Mazda 2009 Mazda3 4-Door Owner's Manual page 138

Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
NOTE
When driving slowly, the gears may not
l
shift up depending on vehicle speed.
In manual shift mode, gears do not shift up
l
automatically. Don't run the engine with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE. If the
tachometer needle enters the RED ZONE,
you may feel engine-braking because the
fuel delivery will be stopped to protect the
engine. However, this does not indicate an
abnormality.
When depressing the accelerator fully, the
l
transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed.
Manually Shifting down
→M4→M3→M2→M1)
*
(M5
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the shift
lever forward ( ) once.
* 2.3-liter engine model
5-16
WARNING
Do not use sudden engine braking on
slippery road surfaces or at high
speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet,
snowy, or frozen roads, or while
driving at high speeds causes sudden
engine braking, which is dangerous.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. This
could lead to loss of vehicle control
and an accident.
Be sure to leave the shift lever in 1 or R
position and set the parking brake
when leaving the vehicle unattended:
Otherwise the vehicle could move
and cause an accident.
NOTE
When driving at high speeds, the gear may
l
not shift down depending on vehicle speed.
During deceleration, the gear may
l
automatically shift down depending on
vehicle speed.
When depressing the accelerator fully, the
l
transaxle will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed.
Second gear fixed mode
When the shift lever is tapped back (
while the vehicle is stopped or driven at
the following speeds, the transaxle is set
in the second gear fixed mode.
2.0-liter engine model:
14 km/h (8 mph) or less
2.3-liter engine model:
20 km/h (12 mph) or less
)