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Just disconnect the cable underneath the hood. See what happens. What have you got to lose. That's a lot easier than crawling around underneath the car.
I will do this. Do I tie it with a zip tie to something nearby? (Assuming I leave it disconnected)
Since you had your shifter apart, take off the ball and see if the spring is on the top. If you put the spring in first it falls to the bottom and then you cannot get into reverse. Getting it out is a lot of fun. A long spring hook will usually work.
The picture is how it should be.
Since you had your shifter apart, take off the ball and see if the spring is on the top. If you put the spring in first it falls to the bottom and then you cannot get into reverse. Getting it out is a lot of fun. A long spring hook will usually work.
The picture is how it should be.
The issue can only be in a few areas... from furthest away.1. Reverse cable at steering column, if disconnecting it didnt fix the problem thats not it. 2. The reverse cable at the reverse shifter lever end... either stuck in casing or kinked. 3. Linkage... if you can take a box end 9/16" wrench and shift the levers into gears and neautral than its not linkage, cable or transmission which will leave 4... the shifter assembly. If under the car checking for lever and linkage movement leave the forward gear levers straight up and down and reverse lever all the way forward so you know your in neautral and then check shifter assembly...
be sure shifter is in neautral in the car
The issue can only be in a few areas... from furthest away.1. Reverse cable at steering column, if disconnecting it didnt fix the problem thats not it. 2. The reverse cable at the reverse shifter lever end... either stuck in casing or kinked. 3. Linkage... if you can take a box end 9/16" wrench and shift the levers into gears and neautral than its not linkage, cable or transmission which will leave 4... the shifter assembly. If under the car checking for lever and linkage movement leave the forward gear levers straight up and down and reverse lever all the way forward so you know your in neautral.and then check shifter assembly...
be sure shifter is in neautral in the car
you will need to get the car up on jack stands... from the underside you can put a 9/16 wrench on each transmission shift lever and move the levers, if they all move freeley than your issue is likely in your shifter, with the inside of the car shifter in neautral leave the forward gear levers straight up and down and the reverse lever all the way forward on the transmission... this is neautral in the transmission, if your just stuck in multiple gears this should fix the problem otherwise its likely in the shifter assembly and your not getting into the reverse gate.
I would first make sure I didnt drop something from the top side into the shifter levers preventing the shifter from moving into reverse.
As you get under the car you will see if your in multiple gears just by looking at the levers
you will need to get the car up on jack stands... from the underside you can put a 9/16 wrench on each transmission shift lever and move the levers, if they all move freeley than your issue is likely in your shifter, with the inside of the car shifter in neautral leave the forward gear levers straight up and down and the reverse lever all the way forward on the transmission... this is neautral in the transmission, if your just stuck in multiple gears this should fix the problem otherwise its likely in the shifter assembly and your not getting into the reverse gate.
I would first make sure I didnt drop something from the top side into the shifter levers preventing the shifter from moving into reverse.
As you get under the car you will see if your in multiple gears just by looking at the levers
Before getting under the car, would it help if I remove the lower shifter boot (see photo)? Would I be able to do some troubleshooting from there?
If you dont see an obvious obstruction from the top side and do need to get under the car... if the reverse lever won't move after setting the forward gear levers in neautral try disconnecting the linkage rod from the reverse lever and see if it moves after that.
I had indeed disconnected the reverse lock cable (red circle below), but I had not raised the metal lever (blue circle below). I just assumed that only disconnecting the reverse lock cable would have done the trick. I had to manually pull the metal level (blue circle) up with my fingers. Then I heard a click of sorts. Turned on the engine. Put it in first gear, then in reverse, and the reverse got engaged normally.
What can I say guys?? Thank you very very much !!! If @sunflower 1972 and/or @Golfobsessed are ever in Brussels, drinks are on me
Thanks again!
Last edited by chrisdotmt; Apr 5, 2026 at 04:19 PM.
I would like to keep the car as stock as possible, so in an ideal world, I reconnect the reverse lock cable. Any suggestions how to prevent it from happening again in the future? Change the reverse lock cable? Lubricate the existing one?
