[Serendipity]

Hi,

First post here. Bought a 2012 Versa S / base 1.6L 5MT several months ago and recently the car has developed this strange problem: You cannot shift into reverse from a dead stop; however, if you allow the car to creep forward and then select reverse, it catches every time. It only takes a few inches of forward movement for reverse to start working again. Just enough to let the transmission line up, and then reverse works fine.

Is there some sort of adjustment that can be made as it feels like something is slightly "off" in the transmission? It seems to have gotten worse recently and when reverse doesn't work, something in the transmission seems like it does not "catch," for lack of a beter term.

I already took it to a dealer and they performed "ADJUSTED MT CABLE ASSY PERFORMED ROAD TEST" but the problem is now worse.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Edit: Reverse seems to engage fine when the engine is off, I can back out of parking spots without a problem if I put the car into reverse and then start the car.

 

[bstewart8]

If it is obvious they didn't correct the problem, take it back to them or take it to a different dealership. Make sure you take care of it while still under warranty.

 

[Serendipity]

I think I am going to try a different dealership this time. It's embarassing when you are making a 3-point turn and don't know if the car will engage reverse the 1st, 2nd, or even the 3rd try, especially in New York traffic.

 

[bstewart8]

That is totally unacceptable... if it so obvious, I don't see how they could try and say it is "fixed" when it clearly isn't.

 

[Serendipity]

The last time I rode around with the service manager at another dealership, he kept putting the car into 1st and then selecting reverse and it would "catch" every time. He claimed that this was normal for all Nissan Versas with manual transmission. Obviously I disagree, as you shouldn't have to drive around it, and even explained that Dealer # 1 said there was a problem while attempting to fix it.

Taking it in for service today, will see what happens Monday.

 

[bstewart8]

Good luck, keep us updated.

 

[ADOversa]

If it is obvious they didn't correct the problem, take it back to them or take it to a different dealership. Make sure you take care of it while still under warranty.

x2. That was my mistake... my Versa had alignment problems from day one. I was too nice in talking to the dealership and they kept putting it off until the alignment warranty was up. If you pick it up and its still not right, turn around and go right back in there. If it happens again, go into the dealer in person and tell them you want it fixed... its alot harder for them to put you off in person and possibly in front of other customers/potential customers. Get in their face about it until they take care of it.

 

[Serendipity]

And... off to the dealer it goes. They are keeping it overnight, won't hear back until tomorrow morning.

 

[Serendipity]

Update: Dealer still has the car, driving a Chevy right now.

 

[ADOversa]

Update: Dealer still has the car, driving a Chevy right now.

:thumb2: Cruze?

Sorry if its a little OT but I took a Malibu out the other day... man that is actually a sweet car!

 

[Serendipity]

Unfortunately, this problem is back. The car has now been to 3 dealers and each has told me something different. One dealer said it's completely normal and that you have to double-clutch if it's hard to get into reverse. Another said the shift linkage needed adjustment and performed the adjustment. The best one was a service manager who took me for a wild test ride in my car doing quick turns and backing up with lots of revs. Of course it worked, he was slamming it into R and not idling the car as you should.

At this point I am not sure what to do.

 

[Serendipity]

Also, what should I do in the meantime? The only solution I have found is to shift into neutral, release the clutch, blip the throttle, quickly push in the clutch and then it "falls" right into the reverse gate. But I am sure this is not easy on the gears compared to backing up at idle.

 

[pimperell]

Also, what should I do in the meantime? The only solution I have found is to shift into neutral, release the clutch, blip the throttle, quickly push in the clutch and then it "falls" right into the reverse gate. But I am sure this is not easy on the gears compared to backing up at idle.

I am not that familiar with the design of the standard transmission in your Versa. I will say, that what you describe might be caused buy the clutch not fully releasing when you apply the pedal, and the transmission gears are still turning when you try to throw it into reverse. Another cause for the same condition could be a misalignment of the transmission and engine. If the transmission lay shaft that goes into the engine flywheel is not correctly aligned, even though the clutch releases, the transmission gears will still be turning when you try to get it into reverse, and it will either bind, or grind the gears, which is not a good thing. In the older manual transmissions, the reverse gear was not synchronized, hence you had to come to a complete stop before it would engage properly. Good luck

 

[Serendipity]

Yes, there is a sound when the clutch is fully released in neutral, that only goes away when you push the clutch down. But you have to keep the window open and really listen for it or else you won't hear it. I am surprised none of the dealers noticed it. It does bind whenever you can't shift into Reverse though; takes another try or so before it actually engages and "falls" into the detent, or shift gate.

 

[Serendipity]

I am not that familiar with the design of the standard transmission in your Versa. I will say, that what you describe might be caused buy the clutch not fully releasing when you apply the pedal, and the transmission gears are still turning when you try to throw it into reverse. Another cause for the same condition could be a misalignment of the transmission and engine. If the transmission lay shaft that goes into the engine flywheel is not correctly aligned, even though the clutch releases, the transmission gears will still be turning when you try to get it into reverse, and it will either bind, or grind the gears, which is not a good thing. In the older manual transmissions, the reverse gear was not synchronized, hence you had to come to a complete stop before it would engage properly. Good luck

Thanks. I think you are onto something with the clutch not fully releasing. It seems as if the clutch engages right at the top, with maybe 1/4" of play before it's fully engaged. Also, it feels as if something isn't "lining up" right in the transmission. When everything eventually does line up, which may be from shifting into 1st and then back into Neutral, the shifter falls right into the gate smoothly.