OT - Honda Foreman won't go in neutral

Jen's Ford Jubilee · Aug 16, 2008

I have a 1996 Honda Foreman 400 4x4. It had been working fine but when we shut it off in gear and turned it back on I can't get it back into neutral to start it. I've rocked it back and forth a couple times previous and it used to work but now it doesn't. It feels like I can shift up to 5th gear and down to 1st again but not into neutral and start. I don't have a service manual and I've misplaced my owner's manual. Does anyone have any suggestions?

TimPa · Aug 17, 2008

make sure the shifter is tight to the shaft, and not binding or hitting anything through it's travel. otherwise, short of trying a fresh oil change, you may have to open her up.

kyplowboy · Aug 17, 2008

I have an 04 foreman and have never had this happen. It did happen on a 94 Yamerjamer Timberwolf I had one time. I took the wire going to the Transmission off, so it thought it was in neutral. Started it in gear and drove it around for a while. What ever was bound up came loose and it went in to N fine. Put the wire back on and never had the problem again, had it for a year or two after that.

Just an idea. Good luck.

Dave

carpetbeggar · Oct 3, 2008

Does anyone know where to find a wiring diagram online as I'm not sure which wire to unhook from the trans. to try and get it to start. I don't have any manuals for my foreman and I can't get it out of fifth gear.
It was in fourth when it happened the screen just had a horizontal line where the gear number usually is and after I rocked it for a bit the gear number came back and I tried to down gear to no avail but when I tried to gear up it worked and now it's stuck in fifth. I tried rocking it and it will not work. You can hear it make the connecting in the transmission when I try to down gear but it just won't go.
As I said I'm not sure which wire to unhook from the transmission to make it think it's in neutral though. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

*edit*sorry, I have a 2001 foreman 400.

400fwACDA · Dec 4, 2008

I am having the same problem on a 1997 Foreman 4000fw. Did you ever find any answer?
I went as far as replacing the neutral/Rev change switch but it still has the same problems.
It will die in gear and won't let me go to neutral, at least it won't let the system know it is in neutral and light the neutral light.
If I by-pass the Neutral/Rev switch I can run it all day. But I need a real and safe answer because I am not the only one use this Foreman.

(quoted from post at 07:13:17 08/16/08) I have a 1996 Honda Foreman 400 4x4. It had been working fine but when we shut it off in gear and turned it back on I can't get it back into neutral to start it. I've rocked it back and forth a couple times previous and it used to work but now it doesn't. It feels like I can shift up to 5th gear and down to 1st again but not into neutral and start. I don't have a service manual and I've misplaced my owner's manual. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Steve (BC) · Dec 4, 2008

Does your Honda Foreman have electronic shift? The samething happened to me on my work Honda Foreman. The battery was too low to enable the electronic shifter into neutral therefore I could not start the ATV. This was a big pain because I was a couple hours from the main road. What I figured out was that Honda has a tool in the toolbox that is designed to mechanically shift the ATV into neutral, then the machine can be started with either the battery or pull cord. From that point on I always shift the ATV into neutral then shut the ATV off with the kill switch & brake applied. Hope this helps,

Steve

brarharjap · Oct 26, 2014

STEVE!!! Help me out please SIR!!
I have a Honda Fourtrax ATV and its stuck in 3rd gear!!! i usually start it in neutral but now its stuck in 3rd and won't return to neutral, thus not starting!! HOW do i make it return to neutral??!?! PLEASE SOMEONE reply asap!!!! I also tried rocking it back and fourth but no luck

pjksr1955 · Jan 13, 2019

How did you fix this problem. I have a 1996 honda foreman with the same problem..thank you

(quoted from post at 14:15:32 10/26/14)
STEVE!!! Help me out please SIR!!
I have a Honda Fourtrax ATV and its stuck in 3rd gear!!! i usually start it in neutral but now its stuck in 3rd and won't return to neutral, thus not starting!! HOW do i make it return to neutral??!?! PLEASE SOMEONE reply asap!!!! I also tried rocking it back and fourth but no luck

OT - Honda Foreman won't go in neutral

Jen's Ford Jubilee

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TimPa

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kyplowboy

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carpetbeggar

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400fwACDA

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Steve (BC)

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brarharjap

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pjksr1955

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