# Driving in Wrong Gear

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-wrong-gear/12361>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** transmissions\
**Created:** [March 30, 2008, 6:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-wrong-gear/12361 "2008-03-30T06:46:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![scaborca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@scaborca](https://community.cartalk.com/u/scaborca)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 6:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-wrong-gear/12361/1 "2008-03-30T06:46:37Z")

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I drove my new 2009 Corolla in 3rd gear, only one time, while on the highway. It seems fine, but should I be worried? Could this have caused permanent damage?

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**Author:** ![JayWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@JayWB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JayWB)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 7:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-wrong-gear/12361/2 "2008-03-30T07:27:51Z")

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How fast, how far & how long?

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**Author:** ![lprocter](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/lprocter/32/40_2.png) [@lprocter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lprocter)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 9:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-wrong-gear/12361/3 "2008-03-30T09:32:08Z")

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Could this have caused immediate damage? I really doubt it. Could it have caused long term damage? Well, that depends. How many miles have you put on the car so far? Is it still in its break-in period? If so, then it might make the difference between the car lasting 350,000 miles or only 349,000.

So, in all likelihood, you did no major damage. Or minor damage. Just don’t do it again - it uses a lot more fuel.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 10:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-wrong-gear/12361/4 "2008-03-30T10:14:59Z")

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The most damage was likely to your gas mileage.

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**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 11:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-wrong-gear/12361/5 "2008-03-30T11:47:30Z")

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I agree with the above posts that no damage has occurred. None.

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**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GreasyJack)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-wrong-gear/12361/6 "2008-03-31T01:39:12Z")

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If you mean you accidentally shifted it into 3rd instead of 5th, but immediately corrected yourself, it’ll be fine. If you drove it a long distance in 3rd, you may have kind of mucked up your break-in period, but it’s nothing I’d lose sleep over.

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**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2008, 5:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-wrong-gear/12361/7 "2008-03-31T05:03:59Z")

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Nothing to worry about. I don’t know how you moved the shifter that far, what with the cramped interior. Had a 2006.