FatalException
Member
Been lurking for while, so I know that the transmissions are an issue here. Please don't need to tell me to search, I've done my searches and research - my symptoms don't 100% align with others so I wanted to create a fresh place to document my questions vs hijacking someone else's thread. Might be my first post here, but not new to forums and how they work. Thanks in advance for constructive feedback and advice.
I have a 2020 Limited 4x4 with the HD tow package, just under 80k miles at time of posting. I bought it about 10 months ago with just shy of 70k miles, and didn't notice any weird behavior at the time beyond issue (1) and (2) below. I just chalked those up to just being how it was, but now I'm less sure. I usually drive around in normal drive mode (2wd, not sport etc.). I've been having the following issues:
(1) Since I bought it, its been "slow" shifting from Drive to Reverse, as well as the opposite. As in, when I back out my driveway, stop, shift to Drive and hit the gas, it just kinda sits there. Almost like it forgot to change the gear. It doesn't do it ALL the time, but most of the time. It also doesn't free rev like its in Neutral, but seems to hold itself as thought it realized its completed the gear change. This is an issue as I live on a road that people routinely ignore the speed limit upon, so there are times I need to be on my way swiftly... I've had people all but drive up my rear end as in my previous vehicles I'd have been long gone before this one decides to give me Drive. I've been backing into the driveway when I can, just so I can leave under power without switching gears. A workaround (that i dislike doing, as I'm not unconvinced it won't do more harm than help) is to click Neutral as I've got enough momentum to get outta the drive, and hit Drive right as I stop. That seems to force the gear change faster.
(2) At certain times, and under certain loads / rates of acceleration, it "clunks" going into 4th gear. It often does the skip-shift thing of 1-3-5, and I don't feel those shifts. But when I'm in sport mode, or accelerating at a brisk pace where it does use 4th, it occasionally clunks. I don't notice a flare, it doesn't seem like it drops to Neutral, but I can tell you it went into 4th by the feel.
(3) I recently completed a 1,500+ road trip with the family into the Smokies of TN (rental house was WAY in the hills, like 14% grade switchback kinda hills). It seems the trans loved to select 3rd gear and slip the hell outta the clutch (or whatever this automatic uses in place of a clutch) vs downshifting and locking up. Is that normal? This is my first Ford product, and first car in a while that wasn't a manual transmission that I could force into whatever gear I wanted.
(4) As I was withing a hundred or so miles of home returning from the trip, I became aware I can feel it shifting into 8th gear as well. This one IS a flare shift. It jumps up in RPM by 3-500, then clunks down into gear. Normally under light acceleration, but has done it it every single time since I first noticed the issue. This one is the most concerning to me, honestly - its the only one I can't modify my habits to avoid... and based on my knowledge of auto transmissions, is also a potential symptom of impending failure.
It seems like SOME of those align with the common CDF drum issues. Some of them align with common automatic transmission issues. Some of them are just weird quirky issues I originally chalked up to how this transmission operates. However, examining the constellation of all the symptoms, I'm somewhat concerned. I do NOT have an extended warranty at the moment, but I'm considering obtaining one as I have a feeling my trans is going to leave the chat sooner rather than later. Anything I can do to remedy this myself? I've heard that resetting the trans adaptative learning tables can help, as well as turning off the ability to learn via Forscan. But will doing those cause issues IF I end up getting the extended warranty? I'm mechanically inclined (engineer by trade) and love turning my own wrenches on my previous vehicles, so I'm not afraid of getting dirty and getting my hands in there. Just looking for some advice on how best to proceed / prepare.
Oh look, I wrote a novel. Thanks for attending my TED talk and all that. If you made it this far, I appreciate your dedication and hope you can offer some good advice. Thanks in advance yall.
I have a 2020 Limited 4x4 with the HD tow package, just under 80k miles at time of posting. I bought it about 10 months ago with just shy of 70k miles, and didn't notice any weird behavior at the time beyond issue (1) and (2) below. I just chalked those up to just being how it was, but now I'm less sure. I usually drive around in normal drive mode (2wd, not sport etc.). I've been having the following issues:
(1) Since I bought it, its been "slow" shifting from Drive to Reverse, as well as the opposite. As in, when I back out my driveway, stop, shift to Drive and hit the gas, it just kinda sits there. Almost like it forgot to change the gear. It doesn't do it ALL the time, but most of the time. It also doesn't free rev like its in Neutral, but seems to hold itself as thought it realized its completed the gear change. This is an issue as I live on a road that people routinely ignore the speed limit upon, so there are times I need to be on my way swiftly... I've had people all but drive up my rear end as in my previous vehicles I'd have been long gone before this one decides to give me Drive. I've been backing into the driveway when I can, just so I can leave under power without switching gears. A workaround (that i dislike doing, as I'm not unconvinced it won't do more harm than help) is to click Neutral as I've got enough momentum to get outta the drive, and hit Drive right as I stop. That seems to force the gear change faster.
(2) At certain times, and under certain loads / rates of acceleration, it "clunks" going into 4th gear. It often does the skip-shift thing of 1-3-5, and I don't feel those shifts. But when I'm in sport mode, or accelerating at a brisk pace where it does use 4th, it occasionally clunks. I don't notice a flare, it doesn't seem like it drops to Neutral, but I can tell you it went into 4th by the feel.
(3) I recently completed a 1,500+ road trip with the family into the Smokies of TN (rental house was WAY in the hills, like 14% grade switchback kinda hills). It seems the trans loved to select 3rd gear and slip the hell outta the clutch (or whatever this automatic uses in place of a clutch) vs downshifting and locking up. Is that normal? This is my first Ford product, and first car in a while that wasn't a manual transmission that I could force into whatever gear I wanted.
(4) As I was withing a hundred or so miles of home returning from the trip, I became aware I can feel it shifting into 8th gear as well. This one IS a flare shift. It jumps up in RPM by 3-500, then clunks down into gear. Normally under light acceleration, but has done it it every single time since I first noticed the issue. This one is the most concerning to me, honestly - its the only one I can't modify my habits to avoid... and based on my knowledge of auto transmissions, is also a potential symptom of impending failure.
It seems like SOME of those align with the common CDF drum issues. Some of them align with common automatic transmission issues. Some of them are just weird quirky issues I originally chalked up to how this transmission operates. However, examining the constellation of all the symptoms, I'm somewhat concerned. I do NOT have an extended warranty at the moment, but I'm considering obtaining one as I have a feeling my trans is going to leave the chat sooner rather than later. Anything I can do to remedy this myself? I've heard that resetting the trans adaptative learning tables can help, as well as turning off the ability to learn via Forscan. But will doing those cause issues IF I end up getting the extended warranty? I'm mechanically inclined (engineer by trade) and love turning my own wrenches on my previous vehicles, so I'm not afraid of getting dirty and getting my hands in there. Just looking for some advice on how best to proceed / prepare.
Oh look, I wrote a novel. Thanks for attending my TED talk and all that. If you made it this far, I appreciate your dedication and hope you can offer some good advice. Thanks in advance yall.
