For anyone with the 5-speed, what's the trick to shift into reverse? Other manuals you slide over all the way to the right, and back toward the rear of the car. It doesn't want to drop in for me. I noticed on the shifter there is a broken line to reverse - all of the other gears show a connecting line. Is there some trick with this?

I think you have to pull the the piece under the shift knob up, to unlock the reverse gate.

Thanks very much. This isn't in the instruction manual. Seems like it should be.

How do you get to the piece under the shift knob? Does the knob open?

just curious...is the car stuck in the garage? no offense but thats slightly amusing

What he meant is if there is a plastic collar just below the knob and above the boot you have to pull that up. I didn't think I saw that in the pictures though....

Otherwise, with the car running, if it won't go into reverse, put it in neutral, let the clutch out, then push the clutch back in and try reverse again. Reverse usually doesn't have a syncro so you have to do this sometimes.

Some cars you have to either push or pull the shifer to shift in reverse. Its just a safety thing so you dont shift into reverse on the road.

I didn't see that annoying pull-up ring in the Pursuit I test drove but it was in the Ion RL. From the pics I've seen of the SS/SC, it looks like that'll have the pull-up ring too.

They should have done it right in the first place and not assume the driver is an idiot. I've tried to move my shifter to the right of the 5th and 6th gear when moving at over XX mph but it doesn't even let me unless I slow down enough.

My question is, can the ring/shift knob combo be replaced with an aftermarket one and still allow for shifting into reverse?

What he meant is if there is a plastic collar just below the knob and above the boot you have to pull that up. I didn't think I saw that in the pictures though....

Otherwise, with the car running, if it won't go into reverse, put it in neutral, let the clutch out, then push the clutch back in and try reverse again. Reverse usually doesn't have a syncro so you have to do this sometimes.

I have to do this with my clutch.. "" Double Pump It"" or stick in 4rth then into reverse...

And now with my syncros going... it's a pain getting it into 1st.

But..... when I am driving.... 1gr. and revers are locked down.... I can slip it into 1st from 2nd when I am doing like 5mph or/and the Rpms are low!

What model do you have? My base cobalt doesn't have anything you have to do to put it in reverse.... :confused:

I have an 88 Beretta right now.....

Try slapping the shifter all the way to the right and down if that doesn't work, then try up..

If not that, then push the WHOLE shifter down and to the side.... and if not that.... Try what everyone else on here has said so far....

AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK.. THEN YOU ARE shit out of luck .. call your dealer right away... and GUYS AND GIRLS we are buying a car that does not go into reverese.. GM forgot about that... lololololollolol :nuts:

I didn't see that annoying pull-up ring in the Pursuit I test drove but it was in the Ion RL. From the pics I've seen of the SS/SC, it looks like that'll have the pull-up ring too.

They should have done it right in the first place and not assume the driver is an idiot. I've tried to move my shifter to the right of the 5th and 6th gear when moving at over XX mph but it doesn't even let me unless I slow down enough.

My question is, can the ring/shift knob combo be replaced with an aftermarket one and still allow for shifting into reverse?
If its there, its an easy thing to get rid of ;)

I'll post a how too with pics if this is the case.

The RX8s requires you to push the shifter down..meaning vertically towards the ground to get it into reverse.

Haha funny story I had no idea about those knobs u pull up on the shifter to release it, so when I was parking the Redline I test drove..I had no earthly idea how until the dealer told me there was a knob i needed to pull..i felt so dumb :lol:

Wow sounds like a pain in the ass. Glad mine doesn't have that.

At least that's what my buddies dad calls em. The only cars I've seen them in is chrystlers and the whole shifter verticle motion on volkswagons. Like a sleeve the goes on the outside of the shifter shaft itself, you pull up with your fingers and your palm on the ball. I thought this was only on cable linkage transmissions.

All I know is that its a pain in the arse for shifter knobs and going back into reverse on an incline.

Wow sounds like a pain in the ass. Glad mine doesn't have that.

It really isn't. I had this feature on my Jetta a year or so ago and it's kind of a nice feature and wasn't difficult at all. Just push down and move over.

-Will
2005 Cobalt SS/SC (On the way)

i drove a cobalt, and it didnt have a special knob or anything to go into reverse

the SS has a cable that is connected to the slide UP ring for reverse, pull up on the ring w/your finger tips and then just slide it in R

you guys must all drive automatics or push your car out of its parking spot(dont laugh had no reverse in my ford for like 6 months) :cssNET:

theres a plastic collar under the knob? I just thought the reverse was a little hard to get to. I dont remember any collar.

OMG lol...i test drove a black SS with G85 SOO nice the other day..i beat the crap out of it, and i was going to back it into the parking spot, but it wouldnt go in reverse LOL. i thought that i beat it up so bad that the car was messed up. damn im dumb.
i test drove a base coupe and you dont have to do that when putting it in reverse

Reverse gear in both the Sabb F35 and Getrag F23 5 spd manuals are synchronised....the SS/sc trans(Saab F35) has a lockout ring...pull up on ring to shift into reverse.

lol the salesperson want to back the cobalt ss to park by where i am and one he turn it on and he was just standing here reving too much and i was like wtf.... and i was like what the hell ur going foward so slow for? and he was like I CANT SHIFT REVERSE!!! and i just cracked up soo hard and i was like "do u suppose to push it down or pull the rings o to unlock the reverse?" and he pull the ring and he felt so dumb :lol: all the salesperson were laughed soo hard so did i and my g/f. it was funny! -kyle-

You should of told him to knock a couple more thousand off because the transmission is broke. Missed an opportunity... :nuts: