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Re: Shift Up Light
Posted by Larry West (more from Larry West) on Thu, 27 Jan 2000 11:33:04
In Reply to: , Kok Chen, Sat, 17 Dec 1988 12:00:00 

A couple things spring to mind about the shift-up light.

1) If you think it was put there because Saab engineers thought that 
the drivers needed it, you are sorely mistaken. The one and ONLY 
reason for a shift up light is so that the car can more easily pass 
the requisite EPA certification process.

See, under varying load conditions, a motor (ANY motor) makes varying 
amounts of emissions. The EPA takes the TOTAL of these emissions over 
a set test cycle, and determines if the vehicle/motor combination is 
in compliance.

Saab engineers (and engineers from every other car maker selling 
manual trannies), calculated that to make the least emissions, the 
driver had to shift at certain points in the rev range.

It seems that under EPA rules, if you install a device that tells the 
driver to shift *NOW*, the EPA test driver MUST SHIFT AT THAT POINT. 
The tester has no option to shift earlier or later.

So, Saab (and nearly every other car maker) installed shift-up 
lights. Regardless of the fact that the drivers rarely pay atention 
to it.

2) It's never bothered me. In fact, I miss it now that I disconnected 
it in my 1986 900t. WHy? Because when I'm lolling along the freeway, 
I sometimes forget to shift up to 5th...

3) If it bothers you that much, get your head out of the car, and DRIVE.

4) The 1999 Viggen I drove last month did not have an active Shift-up 
light. Don't know if it's broken, or what...
Larry West
NJ Saab Owner's Club

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