gear change light-should i have 1

[jimblive]

i got my mkI 172 about 3 months ago and the gear shift indictor light has never worked. I have asked renault about it twice now and they tell me that it was only ever on the early mkIs and not on anything later including mkIIs.

can someone please tell me that renault are wrong as when i questioned it the second time i was told that if someone with a later spec 172 than mine (march 2001) had the light they were lucky??

how many people with a mkI later than mine have the shift light?

 

[RobFenn]

I thought it was standard equipment for mk1s and mk2s

 

[jimblive]

so did but that is not what renault are telling me.

 

[RobFenn]

Well theyre supposed to be warmed up arent they, so rev limit is decreased, so it would make sense having a shifter light to warn you.

 

[Frosty]

I understood that the early MK1s did NOT have a shift light, but all later 172s (MK1 and MK2) have them.

 

[Griff]

Frosty is correct!

 

[jimblive]

mine is march 2001, so that should make it a late mkI? so it should have the light?

 

[geordiepaul]

I though that it was the other way round!! With early MK1s having the lights, it was taken off later models only to be put back on the MK2

 

[Tom]

yep thats the way it is paul

 

[Jonathan]

Just to back it up. The early MK1s have a shift light. Mine is Oct 2000 and has it, later MK1s (Jan 2000?) had a different ecu set up including an extra exhaust sensor (& possibly different cat), no shift light, no alloy bonnet and no alloy spare.

 

[Ian P]

I have Jan 2001 Mk1 which has the light, although Ive never seen it light up. And thats not to do with my driving...

 

[Paul Freemantle]

my Mk 2 has one

 

[jimblive]

same as mine, it has the light on the left of the rev counter near the top and never comes on.

 

[Jonathan]

Ian, just out of interest. Does it light up when you turn the ignition on ? if the symbol doesnt light up then, the car doesnt have it. I only ask because I defy any owner not to light it up coming off a roundabout onto a dual carriageway in second gear !

 

[Ian P]

Jonathan - no, Ive never seen it light up ever.... and I have tried in 2nd off a roundabout.....

 

[VR6man]

mine has one

 

[jimblive]

mine does not light up when i turn the ignition so i guess that means i dont have one.

oh well have to stick to my current method of changing gear when i bounce of the limiter!

 

[Rich-D]

Quote: Originally posted by RobFenn on 10 March 2003

I thought it was standard equipment for mk1s and mk2s

So did I, but my mates mk1 definately does not have one!

Its a Y plate and does have an alloy spare still, so doesnt tie in with what others have said.

 

[Cupster]

Me and my mate have one, although its cmpletely pointless little green gearstick in the corner of the instruments. I got a cup he has a mkII 172

 

[Simon172]

I dont have one. Mines a Y-reg 2001 May model. I asked my dealer the day after i bought it and he says he knew nothing about it however he gave me an Autocar review about how the 172 is the best since the 205 gti etc etc, and it says in there about the gear change light.

I think i asked in here - one of my first posts actually! - about the light. Someone (probably BenR!) told me it was the type of ecu. Its either CB1M or CB0M or something? i cant remember, but one of them has it and the other doesnt. (but the ones that dont, have an extra 20 bhp ) (i added the last bit btw...)

 

[jimblive]

thanks for that simon172.

i always thought mine was faster than most other 172s, must be that extra 20bhp. its amazing how much power a light on the dash can drain!

 

[specialK]

I have a (registered) March 2001 Mk1 172 - but it was built in Jan 2001 - no gear change light, but do have alloy bonnet and alli spare. There are some differences between the Mk1s at different ages, and even when they are more or less the same age there are some differences - sometimes it depends on when they were built, not just when they were first registered. The earlier Mk1s definitely had the gear change light.

 

[norfolkminis]

Ive got a Mk1 (march 01 - Y reg) and it hasnt got the magic light. although it has the ally bonnet and spare ally wheel.

I put it down to mine being a french import, as it didnt come with the alarm fitted.