Automatic down shift + volume

[AndrewSquared]

So, my wife and I made a trip up to DC for the Fourth this weekend, and it was the first time I got to do some long distance travel on my mazda. Nothing like 1500 miles round trip to really get in tune with my vehicle. In any matter, I noticed a couple things that surprised me and wanted to see if anyone else has noticed these.

Of course, when doing long travel on the interstate, anyone is bound to be stuck behind some slow-poke in the left lane who just dosen't want to get over. After 200 miles of driving, fatigue sets in and just putting the car into sport shift, so I can down-shift and zip around them just seems like more work than it's worth, so I decided to make due in automatic. Except, I noticed when I did that, I could hear the engine reving up a lot more than usual, and when I glanced at my dashboard, it said I was in fourth gear. I glanced at my shifter to make sure I wasn't in manual mode (thinking I may have done it by instinct) and sure as s***, was still in automatic. So basically, it seems thats the car is tuned to downshift when it notices a large depression in the accelerator while in 5th gear, and will change gears to give you the power for the assumed pass. That's pretty freakin' cool.

Oh, and I noticed a crazy burst in volume when going from 34 to 35.

 

[AWmustang]

So, my wife and I made a trip up to DC for the Fourth this weekend, and it was the first time I got to do some long distance travel on my mazda. Nothing like 1500 miles round trip to really get in tune with my vehicle. In any matter, I noticed a couple things that surprised me and wanted to see if anyone else has noticed these.

Of course, when doing long travel on the interstate, anyone is bound to be stuck behind some slow-poke in the left lane who just dosen't want to get over. After 200 miles of driving, fatigue sets in and just putting the car into sport shift, so I can down-shift and zip around them just seems like more work than it's worth, so I decided to make due in automatic. Except, I noticed when I did that, I could hear the engine reving up a lot more than usual, and when I glanced at my dashboard, it said I was in fourth gear. I glanced at my shifter to make sure I wasn't in manual mode (thinking I may have done it by instinct) and sure as s***, was still in automatic. So basically, it seems thats the car is tuned to downshift when it notices a large depression in the accelerator while in 5th gear, and will change gears to give you the power for the assumed pass. That's pretty freakin' cool.

Oh, and I noticed a crazy burst in volume when going from 34 to 35.

Are you new to automatic transmissions? They all downshift when you hit the gas hard. If you hit it hard enough on the freeway it may even go down to third.

BTW, nice choice on color. I love the Stormy Blue.

 

[jR.]

Yeah but if you do that alot, the troll who lives under the bridge will come out and he always in a pissy mood....LMAO.

 

[AndrewSquared]

Are you new to automatic transmissions? They all downshift when you hit the gas hard. If you hit it hard enough on the freeway it may even go down to third.

BTW, nice choice on color. I love the Stormy Blue.

Just new to a car that's newer than a '98. Good to know about that though.

And thanks, I got a thing for blue, 3 out of 4 of my cars have been dark blue

 

[zoom_craigy_zoo]

The volume changing is ACS. If you have it turned on, it automatically adjusts the volume for when you are traveling at higher speeds. I usually notice it when I hammer down on the on-ramps to the highway!

 

[red95_240sx]

u probly wasnt downshifting it far enough.(drive) in others words ur tranny is calling u a wussy

 

[rayarnold]

Oh, and I noticed a crazy burst in volume when going from 34 to 35.

There's a TSB about this for all of the mazda3s manufactured after January 1st, 2008. Its a problem with the radio, if you take it in, they'll replace it for you. Check out TSB 09-014/08 for the details. I found a pretty long thread on it a month or so ago, but I can't remember which mazda forum it was on.

 

[AndrewSquared]

Thanks for that TSB, I'll bring it down this weekend to have it looked at.

As for my tranny calling me a wuss, I was in automatic mode, not downshifting at all. I was on the interstate doing 85 mph basically the whole time, didn't feel the need to push it any harder to get around some lali-gagger in the left lane.

 

[vdubjetta2005]

I had a similar instance with my volume being drastically different from 34-35. Turns out its more of a problem than an instance, and it has nothing to do with the equalizer or anything of the sort. I have a 2008.5 mazda 3 sport touring... Took it to the dealer and they said it's supposed to do that, but I knew it wasnt. They swapped it out and the new radio is great, works like a charm.