[NOSholley63]

My '99 lx sedan is completly factory and I was wondering if the shift light comes on when redline is hit.

I've heard various ramblings bout the shift light but I just want the official verdict.

 

[pextor]

mine came on at 1800 RPM or so. I took the bulb out when I swapped clusters. if yours doesn't come on at all, either the bulb is burned out or taken out.

 

[NOSholley63]

It's not that it doesn't come on at all, it turns on like it should.
I was just wondering if the light would turn on if the engine hits redline.

 

[pextor]

are you talking like in neutral? my old 1st gen would come on if I revved it in neutral I think. I wouldn't try it in my current car.

 

[NOSholley63]

I wouldn't try it in neutral either.

I just think it would be cool not to have to try and install a tach before I try out my car on a track. I'd hate to throw a piston after half a lap.

 

[pextor]

do what I and others have done, swap in a tach cluster. you can keep the mileage the same by swapping the original speedo into the new cluster.

 

[silverton]

The light only comes on at certain rpm ranges in certain gears. If you still have your owners manual it will say in there what rpm range it will turn on in, in what gear. I know my 95lx's did.

 

[98_Jim]

The shift light is only about economy and saving gas...

As silverton points out, the car's computer monitors the engine load, rpm, and speed. The computer then calculates the most efficient time to shift and turns on the light to let you know you've reached that point. (If you shift before the light, you'll be lugging the engine, if you shift after the light comes on, you're wasting gas).

Since it's all about economy, the shift light will always come on well before you reach red line

I suppose it's technically possible to get the shift light to come on at or near red-line, but that would require a custom reprogram of the car's powertrain control module.

 

[silverton]

It's not based on what RPM the engine is at, it's based off what MPH you are going.

 

[98_Jim]

The light only comes on at certain rpm ranges in certain gears..

It's not based on what RPM the engine is at, it's based off what MPH you are going.

Which is it ?

 

[cklaubur]

I think it's based on engine load. I've noticed on mine that the light will come on if I'm light on the throttle and go off, then come back on if I press harder on the accelerator.

Casey

 

[john112deere]

The light only comes on at certain rpm ranges in certain gears..

It's not based on what RPM the engine is at, it's based off what MPH you are going.

Which is it ?

I can't remember anymore whether it was in his '89 Escort or '00 Focus, but Dad and I figured out what speed the shift light came on in fourth gear, and tried accelerating "through" that speed in fifth gear and the light did NOT come on.

For whatever that may be worth. (Yeah, I know neither is a Gen-3).

*I never drove the '89, and my '98 has a slushbox but I do know that Dad's '00 and '07 Focus' both light up the shift light based solely on gear and either speed or RPM (which, since the clutch doesn't slip, are more or less the same thing).

 

[NOSholley63]

I know I may have posted this a little late but, there is a switch on gear 5 in the 3rd gen that turns the light off.

It just kinda sucks that I can't race my car without worrying about over revving.(why is there no spell check here? I can't even spell in RL)

 

[cklaubur]

I just tested this in my '97: The shift light DOES come on just before red line in all gears except 5th.

Casey