Eco Boost transmission behavior on a trip

[Lone Ridr]

My wife and I just got back from the Gatlinburg, Tennessee area for our 50th wedding anniversary celebration, approximately 760 mile round trip. Blue Boy rolled over 14,000 miles just short of Gatlinburg. The transmission developed many hard shifts, 20 to 40 MPH, while in the Gatlinburg area. I never felt a shift in the first 13,000+ miles - smooth as butter. I would have liked to check the fluid level and condition while this was going on but, alas, no dipstick on the truck. I believe it was overheating because the fenders seemed to be radiating more heat than normal, just a feeling, not a hard, proven fact. I'll probably change out the five quarts and inspect the fluid if it still shifts hard under my normal every-day driving. It's probably nothing to worry about. Wished it had a dipstick. Thanks, Ford.

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[bgn]

In my opinion, since you're in warranty, I would recommend you take it to your dealer. If it's shifting hard due to damage, you don't want to be in a position where you're giving them a possible reason to deny a repair.

 

[710-oil-614]

I don’t believe I’ve had a modern vehicle with a dipstick for my transmission.

Sometimes modern transmissions when driven in different terrains and geographies where your driving habits change may behave differently.

Some of you act like Ford isn’t like every auto manufacturer and a weekends worth of bad shifts and immediately condescension towards Ford.

 

[ice445]

What were the conditions that it shifted badly?

 

[Tbone289]

My wife and I just got back from the Gatlinburg, Tennessee area for our 50th wedding anniversary celebration, approximately 760 mile round trip. Blue Boy rolled over 14,000 miles just short of Gatlinburg. The transmission developed many hard shifts, 20 to 40 MPH, while in the Gatlinburg area. I never felt a shift in the first 13,000+ miles - smooth as butter. I would have liked to check the fluid level and condition while this was going on but, alas, no dipstick on the truck. I believe it was overheating because the fenders seemed to be radiating more heat than normal, just a feeling, not a hard, proven fact. I'll probably change out the five quarts and inspect the fluid if it still shifts hard under my normal every-day driving. It's probably nothing to worry about. Wished it had a dipstick. Thanks, Ford.

I use a bluetooth OBD-II reader and Torque app to monitor sensors (including transmission temperature) on long trips, especially in the mountains. Note that the numbers look "off" here (low coolant & trans temp, high IAT), because I took the screenshot at a warm restart after being parked a while:

 

[Lone Ridr]

I use a bluetooth OBD-II reader and Torque app to monitor sensors (including transmission temperature) on long trips, especially in the mountains. Note that the numbers look "off" here (low coolant & trans temp, high IAT), because I took the screenshot at a warm restart after being parked a while:

Darn good idea! I consider this worth the effort. I'll install something to monitor tranny. BTW, the tranny behaved perfectly the last two days since my return. Not one rough shift while driving 20+ miles at up to 65MPH on several occasions. Can't prove it but pretty sure the transmission was running hotter than it normally does. I wonder what Ford isn't sharing with us: Limitations of 4K tow packages to some models, larger fans and radiators for 2000lb additional tow capacity......

 

[Lone Ridr]

What were the conditions that it shifted badly?

Ambient air 70 degrees. Lot of stop and go traffic. Gatlinburg/Dollyworld is bumper-to-bumper traffic, noon to 10:00PM. As I stated elsewhere, the rough shifting hasn't occurred since I am back home in Indiana. The slipping and sliding on wet leaves in the mountains is another issue but was expected.

 

[Dad]

In my opinion, since you're in warranty, I would recommend you take it to your dealer. If it's shifting hard due to damage, you don't want to be in a position where you're giving them a possible reason to deny a repair.

I think this is good advice especially since Ford decided not to include a dipstick that would have enabled a self-check which would have bypassed needing a trip to the dealer. Did Ford do a cost comparison on how much money they saved by not having a dipstick versus what they end up paying out for warranty repairs? Makes no sense.

 

[Dad]

I use a bluetooth OBD-II reader and Torque app to monitor sensors (including transmission temperature) on long trips, especially in the mountains. Note that the numbers look "off" here (low coolant & trans temp, high IAT), because I took the screenshot at a warm restart after being parked a while:

Can you post the details regarding this app and what hardware is needed to use it?

 

[BuiltFordTough?]

I never felt a shift in the first 13,000+ miles - smooth as butter.

For comparison, I've felt every single shift in my 35,000+ miles - smooth as a cactus. Do you have AWD and/or 4k tow?

 

[Lone Ridr]

I don’t believe I’ve had a modern vehicle with a dipstick for my transmission.

Sometimes modern transmissions when driven in different terrains and geographies where your driving habits change may behave differently.

Some of you act like Ford isn’t like every auto manufacturer and a weekends worth of bad shifts and immediately condescension towards Ford.

My previous S10s, Colorados, and Tacomas never behaved this way. IMO, the Maverick drive train is marginal. I used to be a Chevrolet certified mechanic, then shop foreman. I know how vehicles work or are supposed to work.

The old dipstick was for those that know how to monitor the transmission to prevent problems and failures per the manufacturers who removed them to save a buck. My thought when this shifting was going on was if the tranny was 1/2 a quart low I could save her but since Ford (Chevy, whoever) didn't provide me a way to check and easily add fluid I'll just burn it up and Ford will eat the bill. I'll rent a ride home, call me when it's ready.

I have left plenty of negative comments about Chevy on this site. I point out (critique) short-comings and anomalies as I see them, regardless of the emblem on the vehicle. My next vehicle? Most likely Maverick or Ranger. Unless......?

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

I use a bluetooth OBD-II reader and Torque app to monitor sensors (including transmission temperature) on long trips, especially in the mountains. Note that the numbers look "off" here (low coolant & trans temp, high IAT), because I took the screenshot at a warm restart after being parked a while:

An old cell phone with the Torque Pro App and a OBDll reader are very handy to have. I used it in my smart car which had no gauges really, and with my Buick Encore to watch the turbo boost.

I tried it in my hybrid Maverick and it's as exciting as watching paint dry

 

[Lone Ridr]

For comparison, I've felt every single shift in my 35,000+ miles - smooth as a cactus. Do you have AWD and/or 4k tow?

Both. Like the truck. Was surprised about the rough shifting. Checked for leaks and error codes before I came home. Couldn't check fluid. Shifts fine since I got home. I don't jam the accelerator. I give it time to shift without pressure, well, most of the time.

 

[BuiltFordTough?]

Both. Like the truck. Was surprised about the rough shifting. Checked for leaks and error codes before I came home. Couldn't check fluid. Shifts fine since I got home. I don't jam the accelerator. I give it time to shift without pressure, well, most of the time.

Ok, interesting. I’m fairly light footed on the throttle as well. I’ve tried being a bit more aggressive with it but that just makes the shifts even harder

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