2004 Mazda RX-8 Owner's Manual - Page 100

J60E_8R65-EA-03C_Edition2.book Page 9 Saturday, April 26, 2003 1:48 PM Driving Your Mazda Starting and Driving M Recommendations for Shifting Upshifting For normal acceleration, we recommend these shift points. 1 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 5 to 6 23 km/h (14 mph) 35 km/h (22 mph) 47 km/h (29 mph) 58 km/h (36 mph) 74 km/h (46 mph) WARNING Sudden Engine-Braking: 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. Do not use sudden engine braking on slippery road surfaces or at high speeds. For cruising 1 to 2 2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 5 to 6 23 km/h (14 mph) 34 km/h (21 mph) 45 km/h (28 mph) 56 km/h (35 mph) 68 km/h (42 mph) CAUTION • Keep your foot off the clutch pedal except when shifting gears. Also, don't use the clutch to hold the vehicle on an upgrade. Riding the clutch will cause needless clutch wear and damage. • Make sure the vehicle comes to a complete stop before shifting to R. Shifting to R while the vehicle is still moving may damage the transmission. NOTE Downshifting When you must slow down in heavy traffic or on a steep upgrade , downshift before the engine starts to overwork. This reduces the chance of stalling and gives better acceleration when you need more speed. On a steep downgrade , downshifting helps maintain safe speed and prolongs brake life. If shifting to R is difficult, shift into neutral, release the clutch pedal, and try again. 5-9 Form No. 8R65-EA-03C