Ever since I bought my car back in March 2000, I have had problems reversing up hill. If I do a hill start backwards (to reverse into a space for example) I have huge clutch slippage and it smells really bad!

The clutch never bites and the engine bogs down or revs like crazy depending on the amount of throttle used.

I have never experienced this with any other vehicle!

Any comments, questions or advice is appreciated.

 

I just did this today and had no problems -- how much of an incline are we talking about here?

 

When I reverse into my in-law's house, the incline is around 40 degrees, you have to keep the revs up and let the clutch slip. I hate that smell! My clutch does grab though even if I'm slipping it.

 

you need to work on practicing with the e-brake.

depress clutch with left foot, brake with right foot, put in reverse, pull up e-brake, move right foot to gas, give it some gas, start pulling out clutch and you'll feel it grip and ease off the e-brake. takes some practice, but that's the best method in 1st or reverse.

 

Haven't had any problems with clutch slippage in reverse, but I have noticed that when I put the clutch in after reversing, the revs dip to almost a stall. Anyone have this problem?

 

G-d that's like THE worst smell EVER!!!
smells like someone set a plastic 2 litre coke bottle on fire and hid it under your hood...
YUCK

 

I back up my street into my driveway from time to time. It's a fairly good incline. I've never had any problems. No clutch smell, no rpm irregularities, no stalling and no need to rev the crap out of it either. But it is a delicate balance between clutch, throttle and brake.

 

I have no problems with hill starts and using the hand-brake, either in 1st or reverse on any incline, but a steep incline in reverse is different.

I have used other vehicles on some of the same inclines without any problems. Yesterday we visited friends who have a good 40+ degree incline on their driveway and I had difficulties for a while.

Guess more practice is needed.