paddle shift on CX-5

[Srad600]

Here's a detailed photo of the BNK8-66-4M2. The dark blue and grey sheathes (I believe) are the stock wiring for the pods on the steering wheel. The green sheath is for the paddle shifters, and the black is the horn connector.

This is how I believe everything will connect:
The small end of the green connector plugs into the sub harness attached to the paddles themselves (I know this, because I've plugged it in to check).
The larger connector the attaches to everything connects to the steering wheel harness going to the car.
The black connector plugs into (edit) the horn (\edit). Thanks SVShootingStar
The dark blue and grey wires plug into the steering wheel pods.

Most of these are assumptions I've made based on the information I could find, and the harnesses I have on hand. We'll see what's what when I open up the steering wheel.


Another shot with the paddles attached

Last Edit: I can confirm that the paddles I ordered did NOT come with the screws needed to attach them to the wheel. (Good thing I ordered that separately).

...sent...

 

[SVShootingStar]

The old harness has 4 connectors, and the new one has 5. That single black wire with connector is just the horn.

Also, it is clear that the BNK8-66-4M2 harness accommodates bluetooth, cruise control & the paddle shifters? I wouldn't want to lose any of the existing steering wheel button functionality by pursuing this mod.

The steering wheel controls have nothing to do with Bluetooth. Your cruise and audio controls will function as before.

 

[Berner]

Thank you both for the explanation and for the pictures. That pretty much explains the part that was missing in my brain. This is really starting to look like a pretty simple mod, all things considered. I look forward to hearing about Srad600's experiences.

The steering wheel controls have nothing to do with Bluetooth.

The reason I asked about bluetooth is because Mazda has different steering wheel wire harnesses for cars with or without bluetooth. See, e.g., KD45664M2 vs. KD62664M2.

 

[Srad600]

Good info SVS, I'll update my post above with the correct info. about the black (horn) wire.

 

[littlebear]

So this is pretty much a "plug and play" upgrade?

 

[SVShootingStar]

So this is pretty much a "plug and play" upgrade?

From page 2 back in May -

This took me less than 2 hours and it was all plug-n-play. No adding pins to connectors or even a lug to ground...

 

[CX-5 Norway]

Originally Posted by SVShootingStar View Post
This took me less than 2 hours and it was all plug-n-play. No adding pins to connectors or even a lug to ground...

Yes but Your car is as 2014 Mazda 6. My 2012 CX-5(i live in Norway) needed wiring between lower clock spring and start/stop module and one wire to ground(i Guess newer cars may be more prepped from the factory, as Your 2014 Mazda 6). I also needed to drill and tap two holes in the steering Wheel to attach the paddles themselves(this might also be done from factory on newer cars, i dont know).

All part numbers and info are allready listed in this tread:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...-PADDLE-SHIFT-Retrofit-(Mazda-CX-5-2-0)/page4

 

[mazdadude]

Originally Posted by SVShootingStar View Post
This took me less than 2 hours and it was all plug-n-play. No adding pins to connectors or even a lug to ground...

Yes but Your car is as 2014 Mazda 6. My 2012 CX-5(i live in Norway) needed wiring between lower clock spring and start/stop module and one wire to ground(i Guess newer cars may be more prepped from the factory, as Your 2014 Mazda 6). I also needed to drill and tap two holes in the steering Wheel to attach the paddles themselves(this might also be done from factory on newer cars, i dont know).

All part numbers and info are allready listed in this tread:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...-PADDLE-SHIFT-Retrofit-(Mazda-CX-5-2-0)/page4

So after you have installed the paddle shifters, and now have had some time to live with them, how do you feel about them?

 

[CX-5 Norway]

I like them very much .
I use them both in manual and auto.
When driving in auto mode i often flip the down paddle to momentarely force the tranny down one gear.
This might not be neccesary on 2016 models with a sport mode.

The operation is exactly the same as Mazda 3, 6 and CX-3,s with factory fitted paddle shift.

 

[mazdadude]

I like them very much .
I use them both in manual and auto.
When driving in auto mode i often flip the down paddle to momentarely force the tranny down one gear.
This might not be neccesary on 2016 models with a sport mode.

The operation is exactly the same as Mazda 3, 6 and CX-3,s with factory fitted paddle shift.

I never thought before about it, but if I understand you correctly... You do not have to move the gearshift lever to the manual "M" mode in order to use the paddles>?

 

[CX-5 Norway]

That is correct Mazdadude.
It depends how long time it will hold the gear before going back to "full auto" again.
If i am just crusing along with very little load on the engine and flip the down paddle, it shifts down instantly but reverts back to "full auto" in just 2-3 seconds.
If i flip the down paddle and give it more throttle, it will hold the gear longer.

 

[mazdadude]

That is correct Mazdadude.
It depends how long time it will hold the gear before going back to "full auto" again.
If i am just crusing along with very little load on the engine and flip the down paddle, it shifts down instantly but reverts back to "full auto" in just 2-3 seconds.
If i flip the down paddle and give it more throttle, it will hold the gear longer.

Well that is news to me...I AM SOLD!!

 

[MikeM.]

Well that is news to me...I AM SOLD!!

I hear you! I thought the only increased functionality of the shift paddles was not having to reach the shifter. But this allows temporary manual control and more finely timed shifts than is possible by using throttle only control in auto shift mode. That temporary manual control is enough to make me think I might need to do this mod. Of course I have a June/July 2012 build date 2013 MY and it sounds like it might be a little more involved on the early models.

 

[Dr_Watson]

Exactly like a VW DSG. I had a R32 with paddles, if you downshifted or upshifted then done nothing with the gas, would go back to auto in maybe 5 seconds, if you accelerated and shifted to the next gear, then done nothing it went back to manual in maybe 10 seconds. If you done a 10 mile blast with just the paddles, then it would take maybe 20 seconds to go back to auto, in that case you just knock the shifter from auto to manual and back to auto again to get back to auto quicker. However for long stints on the paddle, you would knock the shifter to manual anyway, as you didnt want it to go back to auto unless you told it so. The shifter also click forward and back, but like the CX5 2.5 I tested, it is night and day difference from paddles.

This setup sounds very similar, idea for overtaking, everything auto, click the left paddle a couple of times, pass the car with your foot down, back to top gear and it would switch back to auto. Some might argue that in an auto you just hit the gas and it will kick down, maybe so, but often it could kick down to 2nd, using only a few 100 rpm's before the red line, where kicking down into 3rd would be perfectly ok and less aggressive.

 

[littlebear]

So on a 2016 GT it should be all plug & play. What would be the best instructions to use since the ones here are in Russian/Chinese?

How dangerous is it removing the air bag?

 

[SVShootingStar]

How dangerous is it removing the air bag?

Apparently not very, as long as you do it correctly. Service techs are currently in the process of safely replacing well over 30,000,000 potentially defective airbags in the U.S. alone. I haven't heard of any blowing up on them.

Disconnect the battery for at least one minute; release the 3 spring retainers on the backside of the wheel with a punch or something similar; then with a small screw driver lift the retainer clips on the 2 electrical connectors on the airbag and disconnect the plugs. I did it twice without incident. It's even easier to reinstall since you just push the airbag back in place until you feel the 3 spring retainers engage.

 

[MikeM.]

Some might argue that in an auto you just hit the gas and it will kick down, maybe so, but often it could kick down to 2nd, using only a few 100 rpm's before the red line, where kicking down into 3rd would be perfectly ok and less aggressive.

Well, I won't argue but I'll share my observations on how my 2013 2.0L AT transmission responds to throttle inputs.

When I first bought my CX, I experienced the problem where it would shift into too low of a gear when I floored it (and it would only be around 500-600 rpm from redline). Then I discovered if I quickly pressed the accelerator all the way to the floor except for the last inch or so, it wouldn't kick down that extra gear. The newer models have a firmer feel to the pedal in that last inch (aka 'kick down switch') but it's not actually a switch, it just gives tactical feedback as to when the pedal is nearly floored and the older models without the kick down 'switch' behave exactly the same way but without the tactile feedback.

Of course, if time is of the essence, that lower gear is still available simply by quickly flooring the accelerator but I quickly learned how to avoid hitting it when it wasn't necessary. And keep in mind, by NOT completely flooring it, you are not giving up any actual throttle, this is a modern drive by wire throttle and it is not physically connected to a throttle plate like cars of yesteryear.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Cool mod but nothing I plan to attempt until warranty is over. Of course... I always planned to do this on my Infiniti as the sport models had them but never got around to it.

I make heavy use of manual mode on my CX as is.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Well, I won't argue but I'll share my observations on how my 2013 2.0L AT transmission responds to throttle inputs.

When I first bought my CX, I experienced the problem where it would shift into too low of a gear when I floored it (and it would only be around 500-600 rpm from redline). Then I discovered if I quickly pressed the accelerator all the way to the floor except for the last inch or so, it wouldn't kick down that extra gear. The newer models have a firmer feel to the pedal in that last inch (aka 'kick down switch') but it's not actually a switch, it just gives tactical feedback as to when the pedal is nearly floored and the older models without the kick down 'switch' behave exactly the same way but without the tactile feedback.

Of course, if time is of the essence, that lower gear is still available simply by quickly flooring the accelerator but I quickly learned how to avoid hitting it when it wasn't necessary. And keep in mind, by NOT completely flooring it, you are not giving up any actual throttle, this is a modern drive by wire throttle and it is not physically connected to a throttle plate like cars of yesteryear.

I wonder if there were some programming changes as well post '13? I see mention of the "APP" switch in accelerator pedal in FSM but not sure if this existed in '13 as well.

 

[Buzzer777]

Had paddle shifters on a 2011 Hyundai Tuscon..

Cool mod but nothing I plan to attempt until warranty is over. Of course... I always planned to do this on my Infiniti as the sport models had them but never got around to it.

I make heavy use of manual mode on my CX as is.

Had paddle shifters on a 2011 Hyundai Tuscon stock.. and rarely used them! I do however, make a little use of the sport shifter though in the CX-5, but only if I need to push it. For regular around town, the 5 sp automatic is my lazy way out! In my old age...shifting has become a PIA..LOL