Reverse slips into 1st?!?

[KSE93]

So I just had to replace my driver's side CV axle and now my stick naturally sits off to the right, and when I put it in reverse it pops up and is in 1st? Did my transmission shift? How do I fix this!!!!

[KSE93]

Btw, It's a 1991 Jetta GLI (16V 5-speed)

[jettaracer1989]

Sounds like you either need to re align the shifter, or the little plastic reverse lockout plate broke which is quite possible pull the shift boot off and take a look

[mkast]

and now my stick naturally sits off to the right

I question what procedure you used to replace the axle.

[jkautz48]

My guess is the lockout plate broke. When I bought my car, the lockout plate was mashed and I had the same problem.

[88Jetta350]

If it's the reverse lockout, it's an easy fix....even easier than aligning your shifter.

*Remove shifter boot
*Break off what's left of old lockout plastic
*Use a hacksaw to cut the heads off the rivets
*Punch old rivets out
*Rivet new lockout in place (make sure you use a rivet that JUST fits into the holes in the shifter box, or else it will not be tight enough to hold it in place.)

Piece of cake.

[jkautz48]

If it's the reverse lockout, it's an easy fix....even easier than aligning your shifter.

*Remove shifter boot
*Break off what's left of old lockout plastic
*Use a hacksaw to cut the heads off the rivets
*Punch old rivets out
*Rivet new lockout in place (make sure you use a rivet that JUST fits into the holes in the shifter box, or else it will not be tight enough to hold it in place.)

Piece of cake.

[KSE93]

Ok, the R lockout plastic's kinda messed up, but it never even hit Reverse? I push the shifter all the way over until the metal hits the plastic of the lockout and then up and it's first How do I re-align the shifter? New to all this so thanks for your patience, Reverse was working before

[R-Dubya]

You either need to re-align your shifter, or something is messed up in your linkage.

[jettaracer1989]

Yeah my car is doing the same thing, gotta really mess with it to get it to go into reverse.. The screw for adjusting mine was loose so I think it has something to do with that and it just needs to be aligned

[Tripicana]

Are you pressing down on the shifter to get into reverse? The whole shifter needs to be pressed down, like a button, for it to go past the reverse lockout.

[R-Dubya]

Are you pressing down on the shifter to get into reverse? The whole shifter needs to be pressed down, like a button, for it to go past the reverse lockout.

I don't see why so many people are getting confused trying to identify the problem he's having. He clearly states twice that he is putting the car into reverse as he did before, pushing down on the shifter to clear the reverse lockout plate. It's his car, I'm sure he knows how to put the thing in reverse.

The problem he's having is that he puts the car into reverse, and instead of engaging reverse the trans is in first, and the shifter pops back up as if he put it into first as well.

[CahoonTiffa]

Sounds like you either need to re align the shifter
[img]http://www.*************/6d.jpg[/img]

[Hombre3000]

The shift rod clamp is what you need to adjust (if you only have to align your linkage):



No matter what, it's time you got under the car and read some stuff (Bentley, or this, for example).

[KSE93]

Thanks guys, i'm reading that link now, but now I can't get my car into 5th either, guess I can't complain too much, read a $400 car :p