I have a new 2006 Accord I4 with a 5 speed manual transmission.

The Owner's Manual states on p.170, "Avoid skipping gears when shifting up or down or serious transmission damage can occur."

I've been driving manual trannies for 30 years. I've never heard of such a thing. When you pull out to pass you often want to double down-shift. When you come up to a corner, it is common to approach in 5th gear, put the clutch in as speed drops, and then shift to 2nd or 3rd to pull through the corner.

Is this chapter written by paranoid lawyers, or is there a sound technical justification for this statement? I've asked a couple mechanics and mechanical engineers, and they share my bewilderment at this statement.

 

I've been pushing in the clutch for about 40 years and I don't understand what they are saying either. DEPENDING on conditions I'll upshift 1 to 3 to 5. On the downshift I try to follow the gears down in order but 4th or 5th to 2nd isn't out of order depending on driving conditions. Follow your instincts, you've got the time in grade to know what you're doing.

 

I think is Honda trying to find every little way out of doing warranty work,,,

customer ..........my tranny shift hard
Dealer ,,,,,,,,,,, did you ever skip gears??
customer ,,,,,mmmm yeaaaaaaaah ..but i have done it for years on all my cars
Dealer,,,, owners manual specifically says DO NOT skip gears or serious damage can occur ,,, ,sorry that voids the warranty..

Sorry guys \,, But on the serious note ... I have never heard of such a thing ..

 

I think it's a little bit of both.

 

I think this statement sums it up perfectly. Just a way to cover their A$$es. If you drive an automatic and get out to pass, does the tranny not skip a gear if you mash it hard enough. Any hey that's controled by one of them there computer thingys. Keep doing what your doing and if you tranny blows tell them you never skipped gears.

 

I think that statement was intended more for people who dont know how to drive stick and go from 5th to 1st while going 60 miles an hour. And im sure the whole system isnt happen when you go from 1st to 5th at 15 mph either.
But in the end youre suppose to say, skip gears? what do you mean? oooooh, wow, i didnt know you could do that!

 

Here's what Honda has to say the sept99 service news:

Don’t Skip Gears When
Shifting

Recently, an Internet newsgroup message reported
that it’s OK to skip gears when shifting a manual
transmission. Here’s our response:

Vehicles with manual transmissions should
be shifted through their gears in sequence.
Repeatedly shifting out of sequence, such
as going 2nd to 5th, especially when speed
shifting or power shifting, can cause
accelerated syncro wear which can lead to
gear grinding. To avoid possible problems,
tell your customers not to skip gears and
not to speed shift or power shift.

 

Yeah, not many people who know how to drive a standard skip that many gears. Its fine to skip gears as long as you dont do speed or power shifting like it said, and as long as you stay in its relative power band, basically using every other gear. Down shifting...... is another story dont do it unless you know exactly where each gears power band is cause if youre at the wrong rpm level you could cause excessive wear on your transmission..... and other unhappy things.....

 

Like spining that clutch disc to pieces! Or if the clutch survives, grenading your engine. Funt stuff! I wonder how an F22 would sound at 11,000 RPMs???

 

or my favorite.... some how the engine doesnt grenade, and the clutch survives, instead the constant abuse thats been done to the transmission the mount and the bolts shear off from the immense torque...... not something you see often......