transmission problem

[oth47]

Wife's 2004 Mustang w/5 speed manual transmission won't shift into reverse.Forward gears are fine..any ideas?

[HermitJohn]

Too new for me to know positively for sure if this has hydraulic clutch linkage. But if it does, then suggest you check fluid level. My guess either the slave or the master is headed out. Reverse is usually first gear to be troublesome if clutch isnt fully disengaging.

First check fluid level, then pump cluch pedal and see if it will easily shift into reverse with engine running. If it does then its the linkage. The master shouldnt be bad to change, but for some time now sadistic car companies have been using internal slave cylinder. These require engine and transmission be separated in order to be replaced. And if you do have to do that, have whole clutch replaced at same time cause most of cost is in the labor. You dont want to pay to do this a second time in near future. Same if you have clutch replaced, you always want to make sure they replace the internal slave at same time.

If it were transmission itself, then usually a forward gear will go first. And thats usually cause either driver has been jamming the transmission into gear or the fluid level in the transmission is low cause nobody ever thinks to check fluid level in manual transmission.

[Darren]

We had a similar problem with a Ford truck. Turned out to be the clutch. You would think it was in reverse but it would grind.

[travis91]

common ford thing too.. while holding the gear shift towards reverse let the clutch out a lil.

[Beeman]

Possibly clutch adjustment, I think they still used a cable clutch mechanism on those, look in the owners manual and see what it says.

[Dieselrider]

Not a mechanic but, I had a Chevy pickup 5 speed that had a synchronizer go out and it would not go into reverse. All other gears were fine. I pulled into a parking spot and could not back out. had to get someone to come out and pull me backwards out of the spot to get it home. I do not know if that is your problem or not but, it wouldn't hurt to ask the garage. I never had a clutch give me a problem in just one gear. Not saying it couldn't happen but I never had that happen.