It is never enjoyable to acknowledge a sound on your vehicle that you don’t know where it comes from. You may be wondering what to do when you find a reversing gear noise that remains on your Mini Countryman? Any gearbox issue can be severe, but before making sure, it is better to do a few investigations. Our team has created this paper to support you eliminate it. First, we will see what the origins and the different gearbox noises can be on Mini Countryman, and second, what are the solutions available to you.reverse-gear-noise-mini-countryman

Classical reverse Mini Countryman noises and some tips to protect your gearbox

Why does the reversing of my Mini Countryman make a different noise from my other speeds?

De facto, adding all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult process. The sound generated by the reversing of your Mini Countryman 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 much less important 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 idea. Indeed, the pressure you will put in 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 typical if you perceive a reverse noise on your Mini Countryman if you shift gear under these conditions.

Diverse Mini Countryman reversing noises and their origins

Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most excited about in this document, to learn about the cause of reversing noise on Mini Countryman. Here are the 3 typical noises you may be victim of.

I notice a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear

If you acknowledge a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your Mini Countryman, 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 conceivable that due to their wear the silentblocks no longer absorb the engine vibrations well. In this circumstance, do not hesitate to browse this document for more info about strut mount noises on Mini Countryman.

An increased reverse knocking noise on Mini CountrymanX

If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your Mini Countryman and this noise tends to amplify as you gain speed. It is conceivable that you are going through a serious issue that needs to be solved 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 before long. Take your vehicle to your auto technician quickly or check out this content page about gearbox noise on Mini Countryman 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 Mini Countryman reverse gear makes more noise than before, it is conceivable that filings have been made and are moving around in it. It is therefore time to empty the box.