What do you think of Elon Musk? Have your say | No thanks
Should I follow my car's gear shift indicator advice?
I have a Skoda Rapid three cylinder 999cc TSI 110 with six gears. The gear advisor is quick to recommend changing up but rarely a change down. At slower speeds the engine seems to struggle to the point I can almost feel each piston fire. Is this bad for the engine or transmission or can I ignore this effect?
Asked on 2 August 2022 by Steve Gilbert
Answered by
Lawrence Allan
These gear advisor lights are often engineered for maximum fuel efficiency, simply trying to get you into as high a gear as possible. Personally I often ignore them, and on three cylinder engines such as yours being in such a high gear causes a lot of vibration. We wouldn't expect Skoda to engineer it so it damages the car, it's more a refinement issue.
Tags:
gear changes
Similar questions
I have a 2010 Toyota Yaris diesel six-speed manual with 70,000 miles on the clock. It's now very hard to select fifth gear. Ive had the car six months with no other problems. Any ideas?
I've just bought a 2001 Peugeot 206 automatic for a little commuter car. It has only done 28,000 miles from new but I'm concerned about the rpm. When I go onto the motorway (70mph) the rpm is about 4200...
When my car has warmed up some gears become difficult to engage. The clutch is still fine but makes a squeaking noise on operation. Any ideas?
Related models
.jpg?width=115&height=75&rmode=crop)
Looks like a saloon, but is actually a hatch. Good value for money. Very practical and spacious.
Elsewhere on 
.jpg)
