accidentally reversed gear on the road

Drive a 99 camry LE. I sometimes shift to neutral on down incline to
save gas and then switch back to Drive after the road levels off. But
today I accidentally switched into reverse from newutral - there was a
thump and the engine light (and other lights) came on and the car
stalled. Realizing what I had done I iommediately switched to D but the
car still stalled. Hence I brought it complete stop, switched off the
engine by side of road and waited for a couple of minutes. Then I
started the car and drove home, everyhthing was fine - no warning
lights. Did I damage the transmission in any way?

"sid" <sridhara@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1166576782.991509.315450@73g2000cwn.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Drive a 99 camry LE. I sometimes shift to neutral on down incline to
> save gas and then switch back to Drive after the road levels off. But
> today I accidentally switched into reverse from newutral - there was a
> thump and the engine light (and other lights) came on and the car
> stalled. Realizing what I had done I iommediately switched to D but the
> car still stalled. Hence I brought it complete stop, switched off the
> engine by side of road and waited for a couple of minutes. Then I
> started the car and drove home, everyhthing was fine - no warning
> lights. Did I damage the transmission in any way?
>[/color]

First of all, if you are going to do that, keep your hand off the selector
button. there is supposed to be a gate to stop you doing that. if you had
wasn't on the button, you need to get it looked at because if you can gone
into park the motor and transmission would have jumped out of the bonnet at
you in tiny peaces. Normally at least one part of the drivetrain usually
ends up on the road if you shift into reverse while going foward. If the car
drove home you might be ok, but what you did put a lot of stress on the
drivetrain, you would have worn the engine bearing a bit more than normal
too. I would get someone you trust to look it over, you may have damaged
something like an engine mount. If you take it to someone dodgy they will
tell you just about everything needs replacing.

Why would you shift out of drive anyway? It doesn't save fuel as the engine
as an overrun setting which cuts the fuel to the motor, in fact it uses
more. you lose some control over the vehicle as you no longer the ability to
use the engine to brake or to shift to power if needed. you use your brakes
more which means they will not last as long. and if it still has any factory
warranty left and Toyota find out it is not worth the paper it is written on
because of drivetrain abuse.

"Nicholas Bourne" <nbourne@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:45889c81$1@dnews.tpgi.com.au...[color=blue]
>
> "sid" <sridhara@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1166576782.991509.315450@73g2000cwn.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
>> Drive a 99 camry LE. I sometimes shift to neutral on down incline to
>> save gas and then switch back to Drive after the road levels off. But
>> today I accidentally switched into reverse from newutral - there was a
>> thump and the engine light (and other lights) came on and the car
>> stalled. Realizing what I had done I iommediately switched to D but the
>> car still stalled. Hence I brought it complete stop, switched off the
>> engine by side of road and waited for a couple of minutes. Then I
>> started the car and drove home, everyhthing was fine - no warning
>> lights. Did I damage the transmission in any way?
>>[/color]
>
> First of all, if you are going to do that, keep your hand off the selector
> button. there is supposed to be a gate to stop you doing that. if you had
> wasn't on the button, you need to get it looked at because if you can gone
> into park the motor and transmission would have jumped out of the bonnet
> at you in tiny peaces. Normally at least one part of the drivetrain
> usually ends up on the road if you shift into reverse while going foward.
> If the car drove home you might be ok, but what you did put a lot of
> stress on the drivetrain, you would have worn the engine bearing a bit
> more than normal too. I would get someone you trust to look it over, you
> may have damaged something like an engine mount. If you take it to someone
> dodgy they will tell you just about everything needs replacing.[/color]

Shihfting the transmission into reverse while going forward will not wear
the engine bearing more than normal.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"sid" <sridhara@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1166576782.991509.315450@73g2000cwn.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Drive a 99 camry LE. I sometimes shift to neutral on down incline to
> save gas and then switch back to Drive after the road levels off. But
> today I accidentally switched into reverse from newutral - there was a
> thump and the engine light (and other lights) came on and the car
> stalled. Realizing what I had done I iommediately switched to D but the
> car still stalled. Hence I brought it complete stop, switched off the
> engine by side of road and waited for a couple of minutes. Then I
> started the car and drove home, everyhthing was fine - no warning
> lights. Did I damage the transmission in any way?
>[/color]

Shifting the transmission to neutral on inclines is not a good idea and it
will not save fuel. If you want to save fuel, press the OD off button on
long downhills and let engine braking control your speed and let the EFI
fuel cut circuit save fuel.

Shifting into reverse while going forward and vice versa puts a lot of wear
on the friction surfaces, even when going slowly, like backing out of a
parking spot. Bringing the vehicle to a complete stop before changing
direction will save a lot of wear and tear on your transmission. Your
incident probably did not do any harm to the transmission, other than put
the equivalent of thousands of miles of wear on it. The torque converter
probably acted as a cushion to prevent catastrophic damage.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

In article <d573a$4588ac4d$47c2b532$8202@msgid.meganewsservers.com>
rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom "Ray O" writes:
[color=blue]
> [...] Bringing the vehicle to a complete stop before changing
> direction will save a lot of wear and tear on your
> transmission. [...][/color]

According to the Prius' manual -- trust me, I haven't tested this
one myself -- the D/N/R mechanism will not allow a dangerous swap
of direction to happen, even if you ask for it. One side-benefit
of electronics and cyber-stuff: safeties can easily be thorough.
--
Andrew Stephenson

"Andrew Stephenson" <ames@deltrak.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1166622102snz@deltrak.demon.co.uk...[color=blue]
> In article <d573a$4588ac4d$47c2b532$8202@msgid.meganewsservers.com>
> rokigawaATtristarassociatesDOTcom "Ray O" writes:
>[color=green]
>> [...] Bringing the vehicle to a complete stop before changing
>> direction will save a lot of wear and tear on your
>> transmission. [...][/color]
>
> According to the Prius' manual -- trust me, I haven't tested this
> one myself -- the D/N/R mechanism will not allow a dangerous swap
> of direction to happen, even if you ask for it. One side-benefit
> of electronics and cyber-stuff: safeties can easily be thorough.
> --
> Andrew Stephenson
>[/color]

Sounds like a great idea!
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

"sid" <sridhara@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1166576782.991509.315450@73g2000cwn.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Drive a 99 camry LE. I sometimes shift to neutral on down incline to
> save gas and then switch back to Drive after the road levels off.[/color]


It is ILLEGAL in most states in the USA to do that, and it is dangerous in
all states. There is no benefit in terms of mileage that justify doing
something so blatantly dangerous.

I suspect you did nothing to the transmission, but only time will tell. If
you want to improve your mileage decending a hill, simply lift your foot off
the gas pedal. You will get as good fuel mileage as is possible, and the
small amount of back pressure on the drive train will help maintain full
control. It will aslo avoid shifting into R while doing 45+ mph.






But[color=blue]
> today I accidentally switched into reverse from newutral - there was a
> thump and the engine light (and other lights) came on and the car
> stalled. Realizing what I had done I iommediately switched to D but the
> car still stalled. Hence I brought it complete stop, switched off the
> engine by side of road and waited for a couple of minutes. Then I
> started the car and drove home, everyhthing was fine - no warning
> lights. Did I damage the transmission in any way?
>[/color]