Mazda MX-5 Owner's Manual page 168

MX-5_8V80-EA-06F_Edition1 Page167
Monday, June 12 2006 12:57 AM
To shift down to a lower gear with the
steering shift switches, press either of the
DOWN switches away from you once
with your thumb.
DOWN switches
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.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel
rim when using fingers or thumbs on
the steering shift switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous. If
the driver air bag were to deploy in a
collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury.
Form No.8V80-EA-06F
Black plate (167,1)
Starting and Driving
NOTE
When driving at high speeds, the
l
gear may not shift down depending
on vehicle speed.
During deceleration, the gear may
l
automatically shift down depending
on vehicle speed.
When depressing the accelerator
l
fully, the transmission will shift to a
lower gear, depending on vehicle
speed (Except M2→M1).
Second gear fixed mode
When the shift lever is tapped back (
while the vehicle is stopped, the
transmission is set in the second gear
fixed mode. The gear is fixed in second
while in this mode for easier starting and
driving on slippery roads. If the shift lever
is tapped back ( ) or forward ( ) while
in the second gear fixed mode, the mode
will be canceled.
Driving Your Mazda
)
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