While trying to back out of your driveway, you may have found that your car is having difficulty going into reverse. Either it takes a few shift changes for the gears to engage or it no longer backs up at all.

When your car refuses to go into reverse, there is a serious issue with the transmission that will need to be resolved by a professional. While the gears within the transmission itself may be worn down, there are a couple of other possible explanations for why your car will either hesitate to go into reverse or refuse to back up at all.

1. Transmission Fluid Is Either Contaminated or the Level Is Low

One possible reason that your car is unable to go into reverse easily or at all is an issue with the transmission fluid. The fluid's level may be low, or it could be contaminated by being burnt by stripped gears or metal shavings.

Even if your transmission is not a closed system and you can add fluid yourself, you want to have it checked out by a professional. The problem with the car's inability to go into reverse could be a combination of the low level and contaminated fluid.

If burnt, the system will need to be flushed. If contaminated by metal shavings, further inspection will be needed to see where they originated.

2. Position Sensor in the Engine Control Unit (ECU) Is Malfunctioning

Another possible reason your car cannot back up is that the position sensor in the ECU has started to go bad. This sensor tells the transmission that it needs to shift gears into the reverse position.

If this sensor malfunctions, it will be unable to send your request to the transmission to back the car up. Eventually, the sensor will affect all gear change requests, so you need to have a transmission technician check the sensor to see if it needs to be replaced.

When your car refuses to go into reverse, there could be an issue with the transmission fluid or the ECU's position sensor could be going bad. With either of these issues, the problem will eventually spread to the other gears, making it impossible for your car to change gears in either direction. As soon as possible, take your car to an auto shop that offers transmission services to have them perform an inspection so that they can find a solution to whatever problem they find. 

Reach out to a service like Denville Transmission to learn more.