Upshift Indicator: Operation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2004 Dodge Dakota. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The upshift indicator gives an indication to the vehicle operator when the manual transmission should be shifted to the next highest gear in order to achieve the best fuel economy. This indicator is controlled by a transistor on the instrument cluster circuit board based upon cluster programming and electronic messages received by the cluster from the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) over the Programmable Communications Interface (PCI) data bus. The upshift indicator Light Emitting Diode (LED) is completely controlled by the instrument cluster logic circuit, and that logic will only allow this indicator to operate when the instrument cluster receives a battery current input on the fused ignition switch output (run-start) circuit. Therefore, the LED will always be off when the ignition switch is in any position except On or Start. The indicator only illuminates when it is switched to ground by the instrument cluster transistor. On models not equipped with a manual transmission, a unique version of the instrument cluster is used that does not include the upshift indicator. The instrument cluster will turn on the upshift indicator for the following reasons:

Bulb Test - Each time the ignition switch is turned to the On position the upshift indicator is illuminated for about two seconds as a bulb test.
Upshift Lamp-On Message - Each time the cluster receives an upshift lamp-on message from the PCM indicating the engine speed and load conditions are right for a transmission upshift to occur, the upshift indicator is illuminated. The indicator remains illuminated until the cluster receives an upshift lamp-off message from the PCM or until the ignition switch is turned to the Off position, whichever occurs first. The PCM will normally send an upshift lamp-off message three to five seconds after a lamp-on message, if an upshift is not performed. The indicator will then remain off until the vehicle stops accelerating and is brought back into the range of indicator operation, or until the transmission is shifted into another gear.
Actuator Test - Each time the cluster is put through the actuator test, the upshift indicator will be turned on, then off again during the bulb check portion of the test to confirm the functionality of the LED and the cluster control circuitry.

The PCM continually monitors the engine speed and load conditions to determine the proper fuel and ignition requirements. The PCM then sends the proper upshift indicator lamp-on and lamp-off messages to the instrument cluster. For further diagnosis of the upshift indicator or the instrument cluster circuitry that controls the indicator, (Refer to DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ). For proper diagnosis of the PCM, the PCI data bus, or the electronic message inputs to the instrument cluster that control the upshift indicator, a DRBIII(R) scan tool is required. Refer to ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULES .