C6 Tech/Performance LS2, LS3, LS7, LS9 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Tech Topics, Basic Tech, Maintenance, How to Remove & Replace
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

HELP PLEASE. A6 stuck in reverse.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 31, 2015 | 11:31 PM
  #1  
Wildgoose's Avatar
Wildgoose
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: DFW TX
Default HELP PLEASE. A6 stuck in reverse.

Put the car in reverse, backed up. Put down in drive and the car stayed in reverse. Went back to park, reverse, drive. Still in reverse. Turned the car off. Would not start back up, obviously still in reverse. Had to leave it at work in the parking lot. The battery has been going dead lately so I'm thinking it might be the problem and not the shift linkage. I bought a battery to put on the car tomorrow but wondering if anyone has seen this before. Car only has 32k miles, 08 z51 A6. ???
Reply
Old Jan 31, 2015 | 11:40 PM
  #2  
4SUMERZ's Avatar
4SUMERZ
Race Director
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,351
Likes: 2,445
From: Eastern
Default

Originally Posted by Wildgoose
Put the car in reverse, backed up. Put down in drive and the car stayed in reverse. Went back to park, reverse, drive. Still in reverse. Turned the car off. Would not start back up, obviously still in reverse. Had to leave it at work in the parking lot. The battery has been going dead lately so I'm thinking it might be the problem and not the shift linkage. I bought a battery to put on the car tomorrow but wondering if anyone has seen this before. Car only has 32k miles, 08 z51 A6. ???
Change the battery to see if that is the problem. If it still does it, then I'm thinking it's the shifter cable end bushing that broke off.
Was the shifter hard or easy to shift back to Park? If it's real easy, then it's likely the cable.

Good Luck
Keep Us Posted.
Attached Images

Last edited by 4SUMERZ; Jan 31, 2015 at 11:42 PM.
Reply
Old Jan 31, 2015 | 11:47 PM
  #3  
Wildgoose's Avatar
Wildgoose
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: DFW TX
Default

Originally Posted by LV2TOUR
Change the battery to see if that is the problem. If it still does it, then I'm thinking it's the shifter cable end bushing that broke off.
Was the shifter hard or easy to shift back to Park? If it's real easy, then it's likely the cable.

Good Luck
Keep Us Posted.
It did seem kinda easy but it still feels like it's going to all gear positions, not just freely sliding. What do I need to do to get to the cable if the battery doesn't work?
Reply
Old Feb 1, 2015 | 12:07 AM
  #4  
4SUMERZ's Avatar
4SUMERZ
Race Director
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,351
Likes: 2,445
From: Eastern
Default

Originally Posted by Wildgoose
It did seem kinda easy but it still feels like it's going to all gear positions, not just freely sliding. What do I need to do to get to the cable if the battery doesn't work?
It's possible that the bushing is not completely broken off, but cracked, thus not actually moving the cable as it should.
If the battery does not fix the issue, then you will need to remove the radio surround console to get the top part of the shifter off so you can see the bushing/cable
I have the PDF's to do these things if you need them.
Just PM me to let me know you need them, leave your e-mail in the PM, and I'll send them to you ASAP.

Hope that the battery is the issue.
Reply
Old Feb 1, 2015 | 09:26 AM
  #5  
Wildgoose's Avatar
Wildgoose
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: DFW TX
Default

battery didn't help. I'm wondering if I should have done a hard reset when I had the battery off. Touching the positive and negative together for 10-15 seconds on the car.
Reply
Old Feb 1, 2015 | 10:25 AM
  #6  
4SUMERZ's Avatar
4SUMERZ
Race Director
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,351
Likes: 2,445
From: Eastern
Default

Originally Posted by Wildgoose
battery didn't help. I'm wondering if I should have done a hard reset when I had the battery off. Touching the positive and negative together for 10-15 seconds on the car.
No, I wouldn't do that. I sent you a PM
Reply
Old Feb 1, 2015 | 11:16 AM
  #7  
CI GS's Avatar
CI GS
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,376
Likes: 1,118
Default

Although probably not the culprit in your case, it also be the plastic clip on the transmission cable where it connects to the detent lever on the transmission under the car. It could either be broken or unlocked or disconnected somehow. That clip has a lock that is used to adjust the cable and when that lock is popped out, the cable can move quite a bit without moving the lever. If you look at the photo below, you can see the plastic end on the cable. In the middle of that white plastic piece, on the top, you can see the lock in its locked position. It pops out to adjust the cable end to make sure the shifter cable is adjusted to synchronize it properly with the detent lever?
The problem is that it is right above the tailpipe. Please note that I had the exhaust off my car when this photo was taken, so it may be difficult to see on your car. Obviously will need the car up on a lift or on stands high enough that you can slide under it to look up on the drivers side of the trans.
Hope you get it solved easily, whatever it is.
Attached Images  
Reply
Old Feb 1, 2015 | 11:44 AM
  #8  
4SUMERZ's Avatar
4SUMERZ
Race Director
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,351
Likes: 2,445
From: Eastern
Default

Hopefully, it's either that end, or better yet the other end just under the shifter, which can be accessed from the inside of the car.

The PDF that I included is for the shifter end bushing replacement.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Feb 1, 2015 | 12:55 PM
  #9  
4SUMERZ's Avatar
4SUMERZ
Race Director
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
 
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 11,351
Likes: 2,445
From: Eastern
Default

PDF's sent for console removal, and shifter removal.
Reply
Old Feb 1, 2015 | 04:13 PM
  #10  
Wildgoose's Avatar
Wildgoose
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: DFW TX
Default

Much appreciated sir. I'll take it apart when I get off work today and see if that's it.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To HELP PLEASE. A6 stuck in reverse.





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:51 AM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE