From drive to reverse

[Nick E 43]

So, straight from a long, tiring day at work and still smarting from an argument with my father, I left a petrol station with freezing cold hands, and how I did it I don't know, but I put the auto into reverse at around 30mph.

 

No clunk or stall, or judder, but just an over rev for about a second as I realised what I did, then straight back into drive.

 

No issues from the gearbox since then. Goes up and down smoothly, and into reverse no issues.

 

I've never done this with any other auto I've owned before. I think I thought I was in sport mode, which I use all the time now, but I think I must have been in drive.

 

Anything to concern myself with here, or just forget about it?

Edited December 2, 2020 by Nick E

[Carlton 64]

If it's okay now it's probably fine. Are you sure you went all the way to reverse? If the knob on the shift lever is not pressed, it will not go past neutral when the lever is pushed forwards.

 

[Nick E 43]

I think I may still have had the button pushed in on the stick as it got put into reverse. It was the over revving that made me check and pop it back into drive. 

 

 

[Huff 50]

Don't worry - the engine revs flared becasue the gearbox ECM gave you a neutral instead, deliberately.

 

The ZF gearboxes electronically protect themselves in such cases - while you've moved the lever, the ECM won't engage the solenoids to enact the command in quite a wide variety of cases, three examples:

• risk of engine over-speed (e.g inappropriate lower gear selection on manual shifts )
• forward to reverse (or the opposite) over 3mph: the engine revved because it gave you a neutral instead.
• in manual mode, trying to pull away in 3th or 5th becasue you've forgotten to change down (it'll auto change to 3rd but remain 'manual' otherwise)

 - things like that. I've more details in a ZF document I found..will post below if I can find it.

Edited December 3, 2020 by Huff
typos

[Clavurion 746]

http://www.e38.org/electran1.pdf

 

[The Spooner 95]

Will it let you slam it into park? 

[Clavurion 746]

18 minutes ago, The Spooner said:

Will it let you slam it into park? 

 

You can try and then educate us.  Park is the same as Neutral + parking lock.  On these older boxes the park lock actuation is mechanical so the the claw would be toast.

[The Spooner 95]

1 hour ago, Clavurion said:

 

You can try and then educate us.  Park is the same as Neutral + parking lock.  On these older boxes the park lock actuation is mechanical so the the claw would be toast.

 

 unfortunately I cannot as I have to change gears myself, like a peasant! In my ignorance I did wonder if the gearbox ECU would prevent a shift to park (although I know the pawl is mechanical, I wondered if it had an electrical connection to it from the gearlever).

[Nick E 43]

Thanks everyone.. if only the untraceable stinky oil leak was as easily sorted!

[mike77 236]

9 minutes ago, Nick E said:

Thanks everyone.. if only the untraceable stinky oil leak was as easily sorted!

Probably rocker cover gasket or cracked rocker cover  itself dripping oil on to exhaust assuming it's a burny oil smell.

[Nick E 43]

Yeah, I've been over this adnauseum. I've had the gasket replaced and everywhere else has been checked. It's possibly the cover, although the garage never red flagged it, but it'll have to wait to the new year now.

 

I'm not massively worried. It just honks from time to time.

 

My brother mentioned he had the same on his late 90's Audi 80. That stank for 8 years!

[Huff 50]

Wait till the car is cool, look over the exhaust side first with a bright torch for oily-damp spots - prob easier after dark , TBH