The other day I was warming up my Z when I was about to leave I put the car in reverse and after I got it in gear I realize that I didn't push down the shifter so I don't get it my reverse lockout broke? What happen? I don't want to accidentally hit reverse instead of 6th gear. Any advice?

 

Pull off everything to get look at the base of the shifter. The metal plate with 3 bolts may have shifted out of place.

 

For anyone reading this thread that hasn't had a reason to check how the reverse lockout works, it's worth a brief explanation. On the right side of the shifter (under the shift boot and rubber seal) there is a small metal tab. When shifting to 5th and 6th, this tab hits the edge of a metal plate located around the shifter's normal travel area. When shifting to reverse, you're pushing down against a spring underneath the shifter assembly and allowing that metal tab to tuck under the metal plate. The plate is held in position by three bolts, and can be adjusted. My first guess would be like Harman said, the bolts may have come loose over time and now the plate is moving back and forth. A quick search will get you instructions on how to adjust it properly (it's easy). My second guess would be a broken spring under the shifter, so there isn't enough (or any) tension keeping the shifter up where the plate does it's job. The good news for anyone having problems like this is the parts involved are simple, not expensive, and easy to get to (read: cheap fix).

 

My dad drove my car and forgot to push down when shifting into reverse, the car went into reverse like normal, however today I tried to get it into reverse and was locked out. I read the thread, pulled the pieces off and came to find that the shift lockout tab that sticks out was on the left side and not the right, I tried twisting it and there's no movement. Do I need to loosen the 3 bolts that hold the triangular plate down? in order to flip it around. Any help would be much appreciated. I'd be lying if I said I knew what I was doing lol.

Tab is on the left