Mazda 2013 Mazda3 Owner's Manual page 170

Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
Shifting
Manually Shifting up
(M1→M2→M3→M4→M5)
To shift up to a higher gear, tap the shift
lever back ( ) once.
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. Do not 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.
5-16
Manually Shifting down
(M5→M4→M3→M2→M1)
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the shift
lever forward ( ) once.
WARNING
Do not use 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.
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.