It is never pleasurable to notice a sound on your automobile that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be wondering what to do when you detect a reversing gear noise that remains on your Citroen Xsara? Any gearbox issue can be serious, but before making sure, it is better to do a few checks. Our team has made this paper to help you eliminate it. First, we will see what the origins and the different gearbox noises can be on Citroen Xsara, and second, what are the solutions available to you.
Classical reverse Citroen Xsara noises and some tips to look after your gearbox
Why does the reversing of my Citroen Xsara 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 induced by the reversing of your Citroen Xsara is logical. It can be explained in a fairly simple way. In fact, 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 chosen 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 automobile in the revs, you risk to burn your clutch or gnawing at the gearbox pinions. - Never reverse while the automobile is in motion or vice versa:
Reversing the direction of operation of the gearbox during operation is a very bad choice. In fact, the pressure you will put in on the gears will be enormous and you will produce 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 normal if you notice a reverse noise on your Citroen Xsara if you shift gear under these conditions.
Different Citroen Xsara reversing noises and their triggers
Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most interested in this content, to find out about the origin of reversing noise on Citroen Xsara. Here are the 3 typical sounds you may be victim of.
I perceive a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear
If you notice a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your Citroen Xsara, it may be the engine mounts that are tired. Certainly, 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 plausible that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this situation, do not hesitate to check this paper for more details about strut mount noises on Citroen Xsara.
An increased reverse knocking noise on Citroen XsaraX
If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your Citroen Xsara and this noise tends to increase as you gain speed. It is plausible that you are dealing with a serious issue that needs to be solved as soon as possible before wrecking your entire gearbox. In fact, 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 very fast. Take your automobile to your mechanic quickly or check out this article about gearbox noise on Citroen Xsara for more details.
I find out a noise when I go in reverse
Hearing 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 Xsara reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is plausible that filings have been produced and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.
