[nguyenc777]

This could just be me but I bought a 2010 mazda 6 back in late August with a manual transmission (my first manual car). I wouldn't say that I'm the great but I'm not bad either.

Sometime, it would smooth like butter but other times, it would be kind of jerky when driving slow in low gears (2nd and 3rd). For example, when going at about 25mph in 2nd or 3rd, just letting go of the gas would cause it to jerk back and forward and tapping the brake would sometimes cause this too. I've driven my friend's civic and its fine so I would just like to know if anyone else experienced this.

 

[mlauson]

One of the important things to keep in mind is that the two cars are geared much differently. Your friend's civic is a 5 speed with a smaller engine, and you're driving a 6 speed with a larger engine. While the basics of driving them are the same, your "finess" has to change. I don't know what to tell you about the car jerking when you take your foot off the gas, other than every manual car I've ever driven has done this in the lower gears, especially if you're on a flat surface or going downhill when there's very little load on the engine/transmission.

Also, I found that everything is much smoother regarding shifting when I wait until the RPM's are 3000-3500. It took a little getting used to hearing the engine rev like that after driving automatics for so long, but I found that the engine and transmission are in their respective "sweet spots" in that range.

And Lord, is it fun, which is one of the main reasons to buy a stick in the first place.

Hope this helps.

 

[nguyenc777]

Thanks for the input. My problem is simply the harsh buckling experienced sometimes from releasing the throttle. Some more harsh than others. I can upshift just fine but noticed a nudge going from 2nd to 3rd (not smooth like something is blocking it). Other than that, no other problems.

 

[87.626gt]

nguyenc - where are you located? I also feel that the throttle on the car is to too sensitive when you let up or are light on the throttle ( and I've had mazda manuals for 25+ years) - I think some of it maybe that you are new to the car but some of it is the car, electronic throttle etc. Do you experience a hiccup or hesitation if the car is not warmed up (or very cold outside) and you are light on the throttle?

 

[nguyenc777]

I live in Reno Nevada where is does snow. I am very light on the throttle and you are right, there is a little hesitation when it is cold. But if you think that the throttle is sensitive too then thank god it's not just me. Thanks for your comment.

 

[nguyenc777]

I have a nudge feeling when upshifting from 2nd to 3rd gear like something is blocking the gate and slowing down my shifting. I have taken it to the dealer twice and they say they can't reproduce this like always and to keeping driving it and come back it happens again.

I'm going to get a second my opinion tomorrow so I was wondering if anyone else experienced this. This wasn't a big problem before but it's starting to occur more often and is really getting on my nerves.

 

[turdmagnet]

Go farther back in the engine/driveline catagory to the thread Manual Transmission problem on 2010 Mazda 6" for more information on this subject. Dealer replaced my tranny after 18K for this same problem - 3 of 4 shaft bearings were bad. Unfortunately after about 2K its back to the same feeling.

 

[AdamYYZ]

I had a 2002 Civic EX coupe manual (Canadian Si) for 8 years before getting my 2010 Mazda 6 manual. The civic's pedal box was heel-toe perfect and the shifting was nearly effortless to get right once you know the car. You could drive like you were dancing.

My new Mazda still, after 4 months sometimes gets jerky when I dont get things perfect. There is something about the long soft clutch or the throws of the shifter that gets my timing off for smooth driving. I'm borderline OCD and i obsess over perfect shifts always. But with all cars, it takes time to know eachother. I'm sure after 8 years in the Mazda, I will drive a Honda and think how wrong it feels.

I still love driving my Mazda 6 even with its quirks. I'm glad I bought it.

 

[nguyenc777]

It's good to know that I'm not the only one. I'm still struggling to get everything smooth myself; however, some days, the car runs better than others. What I'm saying is that it doesn't seem to jerk as much by simply releasing the gas or applying gas. On good days, everything is butter smooth. Bad days results in abnormal jerks in 2nd and 3rd gears.

 

[CYD]

Similar experience...

Feels like the car has an incredibly heavy fly wheel or something. It takes longer for the rpms to pick up and to slow down.

Also under heavy accelerating if you can't accelerate to red line, you have to cut off before redline because it will surge a few RPMS above when you let off under heavy accel. Likewise at higher rpms it takes longer for the RPMs to drop when down shifting or up shifting. You can't do rapid and smooth shifts because of this. You have to give a half second or so for the rpms to drop before you shift to match the ratios.

 

[Trippp]

Similar experience...

Feels like the car has an incredibly heavy fly wheel or something. It takes longer for the rpms to pick up and to slow down.

Also under heavy accelerating if you can't accelerate to red line, you have to cut off before redline because it will surge a few RPMS above when you let off under heavy accel. Likewise at higher rpms it takes longer for the RPMs to drop when down shifting or up shifting. You can't do rapid and smooth shifts because of this. You have to give a half second or so for the rpms to drop before you shift to match the ratios.

^^^

This.

It does feel like it has a heavy fly wheel. I compensate by slightly pausing between shifts or blipping the throttle as appropriate for down shifts.

The other thing to watch is the shift engagement point in the pedal travel. It feels higher to me than most of my previous Hondas. Be careful not to slowly let the pedal out and then release it half way. Let it out gradually, pause near the top of travel, and then release.

I don't have any issues shifting smoothly. I might be more forgiving of a shudder here and there but I've never had any hard jerky motions.

 

[Mcfly013]

Getting every shift perfect will drive you insane. I still jerk a shift from time to time.
Remember this, if the A/C compressor is running, it engages and disengages, which adds/removes a load on the engine that will drops revs faster when engaged. This is out of your control... but still effects shift timing. Also if the engine is cold, the engine takes longer to drop revs due to the ECM. If you run the car hard, the ECM will disengage the A/C, and make every shift perfect!

This is what I call AI Indeterminacy or never knowing what the ECM will throw at you next. Perfect example of over-engineering.

 

[nguyenc777]

Very insightful information on shifting. Does anyone knows issues with the sensitivity of the car during lower gears. Say when I'm going around 20-25 in 2nd and slowing down for a corner. When releasing the gas (smoothy), the car would jerk a little bit then when applying the breaks, sometimes give a hard nosedive then resume normally. This doesn't just happens when applying the breaks, sometimes just by simply not applying gas. Happens usually in 2nd and 3rd gear. This is what irritates me most. Doesn't happen all the time but often enough to become a problem.

 

[87.626gt]

hard to drive

I've been dealing with this with Mazda since I bought my car- they claim that the ECU is invoking an ignition timing retard and that it typically happens when the car is cold. I can say that it happens a lot more from about late October/November to April here in Maine. During the summer it's happens a lot less to almost not at all when it's hot out no matter how "cold" the engine is. I've been advised that all cars do this however my beef w/Mazda is as follows:

1) I test drove Jetta & Legacy manuals at the same time and none of them exhibited this "jerkiness" "hesitation" when cold. Neither did my last two mazdas and the last car I can recall doing this was from the late 70s when ECU was not around
2) Mazda would not tell me what is causing the ECU to invoke the ignition timing retard as some sensor or combination of sensors must be sending signals that causes the ECU to set off the retard. So the retard maybe the symptom of the defect or design flaw
3) It's not acceptable that in 2009 a car drives so differently in the cold vs. warm.

Any decent mechanic can put a monitor on your car and record the retards. the problem is what's causing the retards and so far Mazdas not saying, admiting or fixing.

 

[6Y MAZDA]

Lol retards... sorry I can't help but laugh when reading that

 

[bloodburn5]

Lol retards... sorry I can't help but laugh when reading that

Agreed...lawl

 

[BigAlDJ]

Shouldn't be so picky about a standard. They have better acceleration (therefore more deceleration) due to clutch not slipping like an automatic.
Standards are "more fun to drive".

 

[nguyenc777]

87.626gt

Did you ever get it fixed. I have about 1000mi left before my next oil change. I'm going to talk to them about it then.

 

[87.626gt]

bguyenc777 - they reflashed my chip I believe shortly after I got the car but they continued after the weather turned cold. It improved somewhat, but it continued til the weather warmed up. Then it went away or the retard was not as abrupt so they were not so easy to identify but they returned in the fall and have only gotten harder and more abrupt at the weather got colder.

BigAIDJ -

1) Welcome to 2011 where there are many automatics that accelerate as fast if not faster than manuals, get better mileage etc.
2) From the posts it's pretty clear most of us choose the manual because we like em and not because we wanted to have problems. besides at least with my car and I'm betting Nguyenc777 it's the ECU and not the gearbox.

 

[Mcfly013]

Can't argue that. When engibeering an engine to an automatic transmission, the variables are minimal because everything is predetermined by the factory. The human is the variable in a std transmission the creates programming issues with the ECU. The lack of consistency screws 'em up. The stick is being 'phased out' for a reason... the on boardcomputer can't control it.