Driving Your Mazda
5-23
Shift patterns with overdrive:
f
D = 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (4R44E)
f
D = 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th (5R55E)
2 = 2nd
1 = 1st
Shift patterns without overdrive:
D = 1st, 2nd, 3rd (4R44E)
D = 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (5R55E)
2 = 2nd
1 = 1st
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Driving Tips
t
Passing
For extra power when passing another
vehicle or climbing steep grades, depress
the accelerator fully. The 4R44E trans-
mission will automatically downshift
to the appropriate gear; third, second, or
first. The 5R55E transmission will auto-
matically downshift to the appropriate
gear; fourth, third, second or first.
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Climbing steep grades from a stop
To climb a steep grade from a stopped
position:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Shift to
f
D or 1 (First) depending on
load weight and grade steepness.
3. Release all brakes while gradually
accelerating.
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Power braking
Increasing the engine speed above idle
without vehicle movement (such as hold-
ing the brake) in a forward gear causes
transmission stall.
NOTE
Continued operation in the stall con-
dition can result in transmission over-
heat, malfunction or fluid expulsion.