Mazda 2009 RX-8 - Manual (Page 155)

Black plate (155,1)
NOTE
l When driving slowly, the gears may not
shift up depending on vehicle speed.
l In manual shift mode, gears do not shift up
automatically. Don't run the engine with the
tachometer needle in the RED ZONE. If the
tachometer needle enters the RED ZONE,
you may feel engine-braking because the
fuel delivery will be stopped to protect the
engine. However, this does not indicate an
abnormality.
l When depressing the accelerator fully, the
transmission will shift to a lower gear,
depending on vehicle speed.
Manually Shifting down
(M6
→M5→M4→M3→M2→M1)
To shift down to a lower gear, tap the shift
lever forward (
) once.
To shift down to a lower gear with the
steering shift switches, press either of the
DOWN switches away from you once
with your thumb.
DOWN switches
WARNING
Do not use engine braking on slippery
road surfaces or at high speeds:
Shifting down while driving on wet,
snowy, or frozen roads, or while
driving at high speeds causes sudden
engine braking, which is dangerous.
The sudden change in tire speed
could cause the tires to skid. This
could lead to loss of vehicle control
and an accident.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel
rim when using fingers or thumbs on
the steering shift switches:
Putting your hands inside the rim of
the steering wheel when using the
steering shift switches is dangerous.
If the driver air bag were to deploy in
a collision, your hands could be
impacted causing injury.
Driving Your Mazda
Starting and Driving
5-17
RX-8_8Z09-EA-08C_Edition3 Page155
Thursday, July 3 2008 2:23 PM
Form No.8Z09-EA-08C