[SteveWy]

Have a newbie question. It says that the automatic is a six speed, but when I put it in 'sport' mode and use the paddles, it only goes to 4th gear. ....so, I am assuming the the 5th and 6th gears are in the 'non-sport' mode??...probably should read my manual..0

 

[TomM]

To get 5th and 6th gears, you first have to beat the boss in 4th gear and then insert another quarter.

:laugh:

 

[JFernald]

Have a newbie question. It says that the automatic is a six speed, but when I put it in 'sport' mode and use the paddles, it only goes to 4th gear. ....so, I am assuming the the 5th and 6th gears are in the 'non-sport' mode??...probably should read my manual..0

One issue is that if your engine revs are not high enough, it won't shift up to the next gear. Try getting the revs up and see it it will shift up. If not, take it to the dealer. Something is wrong.

 

[RBH58]

One issue is that if your engine revs are not high enough, it won't shift up to the next gear. Try getting the revs up and see it it will shift up. If not, take it to the dealer. Something is wrong.

If it won't accept 5th at say 45mph, (and especially if you command it to via the paddles) there is something wrong.

 

[SteveWy]

Thanks all ...yes, that very well could be the answer, cause I was driving in town, in 30 to 40 mph areas....:|

 

[Unknownsir]

most auto trans with a manual shift option will electronically prevent an upshift or downshift to a certain gear until certain criteria are met, like traveling at a high enough speed that that gear would be appropriate without engine being in proper power range to handle. the same is true with downshifts, you can't manually shift the trans into first gear when traveling at 55mph. if i remember correctly both 5th and 6th gears are less than a 1:1 ratio, overdrive gears would only be appropriate at highway speeds. to prevent engine lugging they would likely lock you out of those gear if you are accelerating and also likely not until you are going fast enough. i would go test out what gear it seems to let you shift into those gear for myself but i already put my car into storage in prep for the coming snow.

 

[SteveWy]

Thanks all ...yes, that very well could be the answer, cause I was driving in town, in 30 to 40 mph areas....:|

I might add a little caveat, I am coming away from a 2010 manual MX5 solely for the purpose of my wife enjoying the thrill of driving a sports car. I do not miss shifting .... am loving this Abarth, but looking out the window today at 2 to 5" of white stuff.

 

[Unknownsir]

that dang white stuff ruining all our fun, lol

 

[PureAdrenaline]

If it won't accept 5th at say 45mph, (and especially if you command it to via the paddles) there is something wrong.

The algorithms in this tranny are pretty interesting. Most likely to try to keep the rpms up to keep the turbo spooling. It will not accept a gear change to 5th at 45mph. It will take around 50 to make that change. Its pretty much that way all through the gears. A little more throttle than you would expect. Also when you come down in speed it will downshift sooner than one would expect. Personally I like it as it keeps it in the sweet spot of the rpm band(turbo spooling sooner). Just give it a little more gas it will shift. >

 

[RBH58]

In "manual mode" it should do what its bloody well told. I understand preventing a downshift to protect from over revving, but a "sporting auto" should never ever auto upshift. In manual mode the driver should be in command.

 

[PureAdrenaline]

In "manual mode" it should do what its bloody well told. I understand preventing a downshift to protect from over revving, but a "sporting auto" should never ever auto upshift. In manual mode the driver should be in command.

You are correct... it will not auto upshift in manual...you can run it all the way to redline till it cuts off the injectors. However it does prevent shifts to the next gear that are "too" low in the rpm band.

 

[Unknownsir]

I don't know about the 124 as i haven't tried but i remember early in the days of autostick cars like the 93 Chrysler 300 the autotrans did idiot proof shifts even when in manual shift mode. if you were accelerating and had redlined trying to do 45 in first gear it would auto up-shift to save the trans from getting fried, also when slowing down if you forgot to downshift you couldn't come to a stop and still be in 4th gear it would shift down to second when near stopped and then into first once fully stopped. i think this type of fail safe is prudent on the car manufacturers part to prevent people detonating their trans.

 

[PureAdrenaline]

I don't know about the 124 as i haven't tried but i remember early in the days of autostick cars like the 93 Chrysler 300 the autotrans did idiot proof shifts even when in manual shift mode. if you were accelerating and had redlined trying to do 45 in first gear it would auto up-shift to save the trans from getting fried, also when slowing down if you forgot to downshift you couldn't come to a stop and still be in 4th gear it would shift down to second when near stopped and then into first once fully stopped. i think this type of fail safe is prudent on the car manufacturers part to prevent people detonating their trans.

I don't know about 1st gear but I can tell you for a fact that 2nd gear will not automatically upshift when in manual mode. You can run it right into redline where it shuts down.>

 

[kpoling]

I don't know about the 124 as i haven't tried but i remember early in the days of autostick cars like the 93 Chrysler 300 the autotrans did idiot proof shifts even when in manual shift mode. if you were accelerating and had redlined trying to do 45 in first gear it would auto up-shift to save the trans from getting fried, also when slowing down if you forgot to downshift you couldn't come to a stop and still be in 4th gear it would shift down to second when near stopped and then into first once fully stopped. i think this type of fail safe is prudent on the car manufacturers part to prevent people detonating their trans.

The manual mode of the auto on the 124 will hold gear up to redline. If you try to do anything beyond that the ECU cuts fuel to prevent damage (I imagine it does the same in the stick manual). I've tried it a few times at this point.

 

[JFernald]

I don't know about the 124 as i haven't tried but i remember early in the days of autostick cars like the 93 Chrysler 300 the autotrans did idiot proof shifts even when in manual shift mode. if you were accelerating and had redlined trying to do 45 in first gear it would auto up-shift to save the trans from getting fried, also when slowing down if you forgot to downshift you couldn't come to a stop and still be in 4th gear it would shift down to second when near stopped and then into first once fully stopped. i think this type of fail safe is prudent on the car manufacturers part to prevent people detonating their trans.

I've fully tested it and it will not up-shift, no matter what, but it will always down-shift.

 

[RBH58]

Auto upshifts in manual mode should NEVER happen. It's in MANUAL mode. The tranny should do what it's told. If I want to bounce it off the limiter in MANUAL mode, that should be my decision...not the transmissions decision to make. I get protecting from over revving on a downshift, but that should be the limit of it's governance,

Sounds like Abarth at got it right.

 

[JFernald]

Since it is the same transmission in the Classica, Lusso and Abarth, Mazda got it right.