It is never pleasing to listen to a sound on your vehicle that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be thinking what to do when you find a reversing gear noise that remains on your Fiat 500? Any gearbox trouble can be serious, but before making sure, it is better to do a few checks. Our team has written this article to help you solve it. First, we will see what the sources and the different gearbox noises can be on Fiat 500, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse Fiat 500 noises and some tips to look after your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my Fiat 500 make a different noise from my other speeds?
De facto, integrating all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult process. The noise induced by the reversing of your Fiat 500 is logical. It can be explained in a fairly simple way. Indeed, the gears used for conventional speeds (1st to 5th or 6th) are so-called “helical” gears (oblique gears) . The use of such a pinion makes the noise caused by the gears more quiet than with spur gears used for the reverse gear.
Tips to reduce wear on your clutch and gearbox
- Don’t give a big boost:
Indeed, if you kick the throttle hard when you are in reverse or when you put the vehicle in the revs, you risk to burn your clutch or gnawing at the gearbox pinions. - Never reverse while the vehicle is in motion or vice versa:
Reversing the direction of operation of the gearbox during operation is a very bad practice. Indeed, the pressure you will put in on the gears will be significant and you will create a premature wear and tear of the gears. You can even break the gears of your gearbox at speed by doing so. It will therefore be completely typical if you perceive a reverse noise on your Fiat 500 if you shift gear under these conditions.
Different Fiat 500 reversing noises and their causes
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most interested in this document, to find out about the cause of reversing noise on Fiat 500. Here are the 3 typical sounds you may be victim of.
I acknowledge a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you listen to a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your Fiat 500, it may be the engine mounts that are tired. Indeed, when the engine is in reverse gear, due to the pinions we saw above the vibrations made by the gearbox are higher and it is therefore possible that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this case, do not hesitate to consult this document for more details about strut mount noises on Fiat 500.
An increased reverse knocking noise on Fiat 500X
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your Fiat 500 and this noise tends to increase as you gain speed. It is possible that you are confronting a serious trouble that needs to be fixed fairly quickly before destroying your entire gearbox. Indeed, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will disperse to the rest of the box and damage other gears in short order. Take your vehicle to your auto mechanic quickly or read this content page about gearbox noise on Fiat 500 for more details.
I perceive a noise when I go in reverse
Experiencing a noise when you shift into reverse is normal and connected to the gears and sprockets used in the gearbox. If, on the other hand, you have the feeling that your Fiat 500 reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is possible that filings have been made and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
