My 02 Elantra GT wont go into reverse
 

My car started off being difficult going into reverse; now the darn thing wont go at all. Ive been advised to try while the car is off (its a manual) and still wont do it. A mechanic i took it to said the synchronizing assembly needs to be replaced. I need advise before i go through with this expense; Its High!!!! so im just trying to get advise before i go get another estimate. Luckily my car still runs i just dont feel right riding it while its like this im worried driving will possibly make it worst. and the fact that i have to push my car while in neutral when i park somewhere and forget it doesnt go into reverse. Please help me!!!! im slightly too small to be pushing my car back on my own.

Sorry to hear about your problem. I have no experience on the fix, but I don't think driving around is going to hurt it anymore. It's already toast. Just always plan your parking, park facing uphill, etc. I had a minivan like that once, and I got very good at planning my parking, etc.

Consider a junk trans from a junkyard, or even a trans from eBay. They will ship right to your door, and a trans replacement shouldn't cost much more than $400. You should be able to get the whole job done for under $1000.

Take it to another machanic because reverse doesn't have a synchronizer.

Have you had a service before this happened because if someone removed the reverse idler bolt instead of the fill plug this can happen.

Thanks for the advise. Im not going to be able to drive the car because he said the seals are bad too causing oil to leak on the tranny. Im just going to someone else and get another diagnosis.

no i havent had to service for this before but i did recently had a new clutch put in. The crazy thing is that my reverse worked before and all of a sudden it didnt.

Ah Haaa!

Did your reverse work after the clutch was put in? Hytech is right, if the mechanic pulled out the reverse idler bolt (which is easily confused with the trans fluid filler hole bolt) then that's why it doesn't work. You have to drop the trans again and open up the case, but it's a reasonably easy fix.

Also, if the seals are messed up and leaking, it's also probably the fault of the mechanic who did the clutch.

Who put in that clutch? Someone who was supposed to know what they are doing?

Yeah it worked after the clutch was put in. It started to be difficult afterwards and then stopped completely. When the clutch was put in he didnt do it right and had to be redone by another person.

I'm willing to bet they fusterclucked it, but it's almost impossible to prove.

You could get lucky, and the reverse idler bolt is simply loose, and not completely undone. I can't find a suitable graphic to show you which bolt it is. Do you know anyone with some mechanical skills? It's going to be a good size bolt (probably a 17mm socket) in front of the trans on the driver's side. It's going to be clearly loose. There should be a fill plug nearby. The drainplug is further to the rear near the axles (which you say are leaking). If you can turn the bolt and it won't tighten up, you know your screwed, and the trans has to come down, the case broken open, and the bolt reattached.

The axle seals are where the axles go into the transmission, and that's where it's leaking.

haahaa fusterclucked it?!! thats one ive never heared!

Wow you are so helpful!!!! If you could get the graphics that would be even sweeter of you. cuz i can get someone that knows enough. I would so prefer to just hopefully have to do that bolt and get the seals done rather than do all that work; times are tight.

I can't find a graphic, but on page 6-10 of you owner's manual, it shows where the fill and drain plug is on your transmission. The clutch idler bolt is a little smaller, and just below the fill plug. If you don't have an owner's manual, send me a private message and I can email a copy to you.