It is never pleasant to experience a sound on your vehicle that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be wanting to know what to do when you identify a reversing gear noise that lasts on your Citroen C4 Cactus? Any gearbox problem can be serious, but before making sure, it is better to do a few checks. Our team has written this document to support you eliminate it. First, we will see what the sources and the different gearbox noises can be on Citroen C4 Cactus, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse Citroen C4 Cactus noises and some tips to preserve your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my Citroen C4 Cactus make a different noise from my other speeds?
De facto, integrating all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult exercise. The noise generated by the reversing of your Citroen C4 Cactus 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 less important than with spur gears implemented for the reverse gear.
Tips to limit wear on your clutch and gearbox
- Don’t give a big boost:
Certainly, 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 choice. Indeed, the pressure you will exert on the gears will be significant and you will develop 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 usual if you listen to a reverse noise on your Citroen C4 Cactus if you shift gear under these conditions.
Several Citroen C4 Cactus reversing noises and their causes
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most excited about in this document, to find out about the source of reversing noise on Citroen C4 Cactus. Here are the 3 typical noises you may be victim of.
I notice a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you experience a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your Citroen C4 Cactus, it may be the engine mounts that are tired. In fact, when the engine is in reverse gear, due to the pinions we saw above the vibrations produced by the gearbox are higher and it is therefore conceivable that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this situation, do not hesitate to check out this paper for more info about strut mount noises on Citroen C4 Cactus.
An increased reverse knocking noise on Citroen C4 CactusX
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your Citroen C4 Cactus and this noise tends to build up as you gain speed. It is conceivable that you are going through a serious problem that needs to be fixed very fast before ruining your entire gearbox. Indeed, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will propagate to the rest of the box and damage other gears in short order. Take your vehicle to your repair shop quickly or browse this article about gearbox noise on Citroen C4 Cactus for more details.
I find out a noise when I go in reverse
Listening a noise when you shift into reverse is normal and linked to the gears and sprockets used in the gearbox. If, on the other hand, you have the feeling that your Citroen C4 Cactus reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is conceivable that filings have been produced and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
