Issues driving at slow speed in traffic

And if I take to the dealer they will say its common. If I take it after warranty they will say something. I have just learned to ignore it. Big issue: No. In a separate forum, I read it happens with those who have the advanced front facing controls like SCBS or SBC. No idea.
 
Actually, the AT shifts into Neutral at stops (even though the indicator still says "D"). When you release the brake and step on the throttle it instantly shifts into 1st gear before the engine accelerates.

When the engine is cold, mine will remain in gear even at a stop. Once the car warms up, it follows the above behavior.
 
When the engine is cold, mine will remain in gear even at a stop. Once the car warms up, it follows the above behavior.

Hoorah - solved it! Took to the dealership and they did a diag. and replicated the issue. Engine cold = happens. Engine warm = Not happen. Russiankid is right and dealer confirmed. Gear does NOT drop into Neutral when engine cold. It's not that super cold type or the blue light = ON type. They explained, there's a temp above which gears start dropping automatically. I lost it in translation (the service guy had an East European Accent) but I think he meant transmission temp? Anyways, solved. BTW: He did speak with Mazda folks before relaying it back to me over phone.
 
They explained, there's a temp above which gears start dropping automatically. I lost it in translation (the service guy had an East European Accent) but I think he meant transmission temp? Anyways, solved.

Yes, that's what he meant. The CX-5 uses early heat from coolant exiting the head to warm up the transmission fluid sooner (via heat exchanger). This reduces transmission wear, increases reliability and reduces parasitic losses from a cold transmission sooner in the warm-up cycle.

By remaining in gear at stops (instead of shifting to Neutral like it does when it's warm) the fluid friction helps the transmission warm up faster.
 
Yes, that's what he meant. The CX-5 uses early heat from coolant exiting the head to warm up the transmission fluid sooner (via heat exchanger). This reduces transmission wear, increases reliability and reduces parasitic losses from a cold transmission sooner in the warm-up cycle.

By remaining in gear at stops (instead of shifting to Neutral like it does when it's warm) the fluid friction helps the transmission warm up faster.

Thanks Mike. A quick question - in few other cars, on cold start they direct the early heat to cat in order to heat it faster. In CX5's case its getting re-directed to transmission. Agreed: a transmission is costlier, but doesn't it not sacrifice cat? Using this logic, would mean initially at cold start, emissions are higher?
 
I think what Mike was trying to say is that during the warm up cycle, engine coolant is cycled through the transmission heat exchanger which allows the transmission fluid to come up to temperature faster than in a normal vehicle. Most vehicles run transmission fluid through the radiator, thus it takes longer for the fluid to come up to temp as there is nothing really helping it warm up.

As for the cat heat, when you start the car up and it sounds gnarly in the morning, it is just dumping fuel to get the cat to warm up.

I think you're confusing the two, as one relates to coolant flow and the other is the exhaust for emission purposes.
 
OK, had a friend of mine drive it (who normally drives manual in his car). He definitely felt the same thing i do when i drive and compared it to engine breaking. He thinks its downshifting and when it does i'm going too fast for the gear i'm in. This may actually be by design - which if it is, yes it's annoying, but at least it would mean that there isn't a significant issue with it.
 
OK, had a friend of mine drive it (who normally drives manual in his car). He definitely felt the same thing i do when i drive and compared it to engine breaking. He thinks its downshifting and when it does i'm going too fast for the gear i'm in. This may actually be by design - which if it is, yes it's annoying, but at least it would mean that there isn't a significant issue with it.

The engine is not breaking (that would be bad!) but the CX-5 does make good use of engine braking.

Similar to the iActiv AWD, the transmission control unit uses real-time data output from a lot of different sensors and runs those data streams through various algorithms to determine what gear to be in. If you are descending a hill it will be more likely to downshift earlier than if you are going uphill (as but one example). Another example would be if you have let off on the throttle and touched your brake as if approaching a red light then the transmission will downshift at a higher speed than it would have had you not touched your brake. This extends the brake service interval and extends your cruising range (mpg) because when the vehicles momentum is used to keep the engine turning, no fuel needs to be injected (assuming the engine is warmed up). When approaching a traffic slowdown I'll often touch my brake briefly to kick in earlier downshift which saves my brakes and increases mpg. Often, the traffic ahead will start moving forward so I can gently roll on the throttle and mesh perfectly behind the pack without having to actually come to a stop.

A driver with the bad habit of over-accelerating and needing to use the brakes to check speed when catching up to traffic in front will find this behavior irritating because it will be downshifting when you don't want it to. That's because they're sending ambiguous signals about their intentions to the control unit. Always ease off on the throttle at the appropriate time so you don't need to touch your brakes to check your speed (assuming you want to coast without early downshift). A good driver with a smooth, non-erratic driving style will experience the best results. For all others there is the manual shift mode.

IMO, this is the best automatic transmission I've ever driven, bar none. And I've driven a lot of them. It's an expensive transmission to be sure but all indicators are that it has good longevity, even when driven hard. Mazda put a lot of the cost of the CX-5 into the engine, transmission and chassis which is why I find it so ridiculous when people ignorant of these facts criticize the lack of creature comforts vs. the competition who uses engines, transmissions and chassis that are not nearly as expensive or sophisticated. And one drive is all it takes for an experienced driver to notice the difference.
 
I think what Mike was trying to say is that during the warm up cycle, engine coolant is cycled through the transmission heat exchanger which allows the transmission fluid to come up to temperature faster than in a normal vehicle. Most vehicles run transmission fluid through the radiator, thus it takes longer for the fluid to come up to temp as there is nothing really helping it warm up.

As for the cat heat, when you start the car up and it sounds gnarly in the morning, it is just dumping fuel to get the cat to warm up.

I think you're confusing the two, as one relates to coolant flow and the other is the exhaust for emission purposes.

Yep - was confused. Thanks. Got it. Makes sense.
 
The engine is not breaking (that would be bad!) but the CX-5 does make good use of engine braking.

Similar to the iActiv AWD, the transmission control unit uses real-time data output from a lot of different sensors and runs those data streams through various algorithms to determine what gear to be in. If you are descending a hill it will be more likely to downshift earlier than if you are going uphill (as but one example). Another example would be if you have let off on the throttle and touched your brake as if approaching a red light then the transmission will downshift at a higher speed than it would have had you not touched your brake. This extends the brake service interval and extends your cruising range (mpg) because when the vehicles momentum is used to keep the engine turning, no fuel needs to be injected (assuming the engine is warmed up). When approaching a traffic slowdown I'll often touch my brake briefly to kick in earlier downshift which saves my brakes and increases mpg. Often, the traffic ahead will start moving forward so I can gently roll on the throttle and mesh perfectly behind the pack without having to actually come to a stop.

A driver with the bad habit of over-accelerating and needing to use the brakes to check speed when catching up to traffic in front will find this behavior irritating because it will be downshifting when you don't want it to. That's because they're sending ambiguous signals about their intentions to the control unit. Always ease off on the throttle at the appropriate time so you don't need to touch your brakes to check your speed (assuming you want to coast without early downshift). A good driver with a smooth, non-erratic driving style will experience the best results. For all others there is the manual shift mode.

IMO, this is the best automatic transmission I've ever driven, bar none. And I've driven a lot of them. It's an expensive transmission to be sure but all indicators are that it has good longevity, even when driven hard. Mazda put a lot of the cost of the CX-5 into the engine, transmission and chassis which is why I find it so ridiculous when people ignorant of these facts criticize the lack of creature comforts vs. the competition who uses engines, transmissions and chassis that are not nearly as expensive or sophisticated. And one drive is all it takes for an experienced driver to notice the difference.

I think what you're trying to say here is those which experience this slowness do not know how to drive, while you do.

Kudos for Mazda for such an engineering marvel but at the same time they are a bunch of nicompoofs who assume only EXCELLENT drivers are supposed to drive their vehicle. A true manufacturer would account for ALL conditions. The your touted awesome algorithms are CRAPPY at best. Why? The same algorithm should be intelligent enough to understand that a driver is speeding/slowing and then STOP doing whatever it's doing and instead follow the driver.

This would be the 1st. instance where a driver would have to change the driving habits to keep the car happy, or rather it's algorithms happy.
 
I think what you're trying to say here is those which experience this slowness do not know how to drive, while you do.

Not at all! "Knowing how to drive" is not a black or white situation. The more familiar you are with a vehicle, the more you can get out of it. This was even true with a 1967 Mercury Cougar with it's clunky three speed slushbox. With time behind the wheel, you learn how and when it shifts gears. Cars have always taken a minimum amount of driver skill and familiarity to get the most out of it.

Kudos for Mazda for such an engineering marvel but at the same time they are a bunch of nicompoofs who assume only EXCELLENT drivers are supposed to drive their vehicle. A true manufacturer would account for ALL conditions.


What? Nobody said THAT! Even a beginner can drive a CX-5. But don't expect them get the most out of it until they have familiarized themselves with how the car responds to various inputs. Sure, some people LOVE CVT's because they only have one gear and they don't need to downshift or upshift. Mazda makes cars with actual gears, both manual and automatic. You're not going to get the most out of either until you become familiar with the way they work.

The your touted awesome algorithms are CRAPPY at best. Why? The same algorithm should be intelligent enough to understand that a driver is speeding/slowing and then STOP doing whatever it's doing and instead follow the driver.

You obviously don't understand how automatic transmission shift algorithms work and what the challenges are. Mazda has the best AT in the business for an engaged driver. No, it's not the slushbox of yesteryear that makes you feel disconnected from the engine. If you're an enthusiast, that's why you bought a Mazda in the first place.


This would be the 1st. instance where a driver would have to change the driving habits to keep the car happy, or rather it's algorithms happy.

Uh... no. Never mind... Sigh...
 
Actually, the AT shifts into Neutral at stops (even though the indicator still says "D"). When you release the brake and step on the throttle it instantly shifts into 1st gear before the engine accelerates.

I think some of the transmission/engine maps have changed from my 2013 to my 2016. I never noticed the drop in rpm at a dead stop in D on the 2013 but the 2016 does and it picks up the rpm at least 150 with just the release of the brakes. I never saw this in my 2013. Do you see the 150 rpm pickup it in your 2013 with just the release of the brake in D?
 
I think some of the transmission/engine maps have changed from my 2013 to my 2016. I never noticed the drop in rpm at a dead stop in D on the 2013 but the 2016 does and it picks up the rpm at least 150 with just the release of the brakes. I never saw this in my 2013. Do you see the 150 rpm pickup it in your 2013 with just the release of the brake in D?

I don't know but I'll check it out next time I drive it. I know it idles in "D" at 750 rpm with my foot on the brake. It wouldn't surprise me that Mazda fine tunes the programming all the time, in fact, it would trouble me if they didn't. But I'm confident it still goes into neutral at stops.
 
Similar to the iActiv AWD, the transmission control unit uses real-time data output from a lot of different sensors and runs those data streams through various algorithms to determine what gear to be in. .

The transmission is very intelligent. I'll add in my experience and that if I have to make a quick move, speed up quickly and just floor it, the transmission will hang onto the lower gear for a few seconds even after I let off the gas pedal. I'm pretty sure this is by design as the car is giving the driver a few more seconds in an optimal, higher torque gear to deliver more power, more quicker, in case it is needed. Pretty cool that the car sets you up in the optimal zone. Than after a couple seconds, it settles back down to the most fuel efficient gear. Awesome stuff and I've never noticed something like this in any other car I've driven.
 
The engine is not breaking (that would be bad!) but the CX-5 does make good use of engine braking.

Similar to the iActiv AWD, the transmission control unit uses real-time data output from a lot of different sensors and runs those data streams through various algorithms to determine what gear to be in. If you are descending a hill it will be more likely to downshift earlier than if you are going uphill (as but one example). Another example would be if you have let off on the throttle and touched your brake as if approaching a red light then the transmission will downshift at a higher speed than it would have had you not touched your brake. This extends the brake service interval and extends your cruising range (mpg) because when the vehicles momentum is used to keep the engine turning, no fuel needs to be injected (assuming the engine is warmed up). When approaching a traffic slowdown I'll often touch my brake briefly to kick in earlier downshift which saves my brakes and increases mpg. Often, the traffic ahead will start moving forward so I can gently roll on the throttle and mesh perfectly behind the pack without having to actually come to a stop.

A driver with the bad habit of over-accelerating and needing to use the brakes to check speed when catching up to traffic in front will find this behavior irritating because it will be downshifting when you don't want it to. That's because they're sending ambiguous signals about their intentions to the control unit. Always ease off on the throttle at the appropriate time so you don't need to touch your brakes to check your speed (assuming you want to coast without early downshift). A good driver with a smooth, non-erratic driving style will experience the best results. For all others there is the manual shift mode.

IMO, this is the best automatic transmission I've ever driven, bar none. And I've driven a lot of them. It's an expensive transmission to be sure but all indicators are that it has good longevity, even when driven hard. Mazda put a lot of the cost of the CX-5 into the engine, transmission and chassis which is why I find it so ridiculous when people ignorant of these facts criticize the lack of creature comforts vs. the competition who uses engines, transmissions and chassis that are not nearly as expensive or sophisticated. And one drive is all it takes for an experienced driver to notice the difference.

This is spot-on concerning the approach to driving a CX-5. If someone isn't familiar with how a manual gear shift quickly decelerates (depending on how high or low within the gear), then it may seem like the car is cinching up as soon as they take their foot off the gas pedal. To me, it is a very satisfying feeling behind the wheel and quite enjoyable, but there is a slight learning curve which MikeM described perfectly regarding the extra 'tap' of the brakes which will slow you down much faster. I use this often because it adds a more sporty feel to the driving experience.
I love learning the technical functions behind what I'm experiencing when I drive - thanks for that! Also, glad to know about how it shifts into neutral. This, I must admit, is a bit annoying to me. Right as I'm expecting to slow to a steady stop, I get a 'release' in the gears which to compensate, I have to squeeze the brakes harder. Oh well, at least now I know why it is happening. Great info~
 
Actually, the AT shifts into Neutral at stops (even though the indicator still says "D"). When you release the brake and step on the throttle it instantly shifts into 1st gear before the engine accelerates.

I thought this sounded odd. I just tested this and my car is definitely still in gear when stopped with the brakes on. I put it in neutral and back to D and you can feel the change.
 
I thought this sounded odd. I just tested this and my car is definitely still in gear when stopped with the brakes on. I put it in neutral and back to D and you can feel the change.

True. As previously noted, the transmission doesn't start shifting into "N" on it's own until the transmission fluid is warmed up. Also, when shifting from "N" to drive it probably actually shifts into 1st as soon as you move it to drive so it's ready to go, I've never tested that. It's when you come to a stop and remain motionless for a specified amount of time that it shifts to neutral.

The Skyactiv engine/transmission is surprisingly sophisticated. For example, the engine control is tightly synchronized with the AT so when it shifts from "N" to 1st gear the engine's electronic throttle immediately adjusts to the anticipated drag of the torque converter. The same thing occurs as the A/C compressor clicks on which is why it's nearly impossible to detect the on/off cycling of the compressor.
 
Mike - lets take this scenario to a logical conclusion. Assume you're at 55 and either approaching a traffic or a red light or a STOP sign. Either way, you realize you need to slow down and get off the gas. At this point - the car indeed starts to drop speed (road's level). What you're saying is slightly tap the brakes at (say) 5? 6? car lengths away which would cause CX5's brain to start downshifting and thus more rapidly drop speed? This rapidness you're mentioning is basically in comparison to other cars you have driven or know about? Finally, you will have to press the brakes to come to an actual full stop but it's what happens before, is what you're highlighting, correct?
 
Assume you're at 55 and either approaching a traffic or a red light or a STOP sign. Either way, you realize you need to slow down and get off the gas. At this point - the car indeed starts to drop speed (road's level). What you're saying is slightly tap the brakes at (say) 5? 6? car lengths away which would cause CX5's brain to start downshifting and thus more rapidly drop speed? This rapidness you're mentioning is basically in comparison to other cars you have driven or know about? Finally, you will have to press the brakes to come to an actual full stop but it's what happens before, is what you're highlighting, correct?

Assume level, straight roads. When the throttle is released, a CX-5 will begin to slow down and as it loses speed it will naturally downshift into lower and lower gears similar to other cars with an AT. On the other hand, if you briefly tap the brake as soon as you come off the throttle, it will downshift into each lower gear at a higher speed and more engine braking will be applied due to the higher rpm's required. Non-Skyactiv AT's I've driven will not modify their downshifting behavior based upon anything but vehicle speed.

Other conditions will also modify the shift behavior. Take the above scenario but with the road being a steep downgrade. The Skyactiv is fed info from many sensors including sensors that can determine you are on a downgrade. For that reason it will downshift a bit more aggressively yet to help check speed. If the grade is uphill and the brakes are not tapped the downshifts will be less aggressive to maximize uphill coasting. The shift logic also takes cornering into account. If you slow down and turn into a corner, Skyactiv will make sure you are in a low enough gear at the corners exit that you can smoothly accelerate out of it without it being necessary to downshift as you move from brake to accelerator because it will have already downshifted in anticipation of needing to accelerate out of the corner. A non-Skyactiv transmission will wait until you actually step on the throttle to downshift that final gear.

Obviously, yes, if coming to a complete stop you will need to use the brakes at the end to achieve that.
 
Last edited:
Assume level, straight roads. When the throttle is released, a CX-5 will begin to slow down and as it loses speed it will naturally downshift into lower and lower gears similar to other cars with an AT. On the other hand, if you briefly tap the brake as soon as you come off the throttle, it will downshift into each lower gear at a higher speed and more engine braking will be applied due to the higher rpm's required. Non-Skyactiv AT's I've driven will not modify their downshifting behavior based upon anything but vehicle speed.

Other conditions will also modify the shift behavior. Take the above scenario but with the road being a steep downgrade. The Skyactiv is fed info from many sensors including sensors that can determine you are on a downgrade. For that reason it will downshift a bit more aggressively yet to help check speed. If the grade is uphill and the brakes are not tapped the downshifts will be less aggressive to maximize uphill coasting. The shift logic also takes cornering into account. If you slow down and turn into a corner, Skyactiv will make sure you are in a low enough gear at the corners exit that you can smoothly accelerate out of it without it being necessary to downshift as you move from brake to accelerator because it will have already downshifted in anticipation of needing to accelerate out of the corner. A non-Skyactiv transmission will wait until you actually step on the throttle to downshift that final gear.

Obviously, yes, if coming to a complete stop you will need to use the brakes at the end to achieve that.

This is really good and well explained details. Thanks. I MUST try it out, in the sense that try to notice it.
 
Back