Not a good day today. Was driving about 50 MPH when I almost slipped the car into reverse. Well I heard the nastiest sound (like breaking or grinding glass) and immediately engaged the clutch and popped it back out ... Think I put it in reverse (thought that the tranny prevented this at any forward speed).

Anyway, the rest of the drive home was fine and all gears seem ok. Did I do any damage to my tranny because of this incident?

We all miss a gear now and then. Hopefully this transmission is designed to tolerate a miss without failing.

If you don't have any continuing problems over the next few days, you're probably ok.

It isn't likely to survive a tranny damage if you managed to put the car in reverse gear when traveling forward since the gear type is completely different.

I've done it once or twice. No biggie. I doubt you'd actually be able to get it into reverse like that without some serious tugging on the shifter.

I'm more interested in if there were any people behind you. Seeing the car in front of you suddenly have it's reverse light go on at 50MPH is probably a bit worrying.

I've done it once or twice. No biggie. I doubt you'd actually be able to get it into reverse like that without some serious tugging on the shifter.

I'm more interested in if there were any people behind you. Seeing the car in front of you suddenly have it's reverse light go on at 50MPH is probably a bit worrying.


It was more like 70 on an Interstate and yes I got some real weird looks from people who past after the incident.

Never did actually put it in reverse, just started to and heard the breaking glass and grinding sound.

Funny, since then the tranny actually feels a bit better... It could also be just the new tires I got too though (Avons All Season from www.tirerack.com)

Practically speaking, you won't be able to put it in reverse while traveling forward at a high rate of speed (theoretically maybe, but not in reality). If you were to, you would do serious harm to the transmission and drive line as soon as you let out the clutch. The grinding you heard was the reverse idler gear gnashing against the two drive gears - which were still spinning forward. You can get away with this once, twice, three times; but doing it frequently will eventually destroy one or all three gears.

I got an old Dodge Colt that was on it's last leg for $10 (no it's not missing a 0). I had it upto about 20mph and managed to pop it into reverse. WOW it was awsome creeking, a terrible whine and shuttering comming from the entire car then it started backing up, it was freaking awsome.

But besides the point, if a 15-20 yr old car with no belts or a water pump can live through it I'm sure your 8 escaped just fine.

It took my friend slamming 2nd gear from 65mph and holding it till it went in to break a fork. The trannys on these cars are really strong. I'm just trying to get mine all fix through the dealer. One little pop into the wrong gear wont hurt it as long as you didnt force it in.

wow your friend sucks, is he ever going to drive your car again, what was he doing tring to show you his mad driving skills or something

He was just trying to race it hard and didn't push the clutch in far enough or just straight up missed the gear. I doubt he'll ever want to drive it again after the crap I gave him and how stupid he looked when he pulled back to the pits.