Has anyone had a smooth shifting 10 speed? Do they all do the occasional clunk?

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ryanpe

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I have a '21 Limited bought new with 55K on the clock and 26K of that towing a 6000# travel trailer. I have experienced clunking twice since purchased, both times during a downshift (don't know the gear) slowing from a highway speed. My biggest complaint is when it sits outside below 30 degrees, I have experienced a neutral-out during the first 3 min of operation. Not every time but it's happens occasionally. Nerve racking!
 

LG_123

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Our 2019 max platinum has rough shifts sometimes in very cold weather, particularly when coasting to a stop. It's never a problem when it's all warmed up after driving for a few minutes. Yesterday in -15 temps, it got stuck in 4th gear for a few minutes until I shut it off and back on again. So I hope this doesn't mean the beginning of the end!
 

Mr Big

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I have a '21 Limited bought new with 55K on the clock and 26K of that towing a 6000# travel trailer. I have experienced clunking twice since purchased, both times during a downshift (don't know the gear) slowing from a highway speed. My biggest complaint is when it sits outside below 30 degrees, I have experienced a neutral-out during the first 3 min of operation. Not every time but it's happens occasionally. Nerve racking
I did a little research:


So basically, warm up the engine until the gauge shows good. This will ensure the tranny fluid got warmed up. Then you can drive safely without possibly damaging the transmission.
 
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4CHN8

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2020 Plat Max here. Thumped on occasional shifts between 4/5 and 8/9, started around 20k miles. Usually light throttle, lower speeds. Mentioned to the dealer over the course of a few oil changes, had a two week vacation that I scheduled to leave it with them for. It has been excellent since. I can find the paperwork and see exactly what they did to fix it.

I may be cautious, but there was no way I would keep one of these outside of the warranty. ESP was just not that expensive.
 

jera0005

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I have a 2019 Expedition, and definitely experienced the hard upshifting and downshifting in the 3-4-5 gears at low speeds and light throttle. Speeds around 15-30 mph. It happened often when driving through neighborhoods. I took it in under warranty and they reprogrammed it according to TSB 22-2139 (4/21/22). There probably is a newer TSB now. The reprogramming worked, I was shocked! They didn't have to do any physical repairs to the transmission. It's been shifting smoothly for two years now.
 

tommyboy

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yea, I'm not happy with the clunking I experience. I try to not accelerate hard, but it still occasionally happens. I dont remember it for my 2017 Limited, but for my 2020 Limited Max Stealth, its definitely there.
 
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mparks

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My 2019 XLT was bad. It had a really hard downshift and switching into reverse took in around 6700 miles. And they fixed it. Now has 57k and noticed it shifting really hard between 20-40 mph and sometimes would accelerate and go nowhere. Took it in under powertrain (thank God) and had over $4k of work done. There was a tsb 23-2350 I think and they couldn’t get it fixed with the resets. I will have to look at my paperwork and see exactly what they did but I know it was replacing clutch and something else. It has been doing great since . But the service guy said he had 10 expeditions waiting to have transmission work done. Hello maybe Ford should realize something is up. Guess it is the 10-speed they changed too.
 

3rd Expyowner123

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My 2018 Expy with 92,000 miles will hesitate and rough shift in the 2-4 gears right after pulling out of my driveway. The shift sequence is typically normal after the first up shift.
 
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20Expy

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I try to not accelerate hard, but it still occasionally happens.
For me, it never happens when accelerating moderately to aggressively. Only when lightly on the gas, but rpms are too low to get anywhere, so it had to clunk a downshift.
 

Dice Roll

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Mine has been great other than two hard shifts on cold days. I think 3-4 and 5-6 do it. No other symptoms. I will probably ask that the fluid level be checked next oil change. Many have been found a quart or more low from factory.
 

image98

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I have a 2019 Limited and a 2017 Gen 2 Raptor. Both vehicles have the 10 speed. I've never experienced any clunk, but yeah sometimes I feel a slight shutter in the shifting. I've always thought it to be the torque converter locking or unlocking before or after a shift. Since there are so many gears, the pattern can be eratic if the TCU is calling for another up or downshift prior to locking the torque converter. Just my guess.
 
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ROBERT BONNER

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I have a 20 MAX FX4 and I am in exactly the same situation as 20Expy. Mine is seemingly random. I can't repeat a harsh shift on a bet. I have 45,000 miles on it and I know i've driven 5000+ at a time without a harsh shift. But, when it does it, I always look in the rearview mirror to see if there are any parts on the pavement, it's that jarring. Because of the long stretches in between, I wonder if part of it is relearning after a big voltage drop on the battery, simulating a disconnect, since mine goes through driving cycles that take the battery down.

My trepidation relative to giving the keys to a dealer borders on clinical paranoia due to previous experiences. In my mind, I literally balance paying for a new transmission at my own expense, installed by me, vs. trying to engage a dealer in a rational conversation about harsh shifting with no codes that can't be reproduced. In 45,000 miles, I've probably experienced 20 or 30 harsh shifts. Always at tip in, moderate speed, mid gears. I've owned more than 70 new vehicles with automatics in 45 years and this one is the worst.

On the other end of the spectrum, I have a '22 F150 FX4 PowerBoost Hybrid with a 10 speed. Best, smoothest, most positive shifting transmission I've driven, ever. With few exceptions I have to watch the tach and the gear indicator to know when it shifts under any condition.

I have a few more months to decide.
 
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20Expy

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I have a 20 MAX FX4 and I am in exactly the same situation as 20Expy. Mine is seemingly random. I can't repeat a harsh shift on a bet. I have 45,000 miles on it and I know i've driven 5000+ at a time without a harsh shift. But, when it does it, I always look in the rearview mirror to see if there are any parts on the pavement, it's that jarring. Because of the long stretches in between, I wonder if part of it is relearning after a big voltage drop on the battery, simulating a disconnect, since mine goes through driving cycles that take the battery down.

My trepidation relative to giving the keys to a dealer borders on clinical paranoia due to previous experiences. In my mind, I literally balance paying for a new transmission at my own expense, installed by me, vs. trying to engage a dealer in a rational conversation about harsh shifting with no codes that can't be reproduced. In 45,000 miles, I've probably experienced 20 or 30 harsh shifts. Always at tip in, moderate speed, mid gears. I've owned more than 70 new vehicles with automatics in 45 years and this one is the worst.

On the other end of the spectrum, I have a '22 F150 FX4 PowerBoost Hybrid with a 10 speed. Best, smoothest, most positive shifting transmission I've driven, ever. With few exceptions I have to watch the tach and the gear indicator to know when it shifts under any condition.

I have a few more months to decide.
That is THE EXACT SAME situation as ours, during tip in and downshifts. I think ours happen more frequent than every 5000 miles, though are softer than you describe. Hard ones are rare. Do you know when yours is built? Ours is built around the end of 2019.
 

techdude99

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I had the occasional clunk during shifts and (less frequently) from Park to Drive. Made me get the Ford ESP for peace of mind.
 

dlcorbett

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Mines would do an odd shift where it felt like it would get stuck in neutral for a hlf second, then slam into gear, like the computer couldnt decide what gear to go into. Sometimes, it would do some weird low speed shifts from 2 - 5 and down. It would also make a clunk noise during some shifts. When i took it to the dealer, i made a mention of this to them. They reflashed the tranny pcm. The dealer charged me for it because they said they couldn't feel a clunk or odd shift so didnt want to tell the warranty company to cover it. BS! They declined to mention they were going to charge me for the fix until after they gave me my truck back. Anyway, right now, the transmission is creamy with the shifts, nothing odd yet. It's still in the learning phase, so hopefully it can improve the shift feel. I'm trying to get it to learn in all the drive modes I use it in by changing the modes everytime i drive it, so hopefully it's smooth in all modes.
 

Mr Big

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Mines would do an odd shift where it felt like it would get stuck in neutral for a hlf second, then slam into gear, like the computer couldnt decide what gear to go into. Sometimes, it would do some weird low speed shifts from 2 - 5 and down. It would also make a clunk noise during some shifts. When i took it to the dealer, i made a mention of this to them. They reflashed the tranny pcm. The dealer charged me for it because they said they couldn't feel a clunk or odd shift so didnt want to tell the warranty company to cover it. BS! They declined to mention they were going to charge me for the fix until after they gave me my truck back. Anyway, right now, the transmission is creamy with the shifts, nothing odd yet. It's still in the learning phase, so hopefully it can improve the shift feel. I'm trying to get it to learn in all the drive modes I use it in by changing the modes everytime i drive it, so hopefully it's smooth in all modes.
All the dealer did was erase the pcm memory, putting the vehicle into new/learn mode. Next time save the money and do it yourself. I actually do it every 6 months. Huge difference every time. It's amazing how our driving habits affect the performance.
 

Hellwig

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All the dealer did was erase the pcm memory, putting the vehicle into new/learn mode. Next time save the money and do it yourself. I actually do it every 6 months. Huge difference every time. It's amazing how our driving habits affect the performance.
Your vehicle model year is 2022 and prior? I checked Forscan website, they do not support 2023 and 2024 yet. By the way, if dealership could be aware of what you did, will your transmission warranty be voided?
 

ROBERT BONNER

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That is THE EXACT SAME situation as ours, during tip in and downshifts. I think ours happen more frequent than every 5000 miles, though are softer than you describe. Hard ones are rare. Do you know when yours is built? Ours is built around the end of 2019.
July/August of 20, a COVID baby.
 
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