlier mini's are prone to failure, not that BMW will admit to it. I have no experience of the Cooper box though so can't offer any practical advice other than to try over on Totalmini.co.uk or mini2.com to see if the guys over there have any more insight.
Try putting in reverse with engine off. If it dose ok then it could be the clutch? If not check that nothing is stopping the link from the gear stick to the gear box from moving. If it is ok there are a number of people how now do exchange boxes and drive in drive out gear box replacment.
It's the same with engine off. Def not the clutch, I know how that feels. Like I said, it's not that it can't engage reverse, more that there is something stopping the selector going to bottom right, like the gate is locked. I have found that I can make it go into reverse a bit more often by lifting the stick and using a bit of force but that can't be right. I don't think my missus would have the left-arm strength to do it so that can't be right.
The car has a 3 month warranty from the garage so I'll get them to have a look at it but it would be nice to have some idea what it could be for BS-avoidance reasons
The car has a 3 month warranty from the garage so I'll get them to have a look at it but it would be nice to have some idea what it could be for BS-avoidance reasons
My wife's S is very simple to get in reverse - very light, no messing at all.
It sounds like linkage alignment is the first place to be looking here if you can't get in the gate with the engine stopped. With some gearboxes I have had (not minis, RS Ford), whilst driving I have actually gone into the right gate, but got a completely different gear the linkage was so far out of alignment - thankfully 5th in third's gate rather than the other way round. A quick slacken off of a some fixtures and re-alignment sorted it. It does not have to be hitting anything on the body for this effect, it can just all get cocked up inside the box. It could of course be worse, so get it checked while you are still in warranty.
For Synchro checking, have you tried going into 1st/2nd initially, hold the clutch down all the time and then go for reverse? This can get all the cogs lined up and make difficult selection easier. But if you can't get in with the engine stopped, it sounds like something is out of alignment - hopefully linkage, hopefully not cogs and shafts.
It sounds like linkage alignment is the first place to be looking here if you can't get in the gate with the engine stopped. With some gearboxes I have had (not minis, RS Ford), whilst driving I have actually gone into the right gate, but got a completely different gear the linkage was so far out of alignment - thankfully 5th in third's gate rather than the other way round. A quick slacken off of a some fixtures and re-alignment sorted it. It does not have to be hitting anything on the body for this effect, it can just all get cocked up inside the box. It could of course be worse, so get it checked while you are still in warranty.
For Synchro checking, have you tried going into 1st/2nd initially, hold the clutch down all the time and then go for reverse? This can get all the cogs lined up and make difficult selection easier. But if you can't get in with the engine stopped, it sounds like something is out of alignment - hopefully linkage, hopefully not cogs and shafts.
Hi there,
I had similar issue this year when the general gear selection was becoming a pain. Any more and it would have been un drivable. After some inspection, the clutch was fine and the fault was identified as the gear shift selector. This part got changed and normal service is resumed.
Ciao.
I had similar issue this year when the general gear selection was becoming a pain. Any more and it would have been un drivable. After some inspection, the clutch was fine and the fault was identified as the gear shift selector. This part got changed and normal service is resumed.
Ciao.
Well the garage (the Ford garage I bought the car from) fixed the central locking and a couple of other minor things I'd pointed out but couldn't do anything about the reverse problem as they don't have the tools or knowledge. It's going to be booked in with Mini in Reading some time next week. At least it's still all covered by the warranty.
One other thing they found was that the bonnet was out of alignment. I'd asked them to take a look at the headlight alignment as I'd noticed I had one high and one low but they found the bonnet was the issue. The Mini garage will have to sort this out too. I'm guessing that probably means it's had front-end damage at some point which would also explain why the bonnet is absolutely stone-chip free on an almost 60k miles car. Still, as long as they can fix it I don't mind as it really is immaculate and was a very good price.
One other thing they found was that the bonnet was out of alignment. I'd asked them to take a look at the headlight alignment as I'd noticed I had one high and one low but they found the bonnet was the issue. The Mini garage will have to sort this out too. I'm guessing that probably means it's had front-end damage at some point which would also explain why the bonnet is absolutely stone-chip free on an almost 60k miles car. Still, as long as they can fix it I don't mind as it really is immaculate and was a very good price.
Co-incidentally, as we were talking about this, my daughter just lost 1st and 2nd in her Corsa this week, and when she took it to the garage, reverse disappeared too on arrival. It turned out that she could get 1st in 5th's gate however...
It was the linkage - she had to have new components, not just re-alignment. Done in the same day, so wasn't a biggie as it is all external to the gearbox which I assume would be the asme for the Mini. If as another poster suggested, it is selector forks, then they would be opening the gearbox - hence suggestion to check the linkage first.
The trouble with this type of fault is that most main agents these days (in my experience only) are just part changers based on what the computer tells them rather than having good diagnostic experience.
Good luck with it all. It will be worth it once you get it back.
It was the linkage - she had to have new components, not just re-alignment. Done in the same day, so wasn't a biggie as it is all external to the gearbox which I assume would be the asme for the Mini. If as another poster suggested, it is selector forks, then they would be opening the gearbox - hence suggestion to check the linkage first.
The trouble with this type of fault is that most main agents these days (in my experience only) are just part changers based on what the computer tells them rather than having good diagnostic experience.
Good luck with it all. It will be worth it once you get it back.
tter.
Well it has been in at Coopers Mini in Reading today. Good news is that the bonnet is now fine and the misaligned headlights was just a loose headlight. Bad news is that it needs a new gearbox. Well I say bad news, for me it's actually good news as it'll be covered on my extended warranty so I'll get a new gearbox for free and I'll just pay the extra to have a new clutch fitted while it's all apart (that'll be parts only, no labour ).
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