Jerky in slow speed driving?

[Mike]

Fellow P5 Drivers,

I have had my P5 for just over a year now, and still look back when I leave it to admire it's looks! It's a beautiful car - I've got a standard silver one.

My only grump (apart from I wish it had a V6) is that when I am in slow, stop-start traffic, I think I am getting a case of severe whiplash!

When I give a little gas to start off it just jerks forward, then holds on to 1st too long and suddenly jumps into 2nd - when the revs are too high. Consequently I am thrown back, then forwards. Here in Silicon Valley, this sort of driving is normal so it is quite a nuisance.

When I am running, it is so sweet. I kick down and it just purrs and takes the power so smoothly. It is just slow speed stuff that annoys me.

Is this normal? Or is there a problem with my car? When I took it to Mazda for the initial check after a couple of weeks, I pointed this out. They kept the car for 2 days then said that it was normal. The fact that they kept the car showed that they also thought something was wrong...

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Mike.

 

[SilverProtege5]

This is normal with a 5-speed car you either need to push in the clutch or give it a little more gas.

 

[mazdarx7power]

or shift into 2nd... thats what i do...

 

[dmitrik4]

sounds like he has an auto...

maybe your torque converter is slipping?

 

[azeli73]

<font color="#000080">Just got to give in a little on the clutch. This is my first front wheel drive vehicle and I did the same thing when I first got mine. </font>

 

[Mike]

Dear all,

wow!! Thanks for the fast replies! Yes - I do have an automatic. It has always had this problem, and Mazda informed me that this was a normal thing.

I guess the P5 is not an expensive car, so maybe this is normal for a car in this price range? Though, at mid to high speed the transmission is wonderful. It just never quite knows when to let go of 1st and shift to 2nd.

Does anyone with an automatic see this sort of behaviour?

Thanks and regards,

Mike.

 

[robgaloshes]

i've got an auto as well and notice a bit of that initial surge happening as well, but not to the degree that you're describing. maybe you need to learn to be a bit more nimble with your gas pedal? have you tried turning the overdrive off when you're in traffic? that kinda makes it smoother.

 

[Jim Frye]

I rented a P5 for a week...

It was a 2002.5 automatic and I found a couple of interesting things concerning your complaint.
1. First gear is really low. It's easy to make the car jump or jerk in first.
2. This is made worse if you don't tread lightly on the go pedal.
3. I think there was some stickyness in the throttle linkage of my rental (3,500 miles on the odo). that could contribute to this problem. My '92 Saturn has a sticky throttle tip in and can lurch like you describe. I have to keep the linkage lubed to keep it manageable.
4. I drive with the seat back tilted back a bit and drive with my head on the headrest. Saves on the rubber necking. Jim

 

[Mike]

Thanks Jim,

I have been driving for around 23 years now, in Britain, Asia and the US, so I'm OK with controlling the gas - it just doesn't seem possible to do this smoothly on the P5.

I think you are right in that the first gear is really low. Though if this is true then everyone should share the problem. If it's only me then maybe there is something like a sticky throttle linkage that I need to investigate.

All the best,

Mike.

 

[Rogue_Biker]

When you're driving through stop and go traffic, use the manual mode. Get on the gas gently in first but shift it to 2nd before the revs go beyond 3k RPM. This should work on the auto p5's with the Tiptronic style manual. Does yours have that? If your P5 doesn't have the Tiptronic Manual mode then you can just keep the shifter in "L" position and hold it there as you stop and go. That will prevent the tranny from shifting out of 1st. But then you end up reving the motor too much.

Anyway, the manual controls on the auto is there for a variety of uses other than racing or driving through curves or hilly terrain. It's also there so you can use it during slow going and not have the tranny hunt between 1st & 2nd. The problem with the 4 speed auto is that there are not enough gears so Mazda had to fit it with a low first and a too tall 2nd gear and that gap is exhaggerated during part throttle and slow going situations such as traffic.

But yeah. Have the dealer check the linkage too beacause you should be able to launch the auto P5 smoothly if you have a smooth throttle foot.

 

[troll]

And you wonder why I'll never buy automatics anymore.

 

[Kooldino]

I'd get an auto if I lived in a big city with a lot of traffic. Stop and go traffic SUCKS with a manual. But then again, It would take a lot for me to move into a big city.

 

[Don]

I get some of this in my car (which is a 5 speed) if I'm not really careful.

The P5 has super soft motor mounts, which i think contribute to this problem - I'm looking, reading, and studying and think I'll one day soon swap out the cushy mounts for something a little more solid.

Don

 

[DBR]

i'm not sure if your jerking with an automatic is the same as mine in a manual, but this might help:

www.protegeclub.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=132305&t=8408

it involves altering the shape of the throttle disk using a rubber wedge.

 

[Nathan55569]

In my opinion I believe it doesn't have anything to do with the gearing, it's the soft ass liquid filled motor mounts that rock around. Jetta owners solve this by replacing their motor mounts with hockey pucks!

 

[WShade]

Like Don and Nathan55569 said, its the soft motor mounts causing backlash

 

[digitalpro5]

Well I have the sport shift automatic and I to get some jerks but not bad ones, I do prefer using the manual mode since I can tell the tranny to go to 2nd gear anytime and it doesn't jerk at all that way.

I've only put 2200+ (started at 2 miles) miles on mines so far so I don't have much problems yet and hope not to have any. I think I've broken in my car pretty hard for its 1st 1000 miles, but only redlining 3 times on 1st gear. I've noticed that in the beginning the automatic shifts gears at around 2800-3000 rpm's, now 2000+ miles later using mostly manual mode, when I do place it on auto it won't shift to my usual 3200-3500 rpm's. I'm guessing the computer has picked up my bad habbit hopefully its not to bad, but I can always shift earlier so not to rev to much during stop and go traffic.

 

[BadDSM]

I have this same issue and believe it to be the soft motor mounts creating the jerky slow speed operation.
Does anyone know if the mounts re hollow at all?
The talon mounts are somewhat hollow and some people have removed them and epoxied the centers to stiffen them up.

 

[Tonpow]

Yeah. Its a known issue. It took me a long time to get smooth with it. It takes very small smooth inputs at the throttle.

 

[Mike]

It's a b****

Thanks all for the insights. I find it best when I keep the overdrive off, though still not ideal. I'll try keeping it in L and see how that works.

My commute back and forth every day is stop start for 12 miles. I had a stick shift before and got cramp in my feet riding the clutch for so long - and probably was burning it out pretty fast too! Otherwise I'd also go for manual.