It is never pleasing to discover 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 detect a reversing gear noise that lasts on your Nissan Altima? Any gearbox issue can be critical, but before making sure, it is better to do a few checks. Our team has created this content page to support you solve it. First, we will see what the sources and the different gearbox noises can be on Nissan Altima, and second, what are the solutions available to you.reverse-gear-noise-nissan-altima

Classical reverse Nissan Altima noises and some tips to look after your gearbox

Why does the reversing of my Nissan Altima make a different noise from my other speeds?

De facto, adding all gears, bearings and pinions into a gearbox is a difficult process. The noise generated by the reversing of your Nissan Altima 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 much less important than with spur gears employed for the reverse gear.

Tips to limit 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 choice. In fact, the pressure you will exert on the gears will be monumental and you will develop a premature wear and tear of the gears. You can even destroy the gears of your gearbox at speed by doing so. It will therefore be completely typical if you listen to a reverse noise on your Nissan Altima if you shift gear under these conditions.

Several Nissan Altima reversing noises and their triggers

Finally in this section, we will move on to what you are probably most enthusiastic about in this article, to find out about the source of reversing noise on Nissan Altima. Here are the 3 typical noises you may be victim of.

I acknowledge a grinding noise when starting in reverse gear

If you discover a grinding noise when you start in reverse with your Nissan Altima, 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 generated 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 this content page for more information about strut mount noises on Nissan Altima.

An increased reverse knocking noise on Nissan AltimaX

If you are subject to a knocking noise when you are in reverse with your Nissan Altima and this noise tends to build up as you gain speed. It is plausible that you are experiencing a serious issue that needs to be solved fairly quickly before destroying your entire gearbox. In fact, 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 very fast. Take your vehicle to your auto mechanic quickly or read this article about gearbox noise on Nissan Altima for more details.

I find out a noise when I go in reverse

Hearing a noise when you shift into reverse is normal and related to the gears and sprockets used in the gearbox. If, on the other hand, you have the feeling that your Nissan Altima 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.