Hi Scotty! 2006 Toyota Matrix, standard, 200k kms (124k mi)
When starting up cold it doesn't like to go into reverse, it takes a couple tries and it usually clunks when it does. A friend told me to shift into 3rd before reverse and it works , it goes into reverse every time with no clunk. Checked the shift linkages and everything seems tight and proper. Started making 3rd before reverse a habit.
Is everything fine?? I started backing into parking spots since the issue only happens when the car is cold. Worried one day reverse will be gone altogether and I'll be stuck head-first in the parking spot.
Why your transmission is just worn internally when you do that it actually helps prime the oil pump inside the transmission so it builds up pressure and then it goes into reverse. You could try removing one quart of fluid and putting one quart of Lucas transmission slip stop and that might help
Beauty! I'll try that!
I assumed the synchro for the reverse went bad and going into 3rd set the RPM correctly haha
Your reverse synchro is probably going bad. One of my cars is an old pre-GM Saab 900 with manual transmission and those never had a synchro on reverse gear, so putting the trans into a forward gear first is standard operating procedure on those.
