2018 defender hd10 not going into reverse

[Caseba]

Bought this defender new in August 2018. Last winter while plowing my driveway out it would intermittently not engage into reverse. Sometimes by revving the motor up it would grind then pop into reverse gear, other times I would turn off the machine then start again and it would work. Seems like it's getting worse this year. Took it into the dealer but they could never get it to do it for them. 

Any ideas?

Edited December 4, 2019 by Caseba

[Andystoy19]

The cable shifter may need to be adjusted slightly so that the shifter on the transmission is at the right place when your dashboard shifter is in R detente. If this happens again hold the shifter away from the detente and move it back and forth to see where it actually engages reverse. The procedure for shifter cable adjustment is to center the shifter arm in N in the detente by loosening and  adjusting the adjustment nuts at the engine end of the cable until the shifter centers correctly. After that move the shifter to R and H and back to N to see if the adjustment is correct. Check all positions including P to see if they work as indicated. Don't forget to lock the cable nuts to prevent movement when finished. 

If this is too complicated have the dealer do it, this is what he should of checked instead of trying to replicate the problem. Fyi. 🤔

[Caseba]

53 minutes ago, Andystoy19 said:

The cable shifter may need to be adjusted slightly so that the shifter on the transmission is at the right place when your dashboard shifter is in R detente. If this happens again hold the shifter away from the detente and move it back and forth to see where it actually engages reverse. The procedure for shifter cable adjustment is to center the shifter arm in N in the detente by loosening and  adjusting the adjustment nuts at the engine end of the cable until the shifter centers correctly. After that move the shifter to R and H and back to N to see if the adjustment is correct. Check all positions including P to see if they work as indicated. Don't forget to lock the cable nuts to prevent movement when finished. 

If this is too complicated have the dealer do it, this is what he should of checked instead of trying to replicate the problem. Fyi. 🤔

Thanks! I will try that out. I've never had good luck with any of the local dealers around here. They just want the machine out the door...