Q: I put accidentally in reverse gear while driving foward

asked by on September 21, 2016

I moved my shifting gear into reverse while I was driving about 40 mph. It was about 60 seconds an the engine began a crackling sound. I corrected the shiftin stick and continued driving. When I stopped I had a hard time moving the shaft from drive to park an vice verse. I have continued driving an now it does not seem to have problem shifting, only I have to press harder my brake pedal. Did. I ruined anything thks

My car has 145000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Car is hard to shift Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

Hello. I think you should be okay to drive for now. You may have not initially caused any damage, however, I would recommend keeping an eye on things and paying special attention to the way it drives and to any Check Engine Lights that may come on. If you notice any worse driving symptoms from the car or any warning lights coming on, I would suggest having a local expert diagnose the transmission to make sure that this situation is treated correctly.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

High frequency vibration from engine
I have never heard of a person loosing the feeling in their hands from the steering vibrations. If it is that bad, then have the tires rotated and balanced to see if the problem goes away. You should not use...
Recommendation on oil changing intervals
No, you sill have to change it once a year. That's the problem with the engine oil. If you don't use it much, then water builds up in it since, as you burn gasoline (which is nothing but hydrogen and...
lost control of one wheel. on the left. seems broken
It sounds like you had a tie rod ball joint break or another ball joint break (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/ball-joint-front-replacement). You will have to have the vehicle towed to a shop for inspection, or to a safe area where a mobile mechanic can...
Car stops slower & brake pedal goes to floor
Sounds like you may have some internal leakage in the brake master cylinder. The brake master cylinder, if it is leaking internally, will maintain fluid level and allow the pedal to drop. It is possible that the leak is small...
Went with bigger tires & installed a high flow filter/muffler
Anytime you make changes to the tire's overall diameter, multiple components are going to be thrown out of calibration including, ABS, speedometer and traction control. There was a time when a professional mechanic could reset ECU's, but recent changes in...
Heard a loud bang when I turned on my car yesterday. 2007 Volvo XC90
Hi there - this is highly unusual behavior, and should be checked out immediately. Check for problem codes, even if the Check Engine light is not yet on. This is a misfire condition due to an over-rich condition (https://www.yourmechanic.com/question/car-backfires), possibly...
My gas mileage dropped after an oil change.
If you were using one type of oil and then replaced with a different oil that does not meed specifications of the motor by being too thick then it would affect fuel mileage by maybe 1 mpg. If you are...
Battery saver mode came on again?
Hi there. Check the battery cables (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/service-battery-cables) and make sure that they are tight and clean. Check the wires on the alternator and make sure that they are clean and tight. Check the ground circuit on the fuse box and...
08 BMW 328i. DSC Malfunction,Brake lights , Car is shaky,airing notice coming from engine, can't go over 45mpb..any idea?
This is typically related to a speed sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/speed-sensor-replacement) problem. The reduced speed is due to the engine control module putting the car into reduced power mode as a result of the intermittent signal from the speed sensor. The check...

Related articles

How Long Does a Kickdown Cable Last?
In In order for a car to run smoothly, the engine and the transmission will have to work together. With all of the different components in the engine and transmission of a car, keeping up with them all can be...
How to Know When Your Transmission Is Not Working
Most vehicles use some sort of transmission to transfer the power generated from the engine, into usable power that can turn the wheels....
How to Modify the Alpine Navigation in an Acura or Honda
Modifying Modifying the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) navigation system of your Acura or Honda vehicle with aftermarket software is an easy way to add additional customization features to the already-installed system. Using a simple third-party computer program and a DVD-ROM...