Hello everyone, so I am a proud new owner of an 06 S2000 with 20k miles and absolutely love the car. The only problem I have found is that it has been incredibly difficult to engage reverse when first starting the car, even using both hands it wouldn't budge. I then discovered that it was ridiculously easier to engage reverse when the car was off and then turning the car on. Question is, is selecting the gear when the car is off bad for the car? Also, is there some reason that it is easier to engage when off then on? I found even putting the car into 1st 2nd or 3rd before putting it in reverse wouldn't even help.

 

When was the last time your transmission fluid was changed?

And no, selecting gears while the car is off isn't bad.

 

Are you pushing down on the shifter when selecting reverse?

It has a safety lock-out preventing you from shifting normaly into reverse, thus the need to push down on the shifter (which disengages the safety), then select reverse.

 

Not exactly sure when the trans fluid was last changed, just bought the car, but I'll do that ASAP. Will that make a big difference in engaging reverse?

And yes, I am pushing down on the lever, I can move it all the way to the right, it just gets really hard to pull it into the actual gear.

 

Perhaps the clutch is not fully disengaging

 

What does that mean? Getting into other gears isn't a problem, just reverse really. What can I do about it?

 

It wouldn't go into 1st, 2nd, 3rd, ect if there was a related problem.

I just think you're not doing it correctly.

Make sure you push down, push all the way right, and pull back.. mine is annoying sometimes, I put it in first, then push down and go into reverse.

 

Grease the shifter, use high temp urea grease from Honda.

 

in addition to changing your tranny fluid, try clearing the gear by selecting 1st gear first, then try shifting into reverse.

 

This is what I do if it's difficult to get into Reverse in the morning...