Need a Gen 5 owner to try this, Please!

[ViperGeorge]

I have been experiencing a weird problem with my Gen 5 and I am curious if this is specific to my car or whether it might be a software glitch that effects all Gen 5s. My car is a 2014 GTS (VIN 100574). Here's what happens. Sometimes I will go to shift from 1st to 2nd and I encounter the skip shift. The car is my everyday driver and I don't rev it high enough all the time. When this happens the shifter moves towards 4th from 1st. If I bring it back towards 2nd without going into 4th (I can do this on my Gen 4s without issue, kind of like downshifting back into 2nd) the whole thing locks up and I can not select ANY gear. I then have to release the clutch and re-engage it and then I can get it to go in gear (usually only 3rd though). Once I've done this it returns to normal operation.

I'd like to ask some Gen 5 owners to try this and tell me the results. Try it on a quiet road in case your car does it too. If you've already experienced this please tell me.

Thanks,

[Policy Limits]

I haven't experienced the skip shift in nine months of ownership; suspect its because of DD use age? It's designed to obtain a certain mpg.

[ViperSmith]

I believe it is expected behavior. Drives me nuts around town

[ViperGTS]

rev it up and make the whole approach (~better mpg) obsolete!

[F2V]

In my '13 GTS I rarely hit the SS, but when I do, I go right down to second without any problems you have described...just like my previous G4.

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

).... Here's what happens. Sometimes I will go to shift from 1st to 2nd and I encounter the skip shift. The car is my everyday driver and I don't rev it high enough all the time. When this happens the shifter moves towards 4th from 1st. If I bring it back towards 2nd without going into 4th (I can do this on my Gen 4s without issue, kind of like downshifting back into 2nd) the whole thing locks up and I can not select ANY gear. I then have to release the clutch and re-engage it and then I can get it to go in gear (usually only 3rd though). Once I've done this it returns to normal operation. .....

G - what you describe above is EXACTLY what the Skip-Shift does in Gen 2-3, but with less intrusion in my Gen 4. In other words, I THINK this is to be "normal". But alas, I don't have a G5 to test again til Mid April.

An electro-mechanical 'pawl' device blocks the pathway into 2nd every time your RPM+Throttle position meets the programmed parameters. And an amber UPSHIFT arrow appears to tell you that condition exists. The pawl drops out of the way after you execute the 1-4 shift, or re-clutch and shift OUTSIDE those RPM/Throttle position parameters. The upshift lite goes out too, allowing the shift.

Skippy Sez: "I'm from the EPA and I'm here to help you get better GAS mileage!"

[Jack B]

Shift above 1700 and you will not encounter ss

[johniew398]

I only have 650 miles on my 14 TA but so far haven't experienced the skip shift kicking in.

[Bitten]

I like to skip 2nd and go 1st to 3rd and its happened where I didn't expect it not letting me go to third and having to hit 4th. I am still learning this car but I have had it happen a few times. I figure I will change my driving style a bit to avoid the skip shift. It occurs in a different place than the Gen 3 cars at least it seems like that to me.

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

From 2007:

explain me, what "skip shift" is? Fabian


My name is SKIP SHIFTY. You can call me Skippy. Im from the Federal Govt and Im here to help you save gas. I try to force you to use 4th gear whenever the yellow lite that I mandate tells you to SHIFT UP NOW. If your throttle is less than half, and your RPMs are low, you MUST shift from 1st to fourth, 'skipping' 2 gears. [I named the process after myself!] I hate it when guys buy plug-n-play Skip-Shift-Eliminators to defeat me. If they are gonna muck with my plans, I prefer they buy cut-n-splice resistors than can cause check-engine lites. [I mandated those, too!]

I cant wait to see my preferences as they were insinuated into the 2008 Viper, fly-by-wire computer. I really had a BLAST with the HEMI motor fly-by-wire [FBW]........owners of those Chargers etc just THINK they have full throttle, but NO WAY! FBW robs as much as 25% in 1st, and 10-15% when shifting. Hee-Hee....those dumb owners only have a Semi-HEMI and they dont even know it. FBW wont let them have 385-425 HP in tap....NO WAY am I gonna let you have 600 HP on full-tap when you mash the FBW throttle. Remember: My name is SKIPPY and IM HERE TO HELP YOU.

Did I mention I hate DAN CRAGIN? He has already figured a way to program my designs out of the HEMI, and will probably help ensure the 2008 gets full-throttle when the OWNER wants, not when I want. I hate him. He thinks he's so smart

Well, boys and girls, keep saving gas....and BE SAFE ! Dont use all 600HP at once, its way too much power to be safe..... Love ya, SKIPPY !

PS my friends Cindy Seatbelt, Oxy Petrol, and Dim-watt Lighting say hi! They remind you to ABIDE BY ALL THE SETTINGS IN YOUR OWNERS MANUAL....... we helped write those, too.....NO CHANGES ALLOWED.

[ViperGeorge]

According to SRT the skip shift the Gen 5 is supposed to have a less intrusive skip shift window than the Gen 4s. Mine seems more intrusive. I've never experienced these type of lockouts in my Gen 4s. I have to try it again though to see if it will in fact let me shift into 4th. I know I can't go into 3rd, 2nd, or 1st.

[bluesrt]

since you drive it every day, it may have learned your habbits and is custom to your rpm range now, so meaning your skip shift is adapting custom to you. just a thought

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

According to SRT the skip shift the Gen 5 is supposed to have a less intrusive skip shift window than the Gen 4s. Mine seems more intrusive. I've never experienced these type of lockouts in my Gen 4s. I have to try it again though to see if it will in fact let me shift into 4th. I know I can't go into 3rd, 2nd, or 1st.

True, due in part to the 3:55 rear gear, which makes G5 Revs come up faster = shorter Skippy "window."

1-to-4 is fed-mandated when the Computer-Aided-Gear-Selection (CAGS) is lighted, so it MUST work. If you de-clutch, you should be able to hit 2nd so long as the revs are NOT held.


Try NOT to shift when the upshift light is illuminated.... tough to do in Stop-Go traffic or parking lot speeds.

[ViperGeorge]

I don't even know where the shift light is on a Gen 5. I've looked but don't see it.

[Viper Girl]

haha I didn't even see the speedo for a while... so much to look at.

I pinged Dan Cragin, lets see where he is with figuring out a Gen V skippy shift.

[ViperGeorge]

Found the light. It is above tach at about 1am.

[Coloviper]

Just add a skip shift eliminator and be done with it George.

[ViperGeorge]

Just add a skip shift eliminator and be done with it George.

Rick, You can't. They don't work on a Gen 5 yet. In fact they are even reliable on a Gen 4.

[bluesrt]

mine does the same thing as yours, so I guess they all do it, I just rpm the car upon downshifting and go above 1700 on 1 to 2. don't really like that but o well

[ViperGeorge]

mine does the same thing as yours, so I guess they all do it, I just rpm the car upon downshifting and go above 1700 on 1 to 2. don't really like that but o well

Thanks! Now I wish someone would figure out a skip shift eliminator.

[Rossa]

After 2 weeks and 1,000 miles, the CAGS is the only annoying aspect of my Gen V...can't wait for a solution to eliminate it.

[mblgjr]

The skip shift parameter window is so narrow in the G5; I've never encountered it. I see the light flicker, but I can shift above it or just below it without any issue at all.

It's certainly not bad enough to get bunched up over and I'll be the first guy to complain about intrusive electronic nannies.

I wish it wasn't there; but it's really not a big deal since it's active in such a narrow window.

That said, I swear I hate DBW throttle systems. I've romped the car in 1st a couple times and I feel like I'm getting 400 Shetland ponies; not 600 Clydesdales. I likely just need to try the other "reduced" stability settings to see if things get better. But, I hate anything other than a direct pedal feel.

If the mysterious ghost of an "offroad" PCM ever comes out I'm sure it will have all these things deleted.

[kdaviper]

The skip shift parameter window is so narrow in the G5; I've never encountered it. I see the light flicker, but I can shift above it or just below it without any issue at all.

It's certainly not bad enough to get bunched up over and I'll be the first guy to complain about intrusive electronic nannies.

I wish it wasn't there; but it's really not a big deal since it's active in such a narrow window.

That said, I swear I hate DBW throttle systems. I've romped the car in 1st a couple times and I feel like I'm getting 400 Shetland ponies; not 600 Clydesdales. I likely just need to try the other "reduced" stability settings to see if things get better. But, I hate anything other than a direct pedal feel.

If the mysterious ghost of an "offroad" PCM ever comes out I'm sure it will have all these things deleted.

Unfortunately, The government-mandated stability programs require at least a minutia of throttle lag in order for the computers to process throttle position information.

[mblgjr]

^ Yea it drives me up a wall. At least with SCT software on the Fords there's leeway to write the throttle demand curve to suite.

The GM stuff is really bad to me, as it most stock Ford stuff.

The Viper is really good, just not *exactly* as good as a cable setup

[SilveRT8]

Please stop shifting below 2000 rpm and your problem is solved.
It only happened to me once, yesterday when in heavy traffic, coming back from a track day, this is a Viper, let it rev !