Program gear-shift algorithm change/flash possible?

[gova]

I consider CX-5 gear-shift algorithm as its biggest drawback. It is clearly optimized to get highest possible MPG, but it really compromises everything else including ride/acceleration quality and overall safety of the car.

There have been people switching cars for totally different make/model due to that issue.

How often have I found the car on 5th or 6th gear while @ 20MPH and 1.2K rev going up long highway bridge or ramp. I could feel the engine struggling to keep up.

The only way of changing that was switching to manual to shift or accelerate abruptly to have the tranny do its work.

This is not the case with RAW4, CR-V and Escape as their drivers report much more satisfying acceleration experience.

In any case, is it possible to re-flash the tranny to shift right? I am sure that Mazda can do this but they don't want to as MPG ratings need to be kept looking good.

I know when I had the Odyssey that Honda did reflash the tranny with different algorithms to prevent/remedy certain issues they had.

Now, how to flash CX-5 transmission to make the car right?

 

[RedBaron]

Hmm. I don't have any issues like that... in fact I was quite impressed by the shifts and transmission. Counter to what you've said, mine will not even let me shift into 6th (in manual mode) at 40mph, let alone 20.

Maybe you have a problem with yours. Take it in to the dealer?

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

Actually, living in hilly texas I encounter this on the highway often. My motor is being tuned though so it acts a little different.

 

[V8toilet]

The CX5 with the 2.5 liter engine won't shift into 6th gear until you're going over 40 mph even in manual mode. Like RedBaron said I also find this transmission to be excellent and easy to get it to do what I want it to. The transmissions shift algorithm responds to the way you depress the accelerator pedal. Ease into it and it goes into granny mode even if you push the pedal further down. Give the pedal more of a quick jab and it quickly responds and holds the gears or downshifts without pause even if you don't push it much. This makes it intuitive to me and gives good control over what I want it to do. I think the manual mode also works excellent and love that it mimics the way a real stick controls the gears with up for downshifts and back for up shafts.

Sorry your experience is different. Maybe you have a different shift programing from Mazda or something is wrong. You should take it to the dealer and see if they can replicate it.

 

[paris1]

The CX5 with the 2.5 liter engine won't shift into 6th gear until you're going over 40 mph even in manual mode. Like RedBaron said I also find this transmission to be excellent and easy to get it to do what I want it to. The transmissions shift algorithm responds to the way you depress the accelerator pedal. Ease into it and it goes into granny mode even if you push the pedal further down. Give the pedal more of a quick jab and it quickly responds and holds the gears or downshifts without pause even if you don't push it much. This makes it intuitive to me and gives good control over what I want it to do. I think the manual mode also works excellent and love that it mimics the way a real stick controls the gears with up for downshifts and back for up shafts.

Couldn't agree more (and BTW this is true with the 2.0 ltr automatic too!) and I am continually amazed by carping about this transmission's operation. Seems to me some people just don't have a clue about how these things work!(bang)

 

[CXVille]

I understand the OPs issue. Near my house, there is a hill that needs a gear splitter. Either go up it slowly, or push down until it downshifts, and then the car jumps and accelerates much faster than intended. Funny thing is that the CX-5 (2.5l) and my Mazda 3 (2.0 l) both do it BETTER than our old BMW 335i. Yes, the fancy BMW, with an excellent 6 speed auto, did the exact same thing. It was not that the car didn't have the power to pull the hill, but you couldn't get enough throttle at low rpms to get the torque necessary to pull it without downshifting. And then 300 ft-lbs kicked you in the back.

Yes, the car is aimed at fuel economy. Yes, that sometimes means you hit odd situations that it struggles with. For me, it is one hill if you hit it too slow. I find the transmission programming to be the best I have ever driven for street duty. The BMW was far better on the track.....

 

[paris1]

There will always be that "certain hill" that, with the available torque and/or gearing, just prove to be too much for a particular vehicle. This was more common in the days of 4 speed automatics (or manuals!) when there were huge gaps between certain gear ratios. But to issue a blanket condemnation of the drivetrain design for these anomalies as some seem to do here is just ridiculous.

 

[CX-SV]

This is not the case with RAW4, CR-V and Escape as their drivers report much more satisfying acceleration experience.

The AWD competitors being Rav4, CRV, and Escape have lower EPA combined gas mileage ratings than CX-5 (2013-2015 model years), yes the CX-5 is setup for best in class efficiency.

 

[CX5racer]

I'm happy with our CX-5 tranny, as noted it's clearly designed around keeping the rev's low, just watch the MPG drop when you bring the RPM's up in a lower gear. I have found the two throttle position sensors adequate for telling the tranny when you want to get a move on. But if I am on a hill or need some specific performance from the car I simply pop it over into manual mode and I become the algorithm.

 

[johnny_boy02]

I just traded in a ford focus so at this point ANY transmission is better. But after 1000 miles the shifting does seem fine to me. If I want it to move I mash the pedal and it goes.

 

[deuce_WI]

Out of all the vehicles you mentioned, my impression was that the CX5 was the only one that does 'shift right'. Most automatics piss me off, but the tranny in this thing is tolerable. I was actually pleasantly surprised when it downshifted on a downhill section of road to hold speed with the cruise on just like I would do in my car. I also like how it doesn't aggressively downshift with the slightest press of the gas pedal when all I want is a little bit of speeding up action.

 

[speedbegone]

Its definitely not a race setup, but Its a very nice mix of performance/economy.

I like that it takes voluntary input to extract performance out of it instead of being too primed.
Its not a sports car, but an economic suv with sporty driving dynamics.

My past car was a lowered mazdaspeed3 (hense my user name) and I was worried about going from a "sportscar" to a suv, from a manual trans, to a auto and from a low centre of gravity to a high one.

I can say that I am very impressed with this CX5, and apart from the power, this feels surprisingly similar to driving my old car, as far as steering feedback, and road holding (taking in account the higher centre of gravity).
But its a much more comfortable daily driver witch is why I changed.

I can only imagine if for kicks, someone would lower this with proper coil-overs, put bigger brakes, add some pedal shifters from the mazda 6 and either find a way to turbo the engine, or swap with a 2.3 turbo... this thing would be a complete riot.

 

[xtrailman]

Wonder how it would perform with a 8 or 9 speed box. 6 seems dated to me for a 2014 car, as does the 5 speed in the UK CRV.

The BMW makes do with 8, the Evogue now 9, was 6 previously with poor economy before the update.

 

[Beefy]

Great marketing dot-point to go to 8 or 9 speed, but surely at some level it just becomes needless complexity and you just switch to a CVT. Unless there are very obvious benefits to economy, power, weight, serviceability etc. (none of which I think would be the case), then it seems silly.

 

[paris1]

Great marketing dot-point to go to 8 or 9 speed, but surely at some level it just becomes needless complexity and you just switch to a CVT. Unless there are very obvious benefits to economy, power, weight, serviceability etc. (none of which I think would be the case), then it seems silly.

The Germans, who seem to be at the forefront of this gear proliferation transmission technology, all seem to agree that ten is about the limit. I don't know that this means they then plan switch to CVTs at that point though!

 

[halfast3]

The Germans, who seem to be at the forefront of this gear proliferation transmission technology, all seem to agree that ten is about the limit. I don't know that this means they then plan switch to CVTs at that point though!

I can see going to CVT for fuel efficiency but not if the cost is giving up the car's soul. The DSG which is nearly as fuel efficient, clearly excels in the performance category.

 

[paris1]

I can see going to CVT for fuel efficiency but not if the cost is giving up the car's soul. The DSG which is nearly as fuel efficient, clearly excels in the performance category.

DSGs have their own problems though. There doesn't seem to be a perfect answer...yet.

 

[Beefy]

A quick Googling for the new transmissions, and I came across this great article: http://www.carthrottle.com/on-the-proliferation-of-extraneous-gears/

 

[erhayes]

I think the CX5 AT learns your driving style after some time and shifts accordingly, within the engineers Algorithm. I am very pleased with my shift points that are on the economy side and if I decide to have some fun, there is the pedal to the metal over-ride. If gova wants to raise the shift points within the acceptable range then drive more sporting and enjoy the ride. Ed

 

[gova]

I think the CX5 AT learns your driving style after some time and shifts accordingly...

That was my impression too. This is my 3rd AT CX-5 @ only 1050 miles as of today.

I still get 5th gear @ 30 MPH on flat. I know that if I press accel. pedal quickly, it will downshift and accelerate, but so far it's been pretty pathetic.