Difficulty shifting into reverse - manual transmission

[Ares]

The issue also happens to me.

I have solved this issue, partly, by putting the gear on R before starting the car.

This has worked for me as the only time I put the car on R is when I'm backing out of parking - either on my driveway or elsewhere.

Although, while typing this, I do back the car into parking spots a lot. I may have solved the problem by finding the 'best route' or 'best position' of the gear stick when going into R.

I will pay closer attention to how I do it and when it does grind.

[fifteenwindow]

According to Alpha_One:

It's typical for manual transmissions to have an unsynchronized reverse. Since the forward gears are synchronized, engaging a forward gear before sticking it into reverse synchronizes the input shaft with the car's speed (i.e. it stops the input shaft) and prevents the grinding noise. "Gently" easing it into reverse also gives the input shaft the opportunity to slow down a little before the transmission slips into reverse.

I had this issue too, from the first test drive. Shifting into first before reverse has eliminated the crunching noise on my car.

[Alpha_One]

Out of three manual-equipped cars that I regularly drive, two of them, including the Mirage, has an unsynchronized reverse. I stick the thing in third before engaging reverse to prevent the grinding noise. Any forward gear will work, as well was waiting about 5 seconds after disengaging the clutch, it's just that 3rd is most convenient for me.

[Mistah JT]

Mine grinds badly into reverse.
And it also has issues getting into second gear, I have two attempts to get into second.
Yet Mits say nothing is wrong??

[ahintofpepperjack]

Push the clutch in, and wait 3 or 4 seconds before you push the shifter into reverse. That will allow everything to stop spinning, and should make it easier to enter reverse.

[DirectNova]

The real way to put it in reverse is to put it into first gear at first, this is crucial on my 1992 Lancer evolution.

[Clessy]

Im at only roughly at 2500 miles. Rarely drive the mirage but even since day 1 reserve has been a pain. Its been like that for every single 5 speed Mitsubishi i've owned sans my Evo.

[MetroMPG]

Interesting. I had zero shifting-into-reverse problems with the manual Mirage I drove for 2 weeks.

But I always do: neutral, declutch, then shift to first before reverse. It's a habit I picked up years ago to avoid this type of problem. I don't even do it consciously any more.

[VespaGoGo]

Years ago in my VW beetles (original type1) I always found reverse to be smoother to shift into if I went into first before going to reverse. It became a habit. When I first drove the Mirage I compared it to my memories of driving my old '69 beetle. From these conversations it sounds like that may have been a very accurate comparison. Good thing too....hopefully the Mirage i'm going to buy will give me the years of joy the old beetles did.

note: I'll be getting a CVT version....i've grown lazy.

[MetroMPG]

Get the 5MT! Did you drive it? Lightest, easiest to use clutch ever. Makes my Metro/Firefly's clutch feel like a dump truck's by comparison.