Most auto parts like this do not require a specific tightening order.
It is like applying a sticker to a surface; you begin in the middle, and then push outwards on both sides to avoid wrinkles in the sticker.
By tightening from the middle-out, you first make the parts touch in the middle, and then on the sides, without gaps.
If the parts are curved such that there is a gap in the middle, then if the outer edges are tightened first, a gap may remain in the middle even if the screws in the middle are tightened.
The service book specifies a tightening order that works, but it is really just an application of the centre-out sticker principle.
[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 07-25-2024).]
