It is never enjoyable to hear a sound on your vehicle that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be wondering what to do when you notice a reversing gear noise that lasts on your GMC Sierra? Any gearbox problem can be serious, but before making sure, it is better to do a few checks. Our team has made this article to help you fix it. First, we will see what the origins and the different gearbox noises can be on GMC Sierra, and second, what are the solutions available to you.reverse-gear-noise-gmc-sierra

Classical reverse GMC Sierra noises and some tips to preserve your gearbox

Why does the reversing of my GMC Sierra make a different noise from my other speeds?

De facto, adding all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult task. The noise induced by the reversing of your GMC Sierra 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 less strong than with spur gears implemented for the reverse gear.

Tips to limit wear on your clutch and gearbox

  • Don’t give a big boost:
    In fact, 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. In fact, the pressure you will exert 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 usual if you find out a reverse noise on your GMC Sierra if you shift gear under these conditions.

Diverse GMC Sierra reversing noises and their causes

Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most enthusiastic about in this document, to learn about the origin of reversing noise on GMC Sierra. Here are the 3 typical noises you may be victim of.

I notice a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear

If you hear a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your GMC Sierra, 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 plausible that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this circumstance, do not hesitate to check out this content page for more info about strut mount noises on GMC Sierra.

An increased reverse knocking noise on GMC SierraX

If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your GMC Sierra and this noise tends to increase as you gain speed. It is plausible that you are dealing with a serious problem that needs to be solved right away before wrecking your entire gearbox. In fact, an intensifying rattling noise means that the gears are damaged. If they are, debris will spread to the rest of the box and damage other gears in short order. Take your vehicle to your repair shop quickly or check out this content about gearbox noise on GMC Sierra for more details.

I listen to a noise when I go in reverse

Finding out 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 GMC Sierra reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is plausible that filings have been created and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.