Reverse gear of VAZ 2109 does not engage reasons

03/02/2022 7,510 Transmission

Author: Victor

The situation when reverse gear does not engage on a VAZ 2109 is one of the most common problems with this car model. In addition, the VAZ 2108/09/099 “Samara” and VAZ 2113/14/15 “Samara-2” cars were equipped with the same type of gearbox (gearbox), so this transmission malfunction is typical not only for “Nines”.

Often, an attempt to engage a gear is accompanied by a strong crunch of gears, and if the gear is able to be engaged, the gearbox makes noise when moving in reverse. Other owners are faced with a situation where the gear shift lever moves forward all the way, but reverse gear does not work. At the same time, there are no complaints about shifting forward gears.

[Hide]

Causes

What could be the reasons why the reverse gear in a VAZ car does not engage? In fact, there can be a lot of them, because the problem with switching gears, one way or another, lies in the transmission system and, in particular, in the gearbox itself.

Gear shift lever in a VAZ 2109 car

Incomplete release of the clutch. As a rule, if the clutch is not disengaged correctly, all speeds may not engage well, but sometimes this problem affects only the reverse gear.
The gearbox drive levers or rods are damaged. The fastening may also be loose. To eliminate such a malfunction, it is necessary to conduct a thorough inspection of the unit and transmission system. If necessary, it is recommended to replace all damaged system components.
The lubricant in the gearbox has run out. In this case, the problem with switching gears will affect all gears without exception. Therefore, the likelihood of such a problem, unless only reverse gear is engaged, is very small. As you understand, you should check the level of consumables in the system and, if necessary, add oil to the gearbox.
Bad gear oil. The transmission fluid has already lost its properties and cannot fully ensure lubrication of all gearbox components. In this case, the problem will also affect all gears without exception, although in practice there have been cases when problems occurred with engaging the reverse gear. In this case, an oil change will be required.
Poorly adjusted rocker: the gearbox rocker cardan needs to be adjusted. Due to poor adjustment of the rocker, the reverse gear sometimes not only does not engage, but also falls out. This problem is one of the most common among VAZ 2109 cars, so we will consider fixing it first.

How to change gearbox oil

If you need to change your oil, then first of all, buy it. A four-speed gearbox will require three liters of transmission fluid. You will need to pour 3.3 liters into a five-speed gearbox. If you are changing the oil for the first time, then buy 80W-85 class fluid. It is perfect for use in the VAZ-2109 gearbox. Car owners prefer to purchase Lukoil brand products.

The work of changing the oil in the box is carried out as follows:

Place the car on an overpass or over a pit, warm it up slightly so that the liquid is not viscous. Locate the oil drain plug on the bottom of the box.
The unit has a rubber cap that needs to be cleaned along with the breather. After cleaning these parts from dirt, return them to their place.
As soon as the preparatory work is completed, place the container, twist the plug with a wrench, and begin draining the transmission oil.
The waste liquid will drain completely within half an hour.
Screw on the plug, tighten it well, but do not strip the thread.
Under the hood, find the transmission dipstick and remove it. In place of the probe, stretch a hose, at the other end of which a regular watering can or funnel is installed. Pour transmission oil into the box through the hose. On older units, the fill plug is located next to the drain plug.

After the work is completed, check the lubricant level with a dipstick and take a control measurement after 2-3 days. If necessary, add oil; if it becomes critically low, inspect the box for leaks.

Fixing the problem

Let's look at several ways to help fix the problem with engaging reverse gear.

Backstage adjustment

Before you begin solving the problem, take with you everything you might need:

new gearbox driveshaft;
speed selector shaft oil seal;
two ring wrenches 13;
wrench 10;
hammer;
screwdriver.

To fully replace the cardan, you will need to drive into a pit or overpass. In addition, you will need an assistant who will shift the gearbox lever while you adjust it.

Let's start replacing the cardan and adjusting the rocker:

You need to crawl under the bottom of the 2109 and find your gearbox. Take two 13mm wrenches and loosen the clamp located on the transmission drive rod. After this, you can remove the drive from the gearbox mechanism rod.
Then take a screwdriver and, with a little force, pull the boot closer to the unit. If you accidentally damage the boot, you can simply dismantle it so that it does not bother you. Now take a 10mm wrench and unscrew the locking screw on the cardan.
Next, take a hammer and very carefully knock the gearbox driveshaft off the shaft. Do this carefully so as not to damage the shaft. Remove the cardan boot if you did not remove it initially. If necessary, replace the speed selector shaft oil seal.
At this point we can consider that half the work has already been done. Now you need to install the driveshaft of the box. We install the element in the reverse order. First, install the new boot in place, and then place the cardan on the shaft. Remember that the position of the retaining screw must coincide with the recess on the shaft.
When the universal joint is in place, tighten the fixing screw and install the boot on the universal joint. You also need to put the gear shift drive rod on the cardan rod, but there is no need to tighten the clamp.
Next, you will need the help of another person, since you need to adjust the gearshift lever. Ask your assistant to sit in the driver’s seat: he should set the gearshift lever to “neutral” and move it slightly to the right. In this position, an assistant should hold the lever while you tighten the cardan clamp.

When the cardan adjustment is completed, you need to check how the speeds on the lever are switched on. If the problem that caused the reverse gear to not engage in your VAZ 2109 was in the cardan, which is most likely, then after replacing the element the fault should disappear.

Changing gearbox oil

Also, one of the common reasons why reverse gear in a VAZ 2109 does not engage is poor gear oil. As stated above, the liquid has already lost its properties and its further use does not make sense. But how do you understand that the transmission fluid has already exhausted its service life? This issue should be taken seriously, because the fluid replacement procedure is not that cheap. Therefore, you need to know for sure that the gear oil has lost its properties.

Pull the dipstick out of the gearbox hole to measure the level and drop a drop of liquid onto a white cloth. If at least one of the following conditions occurs, change the oil immediately.
The lubricating fluid is discolored and may have a slightly black tint. Also, even in a small drop of oil you can see metal particles or other dust.
The transmission fluid is opaque and appears very viscous. If you try it by touch, the substance will stick to your hands. In addition, if you drop this oil onto a piece of cloth or napkin, it will be absorbed very slowly compared to new oil.
Very cloudy or foamy liquid. This may mean that transmission oil has entered the engine. If so, then the problem with engaging reverse gear is the first thing you will notice. If the car continues to operate on poor transmission fluid, then it may be necessary to completely repair the gearbox and the entire transmission system.

Worse option

There are times when reverse gear does not engage due to a problem with the solenoid in the locking mechanism. To resolve the problem, you must perform the following steps:

Check the fuse box and find it marked F21. If it is burnt out, then you just need to replace it with a new one;
Next, go to the gear shift knob and lift the cover a little. Under it you can find a special connector connected to the switch. This whole thing needs to be carefully turned off, observing safety precautions;
Next, close everything to the connector directly. If reverse gear appears, then you just need to change the switch. Otherwise, look further;
Remove the connector and measure the voltage. Its reading should be around 12 Volts.

If this is all right, then the problem is very serious. It is necessary to disassemble further and look for the cause of the malfunction.

Causes of gearbox failure

The complex mechanism constantly works under load and under extreme conditions. Constant vibration, rising temperatures, dust and dirt. If one or more speeds fail to turn on, you should check:

cable tension and integrity;
fastening the scenes;
wear on the clutch disc;
petals on a basket;
bearing integrity;
plug condition.

Clutch

When the clutch discs wear out, the pedal moves up and its position becomes higher than the others. In this case, when turned on, a crunching sound may be heard and the lever does not move, as if it is resting against an obstacle. You should not force the assembly, as this can lead to more serious damage - the gears will fly.

It is typical for such wear that the clutch pedal falls to the floor and you can hear from drivers that the VAZ 2109 does not engage the gears. Usually this applies to all gears, but only first and reverse can fail.

You can check by removing the rubber plug. The destroyed disc leaves fibers that look like tangled strands of hair. If such a phenomenon occurs, then a new clutch disc should be installed.

Due to constant loads, the cable stretches and must be periodically adjusted and tightened. In this case, the VAZ 21093 does not engage the first and second gears, and the rear may also fail. To fix the breakdown, you need to drive into the pit and tighten the cable. If it is worn out, replace it immediately. You can do this yourself.

A similar breakdown can also manifest itself in the failure of the gears to engage while the engine is running. Sliding along the splines is limited and fixation does not occur.

Basket

The reason for difficult shifting of individual gears, especially if there is a crackling sound that gradually fades while moving, may be the destruction of the spacer ring in the basket. Notice that there are drops of oil on the outside. Then remove the basket and check the O-ring and disc blades. Pay attention when purchasing new parts, because on some models the disk is missing and then you have to install pins and secure it yourself.

First speed is not fixed

When starting to move from a standstill at first speed, especially from difficult ground such as sand and snow, you have to hold the gear shift lever, since it does not hold on its own, the gear is switched to neutral. There can be three reasons for this failure:

The link is loose and does not fix the fork;
gear and coupling wear;
displacement of the engine on the mounts and knocking out the box.

The condition of the fasteners of all parts and assemblies should be completely checked. The gearbox is rigidly fixed to the engine. However, when the motor slides on cushions, the first speed may be knocked out. Tighten all bolts and check the rigidity of the mounting on the body. You can do this kind of work yourself.

Fasten the link more rigidly to the shift lever, select the backlash, because it is responsible for fixing the lever in the desired position. To do this, you need to put the car in a pit. Open the lid and check. Pay special attention to the condition of the gearing.

When worn, gears can slip and jump out without transmitting torque. When you press the lever with your hand, the clutch adheres forcefully and engagement occurs.

New box

There are problems when the car is picked up from a service station, but the gearbox of the VAZ 21093 does not engage the speed. At the same time, when the engine is not running, the shift lever moves smoothly, without a crack. As soon as you start the car, the gears stop shifting. First of all, check the movement of the gear and fork along the splines - along the axis of the shaft. Since you have opened the box, pay attention to the position of the driven disk, whether it is installed correctly.

If malfunctions are discovered shortly after servicing the car at a service center, you should not tinker with it yourself. Send your car back and let the locksmiths find and fix their problems themselves. Remember that you do not have to pay for reworking low-quality repairs.

VAZ 2109 does not engage reverse gear

Placing the rear speed in the extreme position most often leads to its refusal to engage. Since several models have exactly the same boxes, the VAZ 21093 does not engage reverse gear for the same reason. It may be a short lever and the rocker is not enough to reach the desired position.

Just look at the photo of the gearbox below to determine the cause. Repairs should be carried out in the pit, since everything will have to be done from below. You need to loosen the slide. Align the gears with the reverse gear and tighten the bolt. The lever should be in the reverse gear position.

Big trouble

Sometimes the reason for poor gear shifting lies in a more serious problem than described above. We are talking about damage to the spring, which is present in any box. A piece of the spring gets stuck in the groove and prevents the gear from changing normally. In some cases, reverse gear disappears completely, and sometimes works intermittently.

The problem is quite serious, because you will have to go deep into the unit, and not every car owner can do this. It is better to contact a car service if the reverse gear on the VAZ 21099 is difficult to engage. The technician will conduct an inspection and decide on further actions. You can replace the spring or install a new gear shift mechanism assembly. The second option is more preferable, since a separate spring may soon break again.

There are several reasons why the reverse gear on a VAZ 21099 does not engage. The breakdown must be identified and repaired in a timely manner in order to prevent serious consequences.