I noticed in old posts that there was a problem when shifting into reverse, mainly that it was sometimes difficult and took considerable effort to do so.

Well, in my one month old MC I sometimes not only encounter slight difficulty but I often hear a grinding/clunking sound when I shift into reverse. I actually noticed it soon after I took delivery, so it's not like it's something that is surfacing now after a month of ownership.

I've heard that there are no synchros for reverse and that this therefore is normal. That you need to wait a while after moving forward before trying to shift into reverse. Well, that's not the case here. I sometimes wait for about 10 seconds before trying, and it still makes the mechanical noise.

Anybody else with an 'O6 MC experiencing this?

 

no problems here.. i hope i didnt just jinx myself.

 

I'm not saying this is the cause for anyone, but as simple as this sounds, I see people messing up all the time. Make sure your car is dead stopped, before shifting into reverse. You're right, there are no synchros for reverse, nor should there be.

 

It usually happens first thing in the morning when I back it out of the garage.

Looks like I'll have to take it in and have them check it out.

 

I don't have this problem on my 05 MC, but it happens on mt wife's Toyota. You might try shifting to neutral and letting the clutch out before shifting into reverse. It seems to work.

 

I have the same grind/clunk issue with my 2006, but I didn't have the issue with my 2002.
Simply put the car in first gear and go forward maybe an inch...if even that. Then you shouldn't have any problems putting it into reverse gear.

Let me know if that helps, because that's what I've been doing.

 

This also happens alot with small pickup trucks but only when they are on an incline.

 

No, believe me, I've tried every conceivable trick in the book. What I'm experiencing should not be normal, nor should it be acceptable in any way, shape or form on a new car.

I stopped by the dealership on Monday after work to see if this is a common problem. One of the service reps thought there might be a service bulletin out on this problem since it sounded familiar, but wasn't able to find it. They told me I could drop the car off and have them take a look at it. But I told them I would first see if there are others with '06 Coopers that are experiencing the same thing and what their service techs might have found as the cause.

Looks like I'll take it in next week. Oh well.

 

I have noticed a slight gear grinding sound when i downshift into first gear from second, this happens when i am going really slow and turning into a parking lot from the main road going to work. I thought at first maybe the clutch wasnt all the way in but it was, and i can just feel a little resistance and notchiness when i go to first gear. I am not sure if this is a bad thing. Maybe its a cluth issue?
Has anyone had this before?

 

My MC does the same thing if it has been parked for any period of time. As soon as I put it in Reverse for the first time it grinds. Sounds painful. I've been putting it in Reverse real slow the past couple days and the sound has not appeared since then. It usually only happens when I just turn on the car.

 

I have an 06 MC convertible and was getting the grinding perhaps about 5% of the time when I shift into reverse. I've noticed that when it happens, the gear lever didn't engage completely into reverse. The shift **** is about a half inch short of where it should be. I could shift into another gear and back into reverse and it still won't go all the way. When I start to let out the clutch, it grinds and I see the shift **** move by itself the extra half inch, then it is okay.

Now when I shift into reverse, I try to notice whether the **** went completely into position. If it didn't, I keep pressing on the clutch and release the brakes, and let the car roll for an inch (if there is any incline at all). This causes the shift lever to pop by itself into the right position. No more grinding when I do this, but if I'm in a hurry or not paying attention, I may still catch the grinding.

 

this happened to me for about the first 10k miles, and i thought the tranny is brand new and needs to be broken in like the engine. I've seen pics of exploded trannys, interesting mental picture, and it is not pretty.

I don't do this anymore, but for the first year, when i started the car up, i would click thru a few gears before putting it in reverse. Like 1st, click, second, click, third, click, reverse, click. Seemed to work.

Reverse still needs to be put in with authority, not softly, to completely engage. My girlfriend/2nd driver sometimes gets it in that inbetween area where it will grind when letting out the clutch. just be tough with her and click it in tight.

and u expected ur MINI NOT to be quirkey?!?!?!?!

 

I started using two hands to get it into reverse. Looks really dorky but it's a pretty good pull for me to get it over into reverse. Since I started doing that I haven't had any problems with not having it fully in gear.

 

yea my 05 MC does the same unless im really really super careful...if im in any kind of rush i get the embarrasing grinding noise. Too bad a car manufacturer like BMW can't get reverse gear right


btw guys there are about 1094893538 threads on this subject

 

I noticed this in my 06 MC as well. But I don't know if this is carelessness on my part or not. I started to press on the clutch a lot harder than my other car, and it seems that I don't hear that grinding anymore. I'm sure you've already tried this, but just letting you know you're not the only one.

 

Thanks guys for the feedback. One thing I forgot to mention is that sometimes when it's difficult to put it into reverse and I then quickly force it in to avoid the grinding sound but still get a clunk sound, I notice that the car jerks slightly, even with the clutch fully depressed. Leads me to suspect that the clutch might be at fault since it seems that the tranny is not fully disengaged from the flywheel, motion being still transferred through somehow. The shudder only occurs when it finally gets shifted into reverse and stops immediately thereafter. Really strange.

Yep, you'd think being able to design a smooth reverse gear is early 20th century technical achievement.

 

We just picked up our MCS last week, and during the tour of the car our MA told us to "slap" the gearshift to the left and then move it upwards into reverse rather than holding onto the gearshift and moving it left past the 1st & 2nd gate. I've tried it both ways, and he was right: it's much easier to get into reverse (and I've never grinded) using the slap method rather than trying to muscle it over.

 

Yea, but reverse in our cars is right and down. . . MC!

 

My MC had been doing the same thing now for 4 years (~60K miles). I've gotten so I know what the stick feels like when it's going to happen so I can stop before it grinds. I make sure the stick is still in neutral and then lift the clutch pedal briefly - after that it will go easily and quietly into reverse - works every time. Of course this is a Midlands box and yours is a Getrag, but I look forward to hearing what your shop tells you.

 

I've been driving sticks since 1966 and most cars will grind (edit: to some extent) going into reverse on occasion, some more often than others if you go from neutral to reverse straightaway. Double clutching eliminates the problem most of the time in most of the cars including our MINI's S or MC. Some cars never have this phenomena. Its just a fact of stick. Sometimes you can avoid the grind by easing it in to R. My MCS usually doesn't grind but sometimes, it does. Often you can tell it is about to, then, back off and re-clutch and then put 'er into R. You just gotta know your car.

 

(MC) MiniMaxx is right. Ease it into reverse. I noticed the manual in my 06 says that the handle should be pulled all the way over to the right. Along with a complete stop, and slowly pulling the handle to the right to drop it in reverse, it doesn't grind anymore.

 

I usually put it in reverse before starting it up or I put into 2nd gear first and then over to reverse on mine and it prevents that clunking noise

 

Thats right. Happens to my 05 MC as well. You will feel that its only half engaged because the dog teeth isn't all the way into their slots. By shifting into another gear, and then giving it a bit more force and shift into reverse, I find that 10 times out of 10 I'll be able to shift all the way into reverse.

My advice. Always shift into a forward gear (I pick 3rd because its easy) before shifting into reverse. This applies when you are starting the car cold (parked over night). If you're driving and want to back up, leave the car in the forward gear that it was in, stop with clutch pushed in, then when the car is completely stopped, shift in reverse.

 

That's a good idea. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

I test drove a 10k mile 2003 MCS before ordering my 06 MCS and had a lot of trouble getting it into reverse. The salesman gave me the keys and told me to have it back in an hour or less, so my sister and I hopped in to leave, but when I couldn't get it in reverse I was a little worried. He had pulled the car dangerously close to a parking stop, so rolling forward wasn't an option, and even after going in and out of a few other gears I just couldn't do it. Finally I had to muscle it into reverse and actually had my sister check to make sure the reverse light was on before I backed up... Imagine how embarassed I was, but I guess it is a common problem.

If my new one has this problem when it comes in I won't be very happy, but you guys had some good ideas to help it so that will be good to look back on.

Drew