Jerome10
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- Jun 1, 2023
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Been a few posts around regarding my dissatisfaction with shift performance. I've had the trans in in 2023 for a software update that may or may not have made shifting slightly better, but I consistently get a 6 -> 5 downshift lurch. Never severe, but present and I always notice it. Sometimes from 5 -> 4 as well, though not as bad as the 6 -> 5. Interestingly when cold my transmission shifts perfectly. It acts up once up to temp with the sometimes thunky upshifts and these downshift lurches.
Had the truck at the dealer back in April 2025 and rode with the tech with his diagnostic computer connected. Truck checks out perfectly. He reset the tables and said if it returns, just pop in and ask for him and he can usually jump in the truck and take a ride.
So I stopped in early Sept 2025 when the 6 -> 5 downshift was really acting up. Had everything connected to the computer again, and again zero red flags anywhere. He felt the downshift lurching many times during our drive and also while watching the computer he said he can see a gear change initiated from 6 -> 5 and also the torque converter is unlocked during this shift. He said that what I'm feeling is a combination of the torque converter unlocking and then the transmission shifting.
I asked if that can be adjusted somehow but he said only if Ford has sent a software update. He checked my VIN and confirmed there are no updates available.
Q's: Wanted to check in on the forums if there is anything that can be done to better sync the unlock and the gear change to smooth this out? Am I really looking at just waiting for a software update from Ford or an aftermarket trans tune?
Q2: What is the symptom of a sticky solenoid? They ran a TSB in 2023 or 2024 for the software update. Reading that TSB the next step is to do a break in procedure to fix sticky solenoids. I asked him and he said you usually get delayed shifts and very hard shifts when the solenoids stick and that is not what is happening on my truck, so cannot / is unnecessary to do the sticky solenoid TSB procedure. Is this accurate? If so, I'll accept. If not, maybe I'll push them do do the break-in procedure.
NOTE: I mentioned I wasn't too happy with the shifting, that I've had a couple cars with 200k+ miles that still shifted like butter and he had a couple interesting comments. 1) He said the old 6 speeds that Ford would allow them to turn off the adaptive learning, which would usually improve performance, but he said they can't do it with the 10 speeds (I think owners could do this with ForScan?) 2) He isn't a fan of adaptive learning. He says it tries to learn your habits, but when you change from what it expects you do it often results in the bad performance and clunks. He thinks this is why resetting the tables usually results in smooth performance... it just shifts and doesn't try to anticipate 3) He mentioned he has an Excursion with 300k miles on it and his trans is still butter as well. I think he said it was a 2000 4 speed auto. So I do wonder if 10 speeds really is just to many to reliably operate 4) adaptive learning must do something because he said if he resets the tables on vehicles with the slipped CDF drum, the vehicles often are incapable of shifting. The adaptive learning will increase pressures with wear and aging to keep the transmission working. So I'm not sure turning them off is a good idea in Forscan?
Had the truck at the dealer back in April 2025 and rode with the tech with his diagnostic computer connected. Truck checks out perfectly. He reset the tables and said if it returns, just pop in and ask for him and he can usually jump in the truck and take a ride.
So I stopped in early Sept 2025 when the 6 -> 5 downshift was really acting up. Had everything connected to the computer again, and again zero red flags anywhere. He felt the downshift lurching many times during our drive and also while watching the computer he said he can see a gear change initiated from 6 -> 5 and also the torque converter is unlocked during this shift. He said that what I'm feeling is a combination of the torque converter unlocking and then the transmission shifting.
I asked if that can be adjusted somehow but he said only if Ford has sent a software update. He checked my VIN and confirmed there are no updates available.
Q's: Wanted to check in on the forums if there is anything that can be done to better sync the unlock and the gear change to smooth this out? Am I really looking at just waiting for a software update from Ford or an aftermarket trans tune?
Q2: What is the symptom of a sticky solenoid? They ran a TSB in 2023 or 2024 for the software update. Reading that TSB the next step is to do a break in procedure to fix sticky solenoids. I asked him and he said you usually get delayed shifts and very hard shifts when the solenoids stick and that is not what is happening on my truck, so cannot / is unnecessary to do the sticky solenoid TSB procedure. Is this accurate? If so, I'll accept. If not, maybe I'll push them do do the break-in procedure.
NOTE: I mentioned I wasn't too happy with the shifting, that I've had a couple cars with 200k+ miles that still shifted like butter and he had a couple interesting comments. 1) He said the old 6 speeds that Ford would allow them to turn off the adaptive learning, which would usually improve performance, but he said they can't do it with the 10 speeds (I think owners could do this with ForScan?) 2) He isn't a fan of adaptive learning. He says it tries to learn your habits, but when you change from what it expects you do it often results in the bad performance and clunks. He thinks this is why resetting the tables usually results in smooth performance... it just shifts and doesn't try to anticipate 3) He mentioned he has an Excursion with 300k miles on it and his trans is still butter as well. I think he said it was a 2000 4 speed auto. So I do wonder if 10 speeds really is just to many to reliably operate 4) adaptive learning must do something because he said if he resets the tables on vehicles with the slipped CDF drum, the vehicles often are incapable of shifting. The adaptive learning will increase pressures with wear and aging to keep the transmission working. So I'm not sure turning them off is a good idea in Forscan?
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