Reverse gear instead of first!

[bilun777]

Just a caution to any one, (like me) , who's using VAG's 6 speed gearbox ,with1'st gear next to reverse, for the first time .I managed to engage reverse instead of first whilst going up the ramps in a multi-storey car park. Fortunately no one was behind!.....(or is it just me......)

Edited 29 November, 2010 by bilun777

[bandrew465]

I feel your pain, used to vauxhalls which you have to pull up!

Andy

[lok]

Practice make perfect

[ap0gee1978]

Bent the front of my old Renault, making the exact opposite mistake. It had a collar you had to pull up, but of course that only stops you selecting reverse when you want first and not vice versa...

[lee67]

after 5000 miles in mine i did the self same thing tother day :no: ..

[Terfyn]

The trick is not to rest your hand on top of the gear knob but to press on the side when engaging first. The "indent" spring is a weak and feeble effort that does not resist a heavy hand.

I knew I had messed up when I heard the reversing sensor bleep.

[jeep]

Yep I agree, mine needs very little pressure to engage reverse, I seem to remember the five speed version I test drove needed more deliberate downward force to engage than my six speed box seems to need. The other thing I have to watch now when borrowing the wifes 5 speed car is not trying to pull back from 5th to engage an imaginary 6th and finding reverse instead, could be very nasty :(

Edited 30 November, 2010 by jeep

[900000]

I have an N between my Reverse and first... So I can't replicate this problem!

[chriskelland]

Been there a couple of times myself.

Funnily enough the 6 speed box on my previous Octy 140 4X4 Estate was a beaut. No problems with the reverse detent, though the gate was a bit narrow.

With Yeti, the whole box seems very easy and light, the gate seems a bit wider but the reverse detent spring is too light I have got into reverse on a couple of occasions.

Saved by the beeper!

While we are talking gearboxes, has anyone found the gearing a bit high on the 170 Elegance 4X4 6 speed ? To me it feels as if it has very long legs. Perhaps it's to go with the beautiful body?

[rockhopper]

While we are talking gearboxes, has anyone found the gearing a bit high on the 170 Elegance 4X4 6 speed ? To me it feels as if it has very long legs. Perhaps it's to go with the beautiful body?

Seeing a the 140 uses the same gearbox I understand, then the 140 must struggle to accelerate in 6th.

I feel a remap coming on. OK I was going down that route anyway....

Mike

[chriskelland]

Normal driving in town, 30 mph. just manage in 4 th, very low revs. In 3 rd much better, much more tractable.

40 mph good in 4 th. Once in a 50 limit 5 th is good but 6 th always seems like an overdrive, not a lot of use until on a motorway.

Is there a thread on general drivability I can move this too? (Not wanting to hijack the thread)

[Agerbundsen]

istaking reverse in place of 1st and difficulties reåporte on finding 2nd is probably related to the RH driove versions, where the low gears and reverse are furthest away from the driver.

In my LH drive, the low gears feel quite natural and easy to use with just a little sideways pressure on the lever. I do occasionally pick the wrong gear from stationary, but no problem - you find out quickly. Never use 1st once on the move, so never get the opportunity to even get close to reverse while moving.

6th is OK for gentle acceleration above 80 km/hr (50 mph), but really natural over 95 km/hr all the way up to 200, it just never seems to want to stop going.

[bilun777]

I think you're right Agerbundsen. In a RHD car you're pushing across and down to get first or second gear,and the pathetically weak reverse detent spring doesn't help. I listen for the Beep from the reverse parking sensors now ( only done it 3 times since.).....

[chriskelland]

Had not thought about the LHD RHD issue, makes perfect sense.

My co-pilot says I need to concentrate more, she may be right!

[PeteVRS]

I did that no end of times when I first got my Fabia 6 speed. Also when jumping into the other half's 5 speed, putting in into reverse at 60mph thinking I was changing from 5th to 6th in the Fabia.

[bandrew465]

Funny thing is, when I posted about this in the Octavia II forum I was told no one else had done it, and I was been heavy handed :-)

Thanks for making me feel normal again Yeti owners....

Andy

[jan25]

Yep - I've slipped it into reverse by mistake a couple of times. I bet it frightens the hell out of whoever's behind you! Like other posters here, the bleep saves you!

Regarding the "long" gearing, I agree to an extent. The CR engine doesn't really get going until until you hit about 2500 rpm. I loved the PD engine in my last Octy - it kicked off with gusto at 1750 rpm - a "drivers" engine! The CR seems much tamer. It pulls nicely but doesn't seem to have the punch.

And, the MFD keeps telling me to change up to 6th at 1400 rpm in 5th! Who programmed that?

[dstev2000]

If it makes you all feel any better, I've done it a few times in my Superb. It never, EVER happened in my Octavia over 144,000 miles :no:

1400rpm in 6th is perfectly acceptable, if the engine labours the MFD will prompt a shift down. It's all been calculated around fuel efficiency.

The gearing is slightly longer on my CR than it was on my PD and the older unit felt much more punchy too.