Transmission Shudder after Transmission Service at Dealer

[Alex Lopez]

This is what cylinder 4 misfire at 45mph that resembles transmission shudder looks like on torque with bluetooth obd2. will not throw a code unless you let it go for a while and then it starts bucking at 45. you will see the count go up as the events occur. so if you are experiencing the transmission event and you are getting zero misfires then it is not going to be coils. there are several results per cylinder so look at all the data before concluding that none of the cylinders are misfiring...

 

[WiscoGus]

Alex thank you for the insight! My Torque Pro app showed zero misfires on any cylinder.

@BlackCoffee the thing I keep getting hung up on with the fluid is mixing 2 different types. All the literature online that Motorcraft publishes shows that LV and SP are incompatible. Even on their transmission fluid chart they publish shows that SP is what is needed for that year/model trans. I would imagine everything would be okay if they used all of one or the other. But when Motorcraft publishes info on their website that is easy to find, it makes it difficult for a customer to trust their dealer if their dealer is saying something else or appears to be misinformed

 

[Dustin Gebhardt]

Here is my Blackstone report on my 2007 with 253000 miles currently on it. I bought her with 211,000 miles in April 2016. At that time, shifting through the gears was jerky and slow to engage. Based upon the initial oil report, I feel that she still had the factory fill. I went through a series of fluid changes. I can't recall what fluid type is shown at 216k and 233k (either Motorcraft SP or SP or Valvoline MaxLife ATF), but I know that I used Valvoline MaxLife ATF when I refilled her at 233k and 253k. Shifting immediately improved after the first two changes, other than the 1-2 shift being a little severe (which I hear is normal). Since those first couple of fluid changes, I haven't noticed much improvement, but I was simply trying to get the wear meatls down to a more reasonable range. I'm at that point (IMO), and I will probably keep a 30k change interval going forward, and using the Valvoline ATF.

View media item 6956

 

[pitdexion]

If you want to see real time obd2 testing results, you need a scan tool that offers test mode $06. Very useful for Ford misfires.

 

[WiscoGus]

Latest update, the vehicle is at Ford for a second day. As per the service writer yesterday the technician still "has not found out whats wrong". Which likely means that they didnt get to it when they said that they would.

On the bright side, I get a brand new Ranger crew cab 4x4 as a loaner, so that's cool.

 

[Jon1985]

Is this the first time the transmission fluid ever been changed ? Before I got my 2010 expedition I had a 2002 explorer I was the second owner it had the original transmission fluid I had a ford dealership flush it out and put new fluid and filter in . That’s pretty my destroy my transmission I had to get a new one because the original owner never had it serviced. Luckily I have the service Records for my expedition it was always serviced at the dealership and was taken care of .

 

[WiscoGus]

Trans fluid had been changed at least twice before I owned it. But I've owned it from 150k to 219k and had not had it done.

Ford dealer called me finally and said that it wasnt a misfire, but a failed torque converter... ugh. So now I guess I've got to figure out what my options are.

I can buy some Mercon SP myself and exchange it again, or put some friction modifier in the fluid.

 

[richs fishes]

Trans fluid had been changed at least twice before I owned it. But I've owned it from 150k to 219k and had not had it done.

Ford dealer called me finally and said that it wasnt a misfire, but a failed torque converter... ugh. So now I guess I've got to figure out what my options are.

I can buy some Mercon SP myself and exchange it again, or put some friction modifier in the fluid.

Have you checked the level yourself yet to see if its possibly under-filled?

 

[WiscoGus]

Thats on my list of things to do this weekend. Dealership claims that they have checked the fluid level 3 times and it is in fact full. Its rather unfortunate because there was one guy at the Quick Lane who wanted to actually put the right fluid in. However, he kept getting shut down by the Service Dept.

They said that replacing the torque converter would be $2400, but we should authorize $700 in labor to have them inspect the inside of the trans. The total cost of that repair would be $3500.

I spoke to a lawyer and he would send a letter to the dealer, but it would be $250 to have him do that. I could spend less than that and have the correct fluid put back in by another dealer/shop. Not sure its worth the gamble of continuing to try to fight it with the dealership.

 

[rjdelp7]

Drive it a while and have another shop look at it. $3500 is pretty high. A torque converter is only $250-300 part. A used transmission is around $500-1000. R+R is around 2-3 hours, @ $150/hr. Does it shudder when you are slowing down(foot off the gas)? That is a bad TC. A shudder is a loss of fluid pressure and could be a misdiagnosed bad TC. There also would be black stuff/specks of clutch in the fluid, from clutches locking up. I have heard of a product called Dr. Tranny shudder fix.