Author Topic: Gear shift indicator faulty? (Read 3016 times)

guest3128 · « **on:** March 04, 2012, 12:23:51 AM »

Just bought an used Honda Jazz 1.2 i-VTEC SE [VSA] (a little over 2 years old with a 59 number plate) from a main Honda dealer. Notice that the gear shift indicator prompts me to shift up the gear from 4th to 5th even when the speed is only doing 35 miles/hour. Is this normal?
I have never driven a car with a gear shift indicator before. I would expect the gear to stay at 4th when the speed is between 30--40 miles/hour and usually only change from 4th to 5th after the speed reaches 40+miles/hour. Is this expected on this model or is the indicator faulty?
Your advice will be greatly appreciated.

Ian

chrisc · « **Reply #1 on:** March 04, 2012, 06:46:41 AM »

This is one of those items not covered in the owner's manual. Next time you visit a service centre that had an OBD unit, ask to look at the mapping for the indicator. This will tell you what the default value is and possibly allow for it to be altered.

On the other hand you could ignore it, but it may as well be correct, or is a waste of time

guest1521 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 04, 2012, 09:09:33 AM »

Mine is same model and year. Mine does about the same as yours... albeit on level ground with steady throttle. On reflection - without driving and checking - my car indicates 'change up' even earlier than yours.

In my opinion it is probably exactly as Honda have specified as I have always found that my engine copes amazingly well in low rev 5th gear situations. As long as the road is level and I am treading on the accelerator as if it is an eggshell. This v-tec engine operates as an 8-valve unit at low revs so as to maximise torque/pulling power and fuel economy and opens the additional 8 valves around 3200 rpm to improve throttle response. Designed for fuel economy rather than top-end horsepower unlike some other Honda v-tec units. At least as I understand it.

Having said all of that I don't 'scrutinise' the gear-change indicator and I often ignore it depending on road and traffic conditions just ahead of me as, of course, the indicator is not a predictor.

I doubt yours is at all faulty but I could stand to be corrected.

guest2898 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2012, 09:21:53 AM »

Mine is exactly the same... mind you all the honda gearboxes i have had for the last 24 yrs have all comfortably run in 5th gear at 30mph.. non of them have juddered or not wanted to be in that gear, even being able to accelerate too.. it keeps the revs down and saves fuel...which is good.. i find that vauxhalls ford, etc, gearing ratio's dont allow you to do this.. i would say your indicator is working just fine...

guest2765 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 16, 2012, 06:59:37 PM »

Does it come on as you hit 35mph or is it after youve sat at 35mph for a while?

Personally i would have thought this would have been a fuel saver idea since people are being encouraged to be more and more concerned about their mpg (if you want to keep it in 4th longer, ignore the shift indicater

). Ive sat with mines in 5th at 30mph a lot (actually tested how low i could go...can sit at 25mph in 5th gear comfortably).