2017 doesn't downshift quickly enough, "lugs" when going up a hill

[star-art]

I had a 2009 for many years. We live up on a rather steep hillside and have to climb over a distance of more than 2 miles in order to get home. My 2009 with the Triton V8 handled this process very smoothly. The transmission was always quick to downshift as the grade got steeper. It was almost seamless going up the hill every day.

Now I have a (new to me) 2017 with Ecoboost and I notice it is not nearly as smooth getting up the hill. The transmission seems too slow to downshift and the engine "lugs" -- even if I step on the gas. We had a 2016 Explorer that used to do the same thing. It had paddle shifters on the steering wheel so when I got to a point where the engine started lugging I'd hit the "minus" shifter and force the transmission to downshift into a lower gear.

Unfortunately, the 2017 Expy doesn't have those. It does have "+/-" buttons on the shifter but they don't seem to operate the same way as the paddle shifters on the Explorer. What's the best way to deal with the engine lugging while going uphill? It seems the transmission needs to be a bit more sensitive when it comes to downshift points. Am I going to have to just live with this or should I talk to the dealer about reprogramming?

 

[bobmbx]

Try resetting your PCM and have the tranny re-learn its shifts points that incorporate your driveway.

 

[J Ski]

I had a 2009 for many years. We live up on a rather steep hillside and have to climb over a distance of more than 2 miles in order to get home. My 2009 with the Triton V8 handled this process very smoothly. The transmission was always quick to downshift as the grade got steeper. It was almost seamless going up the hill every day.

Now I have a (new to me) 2017 with Ecoboost and I notice it is not nearly as smooth getting up the hill. The transmission seems too slow to downshift and the engine "lugs" -- even if I step on the gas. We had a 2016 Explorer that used to do the same thing. It had paddle shifters on the steering wheel so when I got to a point where the engine started lugging I'd hit the "minus" shifter and force the transmission to downshift into a lower gear.

Unfortunately, the 2017 Expy doesn't have those. It does have "+/-" buttons on the shifter but they don't seem to operate the same way as the paddle shifters on the Explorer. What's the best way to deal with the engine lugging while going uphill? It seems the transmission needs to be a bit more sensitive when it comes to downshift points. Am I going to have to just live with this or should I talk to the dealer about reprogramming?

Nothing wrong with your truck. Use +/- all the time to go up, hill descent control button when going down. If you keep it in auto, you will be fighting the turbos constantly. They won’t activate until enough air pressure is built up and when they do, you will notice a lunge so to speak. Going up hills, you’ll have a tendency to push the pedal to keep the truck going and you may just be fighting the turbos. Just my opinion

 

[star-art]

According to the owner's manual, the +/- buttons are used to "lock out" certain gears while in Drive. That doesn't help me going up hill, but could be useful when going down hill. It's my understanding that if I put it in "M" for manual that is basically locking me into whatever gear I am currently in, then I have to shift manually using +/-. That could be used to manually downshift while going up a hill, but it's a 2-step process vs just clicking a paddle to downshift on the fly. Not as convenient to be sure. Unless I am misunderstanding how the shifter works?

Thanks!

PS When I say "going up hill" I don't mean a constant grade but rather constantly changing grade/steepness.

 

[J Ski]

According to the owner's manual, the +/- buttons are used to "lock out" certain gears while in Drive. That doesn't help me going up hill, but could be useful when going down hill. It's my understanding that if I put it in "M" for manual that is basically locking me into whatever gear I am currently in, then I have to shift manually using +/-. That could be used to manually downshift while going up a hill, but it's a 2-step process vs just clicking a paddle to downshift on the fly. Not as convenient to be sure. Unless I am misunderstanding how the shifter works?

Thanks!

No you’re right it does need to be in manual unless you can hit them while in automatic drive which I have not tried.

 

[J Ski]

Could be old fashioned turbo lag

 

[oldpaddy]

I had a 2009 for many years. We live up on a rather steep hillside and have to climb over a distance of more than 2 miles in order to get home. My 2009 with the Triton V8 handled this process very smoothly. The transmission was always quick to downshift as the grade got steeper. It was almost seamless going up the hill every day.

Now I have a (new to me) 2017 with Ecoboost and I notice it is not nearly as smooth getting up the hill. The transmission seems too slow to downshift and the engine "lugs" -- even if I step on the gas. We had a 2016 Explorer that used to do the same thing. It had paddle shifters on the steering wheel so when I got to a point where the engine started lugging I'd hit the "minus" shifter and force the transmission to downshift into a lower gear.

Unfortunately, the 2017 Expy doesn't have those. It does have "+/-" buttons on the shifter but they don't seem to operate the same way as the paddle shifters on the Explorer. What's the best way to deal with the engine lugging while going uphill? It seems the transmission needs to be a bit more sensitive when it comes to downshift points. Am I going to have to just live with this or should I talk to the dealer about reprogramming?

You must be mistaken. I've read repeatedly that the ecoboost expy is gods gift to mankind.

 

[star-art]

LOL! Well, the trans shifting program at least leaves something to be desired. We also have an '18 Expy and while that is slightly better going up the hill it still struggles a bit, just like our '16 Explorer did. What do they all have in common? The Ecoboost powertrain. . .

 

[JExpedition07]

I’d agree with bobmbx reset the ecm for the shift points. Mine has never struggled to maintain speed on hills but I’m a 5.4L.

 

[stamp11127]

Force it to relearn the shift points while going up the hills aggressively. Or "drive it like you stole it"...