Why does my Mazda CX-90 shift jerky or clunk at low speeds?

Short answer: Many CX-90 owners with jerky or knocking low-speed shifts say a dealer software update or transmission reset and relearn made it smoother. Mazda has told some PHEV owners that a grunt on the 1-2 shift is normal. Run your VIN anyway: recalls cover software that can cause loss of drive power.

Symptom: At parking-lot and stop-and-go speeds it jerks, knocks or clunks between gears, or makes a grunt or hoot on certain shifts.

What to check first

1. Run your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask the dealer for any open software updates.
2. Ask whether a transmission reset and relearn has been done.
3. Take a short video with sound of the shift that bothers you, for the service advisor.
4. Note whether it's worse cold, on the PHEV in EV mode, or at a certain speed.

Likely causes

1. Transmission and engine control software. Mazda has released software updates for these cars. Owners say an update made shifts smoother.
2. Transmission needs a reset and relearn. The computer learns how to engage each clutch. A reset plus reprogramming helped one owner.
3. Normal noise from the clutch-based design. The CX-90's 8-speed uses a clutch instead of a torque converter. A torque converter is the fluid coupling most automatics use to smooth starts, so this design can feel more abrupt.

What it usually costs

Owners in these threads had updates done under warranty and didn't post prices.

Is it safe to keep driving?

A rough shift by itself usually isn't a safety problem. A sudden loss of drive power is; if you get that or warning lights, stop safely and call the dealer.

DIY or shop?

No. Software and relearns are dealer work, covered by warranty on cars this new.

Recalls, bulletins and complaints in plain words

• Recalls: 23V719000 (2024 PHEV: software can shut down the system and cause loss of drive power) and 24V815000 (engine computer software that can set the check engine light and cause loss of drive power). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If your car is part of a recall, the dealer fixes it for free.
• Plain words: The complaint count below shows how often owners reported problems that mention these words to NHTSA. A count is not proof of a defect.
• NHTSA complaints: 6 keyword-matched complaints for Mazda CX-90 2024–2025 (of 35 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-30; keywords: transmission, shift, jerk, clunk, hesitat) (NHTSA returned no data for 1 model-year queries). This counts complaints that mention these words. It is not a defect finding.

What owners report

• In Transmission is not smooth, jerking/knocking on low speeds on Mazda CX-90 Forum, an owner said the jerking and knocking at low speeds was fixed by a dealer software update in July 2024.
• In 1-to-2 shift grunt noise under medium to aggressive throttle (PHEV) on Mazda CX-90 Forum, PHEV owners described a grunt on the 1-2 shift. One shared that a Mazda service alert says the noise is normal, and one owner found shifting manually with the paddles avoided it.
• In Transmission noise on Mazda CX-90 Forum, an owner said a dealer resetting the transmission and reprogramming the engine and transmission computers helped, while others still heard a hoot on the 5-6 shift.

Quick tip

Get the software up to date before you decide something's broken. Most of what owners describe here improved with updates.

Vehicle focus: Mazda CX-90, 2024-2025, 3.3 turbo and PHEV with the 8-speed automatic.

Safety / mechanic note

Loss of drive power is a safety item. Verify with a mechanic.