Gear change thud - park to reverse

[Arma 134]

So occasionally i hear a large thud when changing from park to reverse gear. Anyone know what that might be or is that just normal? It's quite loud. The lever requires slightly more force to get to reverse as well (not much but definitely a bit more than whev it doesn't make a thud sound)

[rowans17 19]

So occasionally i hear a large thud when changing from park to reverse gear. Anyone know what that might be or is that just normal? It's quite loud. The lever requires slightly more force to get to reverse as well (not much but definitely a bit more than whev it doesn't make a thud sound)

If it helps, my e46 328 does this too and i commented on it to a friend who has an e46 330i and his does sometimes too. All these cars and yours come from around the same era and have similar gearboxs so it seems to be a normal thing.

I seem to notice this more when i park on hills. What i tend to do to avoid this is when stopping on a hill put the car in neutral and apply handbrake. Then release foot brake so the car is being held on handbrake. Then put into P.

[Federation12 12]

If it helps, my e46 328 does this too and i commented on it to a friend who has an e46 330i and his does sometimes too. All these cars and yours come from around the same era and have similar gearboxs so it seems to be a normal thing.

I seem to notice this more when i park on hills. What i tend to do to avoid this is when stopping on a hill put the car in neutral and apply handbrake. Then release foot brake so the car is being held on handbrake. Then put into P.

Just chiming in to report my E46 does the same thing on hills too! From park to reverse, I rarely get a slight drop in revs/shudder when I put it into reverse, does anyone else experience that?

[elmarco 56]

It will be the diff mount not the gearbox.

[bmw335i 16]

It will be the diff mount not the gearbox.

what he said. my e46 wagon does it too, need to sort it soon.

[my_e36 43]

When park on hills, do this sequence... (as SN1TZR mentioned above)

Stop, move to NEUTRAL, Hand brake on, foot off brake (& make sure car doesn't roll), foot on brake, move into PARK, DONE.

Thud probably from the extra force needed to disengage that gearbox locking thing inside (whatever it is to stop the car rolling in PARK vs just NEUTRAL).

Edited September 21, 2013 by SpikeyLemon

[Arma 134]

If it helps, my e46 328 does this too and i commented on it to a friend who has an e46 330i and his does sometimes too. All these cars and yours come from around the same era and have similar gearboxs so it seems to be a normal thing.

I seem to notice this more when i park on hills. What i tend to do to avoid this is when stopping on a hill put the car in neutral and apply handbrake. Then release foot brake so the car is being held on handbrake. Then put into P.

When park on hills, do this sequence... (as SN1TZR mentioned above)

Stop, move to NEUTRAL, Hand brake on, foot off brake (& make sure car doesn't roll), foot on brake, move into PARK, DONE.

Thud probably from the extra force needed to disengage that gearbox locking thing inside (whatever it is to stop the car rolling in PARK vs just NEUTRAL).

Thanks guys. Yeah your solutions/methods seems to do the trick for now. Haven't gotten a single thud/vibration since I've put car on park in that sequence.

[yng_750 247]

extra pressure to pull it out of park, often shown by the very poor handbarke in e39s.

mine couldnt hold it on a slight hill, they need adjustment every couple of years but very rarely get it.

get them adjusted, or do it yourself and should help stop it slowly creeping lots of pressure on the box.

[my_e36 43]

The owner manual suggests to put the hand-brake on as you comes to a stop (but still moving) once in a while to remove the rust layer on the handbrake. This may help the holding ability of the handbrake.

[gmccormack 0]

Is the thud there when you go from reverse to drive and/or back again, or just from park in to reverse? Could just be all the play in the drive train being taken up by the trans. Worn CVs, broken mounts etc make it worse.