Hi All, I bought a 2017 Ford Expedition XLT about a year ago now with 32k miles. It now has roughly 43k miles. This unit came from Canada to the US. Not sure if that matters. I love the vehicle, but the shifting is rough. It's slow to shift and there has been a few times when really cold that it actually jolted me to the point that it made me lurch forward pretty hard. Down shifting occasionally makes a big clunk too. Especially around fourth gear although it can do it in any gear depending. I understand it may shift harder when cold, but it just doesn't sound right. My mechanic believes it may have cold weather programming and recommended that I have the Ford dealer reflash it with different software. My question is does that sound even remotely possible, because our local Ford dealer SUCKS.. They charge $70.00 regardless just to look at it. And if they can't replicate the issue they won't do a thing. Please let me know your thoughts.
Transmission Shifting
- Thread starter Nate03
- Start date
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I bought a 17 xlt in May with 32k miles and mine also now has 43k on the clock. 99% of the time it shifts fine but every now and then it will downshift funny but it is soo rare I don't notice. That's just the nature of the 6r80. I've had it jn 2 F150s and they were the same. For almost all of my ownership I was running a 5 star tow/haul tune which initially improved the shifting characteristics. But last month I returned to stock after the truck started lugging really badly and not wanting to downshift without liberal application of throttle. Now it's fine and happy again I'll tune it again in a few months when camping season starts and I have a trailer following me through the mountains.
montecarlo31
Full Access Members
Try flushing the 6R80 and filling with Amsoil LV synthetic. I did that on a few 6R80s and it made a world of difference.
Interesting. I guess I didn’t expect to have to do anything like that. Is there any validity to the cold set up that you are aware of?
Should I do this in addition to a flash of the software
I have never heard of a climate-based ECM programming. Ever. Once a vehicle warms up, the only temp-related variable it cares about is air temp for the fuel-air mix.
Imagine all the snowbirds arriving in FL and finding out they need to re-flash their ECMs, and then do it again when they get home.
Since you bought it used, I would do a complete ECM/PCM reset to clear all the learned values. Follow this guide:
JExpedition07
That One Member
The battery was weak in my 07’ last week so I went to the dealer and grabbed a new Motorcraft battery and installed. My trans generally shifts good but has had some odd hiccups lately.
Point is the battery being replaced reset something because the trans has been silky smooth with good shifts. No more hiccups.
Point is the battery being replaced reset something because the trans has been silky smooth with good shifts. No more hiccups.
1955moose
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Everything involving shifting and running is so dependent on a proper functional battery/charging system, on all modern vehicles. The fact that his vehicle is only a year and half old, should rule out a bad battery, although it's possible. Before we get into another 35 plus posts here, is your vehicle under some kind of warranty? If so, let's let the selling dealer/lot figure it out.
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Agreed but my local dealer sucks and charges 70 to just look at it. I wish I had a better dealer closet
CaptOchs
Full Access Members
Almost makes me wonder if someone did a transmission service but used the wrong fluid.
jrc50
Full Access Members
Suggest see my posts on recent transmission failure on my 2017 Limited with 13K miles. Started shifting rough or seeming to pop out of gear. Ford dealer had to replace valve body in transmission, so far works ok but really concerns us on a vehicle supposed to be long lasting even if under warranty!
We use it only for long distance drives (10-12 hours), never towed anything. I have not had a transmission failure since mid 80's Oldsmobiles! One reason I bought the leftover 17 versus 18 was I did not want a first year 10 speed transmission, boy was I surprised!
We use it only for long distance drives (10-12 hours), never towed anything. I have not had a transmission failure since mid 80's Oldsmobiles! One reason I bought the leftover 17 versus 18 was I did not want a first year 10 speed transmission, boy was I surprised!
Trainmaster
Old School Member
Wouldn't worry too much if just the valve body was changed. Probably a defective servo or such. I think you should be fine.
Stotadude
Active Member
I bought a '17 Expy Limited program vehicle and it now has just under 70k miles. I love it and it drives like new, but occasionally when I am accelerating slowly and get to about 23mph, it upshifts from 2nd to 3rd and makes a little clunk and jerk. BUT if I do a normal acceleration like when I am aiming for 50mph, then it shifts quiet and smooth all the way up. Seems to be just an oddity.
2010ELExpy4x4
Well-Known Member
Our 2010 had the same issue seems there was a TSB or alert about a flash program, data said ours had the flash but when they checked it wasn't there,they installed it, issue solved. Don't know if that would pertain to a 2017 (seems like they would have figured it out by then).
I also did a fluid/filter change, seemed to make some difference in shift quality.
I also did a fluid/filter change, seemed to make some difference in shift quality.
Mine does exactly the same. It's almost like popping a clutch a little too quick in a manual transmission. It happens once and not again on that drive. I only noticed it when driving through our apartment complex when it was cold. Even when I get to the stop sign to turn onto the street and it down shifts and goes back up again, no bump. On the street no issue. The stop sign is only a few hundred feet of where this occurs and it doesn't always do it to begin with. I should hope a truck transmission is over engineered enough to handle it.
Gixxer410
New Member
My 2015 is doing the same thing in third gear. I’m at 94k miles and when I’m just driving along like normal it seems like the TC clutch goes into lockup way too early, it almost wants to fall on it’s face rpm wise but still keeps moving. If I’m hot on the gas or even moderately into the pedal it shifts just fine. I’ve had the latest update done and they also reset the TCM and it was better until it relearned it’s self. Gonna try a fluid swap this weekend if the snow will stay away and see if it helps.
