Hi all,

For some reason unknown to me, i'm trying to select reverse gear on the Fabia and I just can't seem to get it in anymore - keeps going to first???

Am I being a bit dim here?

Any suggestions would be appreciated...

If your lucky cables will need adjusting. If unlucky, selector cross pin has broken in the box.

I know it seams daft, but you are pushing the gear lever down when trying to select reverse.

I know it seams daft, but you are pushing the gear lever down when trying to select reverse.

Yup, definitely am...

What confuses me is that what I think is reverse (it goes into place whilst lever is depressed and then stays in place) seems to result in 1st gear when I let out the clutch to bite...

None of the other gears have selection issues, which is making me think there's a fault.

If your lucky cables will need adjusting. If unlucky, selector cross pin has broken in the box.

Are there any guides around for cable adjustment? Previous quick googling seems to indicate that they can't be adjusted?

If the selector cross pin has broken in the box, wouldn't that affect selecting other gears as well?

is it fair to asume that even though it goes in first that the reverse light comes on or doesent it at all?

Are there any guides around for cable adjustment? Previous quick googling seems to indicate that they can't be adjusted?

If the selector cross pin has broken in the box, wouldn't that affect selecting other gears as well?

Haynes manual has cable adjustment guide. As for the gearbox internals, there's a coupler gear that slides to engage reverse, all other gears are constant mesh. So it's possible for that part to fail, and the other gears remain operational.

Might be worth trying the following. Have someone watch the cables and selector cam on the gearbox while you engage first gear. Then repeat this engaging reverse. If the selector cam moves exactly the same way each time, it's a cable fault. If the cam moves differently between 1st and reverse it's the gearbox.

is it fair to asume that even though it goes in first that the reverse light comes on or doesent it at all?

No reverse light either.

Both me and a friend have both tried the box (so it's not just me) and both some to the same conclusion... We push the lever down, try select what we think is reverse which doesn't look from a stick point of view like it's anywhere near first, but first gear is the result...

A quick question:

Should it be possible to manually put the car into reverse gear by hand putting the selector pin into reverse?

Just wanting to work out whether it's a cable fault, a selector pin fault, or a problem with the gear itself...

Hi all, thought i'd post an update:

Picked myself up a Haynes manual, and as the clutch is hydraulic and so generally adjusts itself to the point where it needs replacing, I went through the guide for gear selector cable adjustment in section 7.

Was simply a case of sticking the car in neutral, undoing the selector cable locks, putting the selector into position, lifting the gaiter for the shift lever inside the car, dropping a pin to hold the lever in place, then undoing the locks so the springs re-adjust into place.

Completely worked a treat for me... Reverse gear now no issues

Good ol' Haynes manual just paid for itself!

Edited 15 February, 201016 yr by Chris Coates

Many thanks for the update and well done

Thanks Chris, Just had the same problem. Followed the Haynes manual, slightly hard to believe you're really doing anything significant but reverse is working again