5th gear @35mph??

chwast

Member
:
2008 Mazda 3 HB
Is this normal that my 08 mazda 3 with 5speed A/T is shifting to 5th gear at 35mph in city? And I get 16mpg city driving. Not too low? ( I'm new with this car so any help will be appreciate)
 
I don't know anything about your car, but 35 in 5th doesn't seem right. If you mash on the gas, will it drop down in to an appropriate gear?
 
That sounds pretty normal to me, I have had an 07 MZ3 3 Hatch since it was new and now have around 40,000 miles on it and it shift the same way. Mine will shift up to 5th between 35mph and 40mph and will not shift down unless it is invoked by a heavy acceleration. The 5 speed automatic is a very crappy design, it was a horrible choice for this car. I really wish I would have gotten my car stick. I have heard that getting your transmission fluid changed to redline or amsoil synthetics may help smooth out the shifting if your transmission shifts kinda jerkily. Just make sure if you do get it changed that whatever fluid you use meets the ATF-MV spec that mazda calls out in the owners manual. I have yet to try this, but plan to in the future.

Good Luck,
Josh
 
Don't select "D" for driving around town,select the next gear down, like "3".

What's your rationale for this advice? BTW, sounds perfectly normal to me. All autos I've ever driven perform like this, though the last auto I drove was 3sp - still same principal. Top gear is still top gear. All the extra ones are in between.
 
Would you use 5th gear in a manual car under 35mph? Selest a gear that only uses up to 4th in the auto. This is what we tell Mazda owners to do in Australia and we get many happy customers. Only put it in "D" once you hit the freeway, smae way you would use 5th or 6th gear in a manual car. Make sense?
 
Automatic transmissions are equipped with torque converters. They "convert" Hp to Torque at the same rpm. What newer transmissions try to do is lock out the torque converter as quick as possible. by shifting into your final gear around 35-40mph under light throttle.

Basically if it is bothering you, shift into 3rd like the other post said, but that's not going to solve your fuel economy problem. May make it a little worse if anything.

You should be looking elsewhere for solutions to your fuel economy problem.
 
I like that it shifts into 5th gear around 35mph. I get better fuel economy that way. I have an 09 Hatch Auto and get around an average of 25 mpg. If you need to go quicker just put it into manual mode and down shift.
 
What's your rationale for this advice? BTW, sounds perfectly normal to me. All autos I've ever driven perform like this, though the last auto I drove was 3sp - still same principal. Top gear is still top gear. All the extra ones are in between.

Actually its a lot different for the number of gears you have. Typically 4 speed autos, 4th is overdrive, which a 3spd wouldn't have. And a 5speed manual is geared differently than a 5speed manual.. Cars with more gears get better mileage, but the number of shifter shouldn't bother you.
 
I really don't understand what Fatty73 was trying to say to do, the MZ3 with the 5 speed auto doesn't have anything other than "D" or drive that can be used other than the manual shift mode, which in my opinion really sucks. Maybe it is just my car, but the manual mode really doesn't benefit me, I came from a car that was stick and manual mode in no way resembles driving a car that is stick. Trying to shift in manual mode only gives the car a suggestion to shift, it waits until the next opportune time to shift. I have also had it downshift on me while going up a hill which made it drop from 5th to 3rd, this really makes for a crappy driving experience. I have learned to live with the quirks/downfalls of the 5 speed auto.
 
As far as i'm concerned. Anything under 6 cylinders, I default to stick
 
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I don't see why this bothers you? It will help you get better gas mileage. my 08 HB does the same thing, but if i punch it, it will drop to second instantaneously and take off. If you have a model with the manumatic then just drive with that if it bothers you that much, but really it's mazda's way of increasing mileage, because despite the 3 being sporty, it's designed for the larger number of people who own the car, who want a fun gas efficient car. Any car short of a performance dedicated model will be set up for the daily driver who wants the most out of a gallon of gas. Why do you think the timing is set up so crappy on the 3s. Timing could be increased, but most of the people driving the 3 don't car, so they set it conservatively. End Rant

Original Topic: it's so you can save gas. There's nothing wrong with the car.
 
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