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I went to pick up a friend at the airport the other day, and decided to take my 1992 GS out for a little fun. I drove up to the short term parking area, then realized I had forgotten my wallet -.- I backed up to the main road to turn around, then realized I couldn't take my car out of reverse. I had to drive 1/4 of a mile backwards to a place I could park safely... a passing car stopped and the driver and myself talked briefly, he suggested it was a linkage problem, and suggested that I try to "rock" the car forward and back to jar the linkages. After about 20 minutes of unsuccessful rocking, I gave up. I jacked the car up, used my spare tire(don't laugh I felt dumb enough doing it) as a jack stand, and checked the linkage underneath. One side moved freely, the other did not. I don't know much(if anything) about transmissions, so I don't know if this is normal or not. Eventually airport staff told me I had to either have my car towed home, or I could drive it backwards... whichever was my preference.

Anyways... I called several transmission shops around my city, and they named several things they thought might be the cause.

1)Linkage - Jammed or broken

2)Trans. Fluid - Low

3)Something about the shifter and forks being jammed, I didn't understand very well as the guy had a thick accent.

All I know is my car is currently a very expensive lawn decoration. I would like to be able to drive it again.

If you have any idea how to properly diagnose this problem without costing me a ridiculous amount of money, then please let me know.

Try the shifter linkage, one is not supposed to move, the other is supposed to move. Pull it with a screw driver or an L wrench.

I thiink your shifter may have gotten stuck, the car can be placed in neutral if you pull it.


Another thing you can do is, leave the clutch enganged.. ITS IMPORTANT NOT TO LET IT ENGAGE! you can put something where the slave goes to leave it dissenganged and have a buddy tow you.


The worst case scenario... your transmission died.

hgallegos915 wrote:Try the shifter linkage, one is not supposed to move, the other is supposed to move. Pull it with a screw driver or an L wrench.

I thiink your shifter may have gotten stuck, the car can be placed in neutral if you pull it.


Another thing you can do is, leave the clutch enganged.. ITS IMPORTANT NOT TO LET IT ENGAGE! you can put something where the slave goes to leave it dissenganged and have a buddy tow you.


The worst case scenario... your transmission died.

I think he's already got it home. Hence lawn ornament.

Not to sound like an idiot, but pull on which part of the linkage? :S

I have the car blocked up so I can slide under it at the moment, but I still don't understand how I can free the shifter.

I have done a little more research online, and have found other possible causes.

I've seen everything from the linkage jamming, to a fragment of a gear holding the shifter in place.

I have my own idea what it might be too, as I had problems getting it into reverse sometimes.

I think it could be the "lockout" from 5th to reverse... is there a way to test if it is locking me IN reverse, instead of out of it?

Thank you for your responses.

the linkage from the bottom of the actual shifter should move the other linkage does not move it connects the tranny to the frame that holds the shifter in.

I'm really not sure... never had that happen before...

Check this bolt:



when I assembled my tranny and forgot to pop that in, it would get stuck in reverse.
Photo is from a G series but the F and G are pretty much identical internally and
have the same external bolts just in slightly different spots.

How often would that bolt cause the problem? I haven't had good opportunity to crawl under the car this week as it has been exceedingly wet outside, and I do not have room in the shop for it yet I drove the car for 3,000 miles since I purchased it, and had no problem being stuck in gear until this. I will check for the bolt, thank you.

its at the bottom so it *could* take damage from a flying rock or come loose, but
that would be followed by all the fluid draining aswell. Jump under there and
take note of that and your shifter linkage - its most likely that and or the shift
bars sometimes make contact with the exhaust flanges.

If your not sure snap a few photos and post them here. Most of us can tell you
if its funky just by looking at it

I decided it's not worth wasting any more time, I need my car. I'm going to take it to a friend's shop and just pay out the a-- to get it fixed.

Make sure that your friend is affluent with these transmissions. Did it ever grind into gear while shifting? I put 40,000kms on my tranny since the swap driving hard and have never experienced this.

He's up to the job. He's actually a family friend, 30 something years of experience, mostly imports.

broken reverse gear or shift fork are my official guesses.