Trans clunking when down shifting

[Captain Dirty Beard]

They all do this. It is Ford's terrible programming/tuning. Drive a GM with the 10R80 in it, and you will immediately realize that it's all in the calibration. Aftermarket tuning can alleviate a lot of it. Im just waiting on Livernois, HP Tuners, SCT to "unlock" the ECU on the 23-24 model years, so that I don't have to buy another ECU. If you have a 2021, or 2022, get a Livernois or 5 Star tune which will also address Transmission behavior

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[22Platinum]

My Livernois-tuned 21 3.5EB does it too, there is a TSB for it.

Here is a YouTube video explaining the actual problem:

 

[Jerome10]

I have a rather firm 6 to 5 downshift regularly. More a hard lurch. I just notice it. Randomly sometimes in other gears.

I plan to take it in soon and hopefully they can run one of these TSBs. 24-2176 i think is the latest one I've found.

 

[kb2755]

My Livernois-tuned 21 3.5EB does it too, there is a TSB for it.

I’ve got the harsh/delayed engagement. I mostly feel it when I let off the gas or press it down. Shifts have generally been ok.

Think I’m going to raise this for my next scheduled service. My dealer has been ok so far with warranty/recall work.

 

[Captain Dirty Beard]

I have a rather firm 6 to 5 downshift regularly. More a hard lurch. I just notice it. Randomly sometimes in other gears.

I plan to take it in soon and hopefully they can run one of these TSBs. 24-2176 i think is the latest one I've found.

Mine does this exact thing from 6-5. Other gear changes seem fine

 

[Groovicles]

This issue just doesn't want to go away. I had my dealer take a look before. Naturally, they were not able to replicate the problem so all they did was reset the adaptive tables. That helped for a week and the harsh downshifts (from 7 to 6 or 7 to 5) are as harsh as ever. @Ford Motor Company I'm sure we'd all appreciate some help with this!

 

[Iconic22F150]

I had the hard downshift/clunk into 3rd. Took it to my regular dealer and they diagnosed it and told me about the TSB. They warrantied it and replaced the drum with a newly redesigned unit and a bunch of other internals. I haven't got it back yet because they're looking into battery problems and a couple other things I asked for.

 

[Captain Dirty Beard]

Is there anyway to determine which trucks already have the updated parts based on VIN or production date maybe?

 

[3DogKnight]

This issue just doesn't want to go away. I had my dealer take a look before. Naturally, they were not able to replicate the problem so all they did was reset the adaptive tables. That helped for a week and the harsh downshifts (from 7 to 6 or 7 to 5) are as harsh as ever. @Ford Motor Company I'm sure we'd all appreciate some help with this!

I had the hard downshift/clunk into 3rd. Took it to my regular dealer and they diagnosed it and told me about the TSB. They warrantied it and replaced the drum with a newly redesigned unit and a bunch of other internals. I haven't got it back yet because they're looking into battery problems and a couple other things I asked for.

Can you post again when you get some miles on it and let us know if the redesigned drum was the fix or not? My dealer 'reflashed' my trans and it still clunks. They might know about the redesigned drum but wanted to try the reflash first. If I know the drum is the fix then I can mention it to them.

 

[snapper9601]

I had similar problems….

Over the last several thousand miles, I noticed vibrations and shuddering increasing in severity on throttle tip-in, around 2000-2500 RPM's and around 60-65 MPH in 7th or 8th gear. The shuddering would go away if I downshifted a gear or two. I also had a slow, sloppy 4-3 downshift. I guess minor clunking could describe that. I thought all that sounded a lot like TSB 22-2224.
I had no DTC's.
So I took my truck into the dealer on June 18th for "transmission issues". I asked the service writer about TSB 22-2224. He said they have to confirm any issue/problem first, then go from there.
I got the truck back on Tuesday, July 9th.
The 4 page service invoice is below. The customer statement at the beginning does have a misquote in it. I didn’t tell them "vehicle stays at low RPM's on freeway". I told them “when at low RPM's on the freeway”..... but anyway, here's the story......
Pages 1 and 2 are a parts list. Pages 3 is the meat and potatoes.

Question for the group here- How would I know if the updated CDF drum was used? Or any other updated parts for that matter?

I've only put a hundred or so miles on it so far. The vibration/shuddering at throttle tip-in on the highway is vastly improved. I think I can still detect a very slight bit of shuddering, so I'll be watching that closely. The 4-3 downshift is much improved also. I'm under the understanding that during the transmission adaptive learning process, some hard shifting and or other shifting anomalies are normal. I'm also under the understanding it is best to drive in Sport mode during the transmission adaptive learning process. Which I am doing. I hardly ever use Sport mode, so that alone is a different shift pattern than I am used to.

I'm going on a 1300 mile trip in a few weeks, I'll report back after I return.

 

[Jerome10]

Is there anyway to determine which trucks already have the updated parts based on VIN or production date maybe?

I think it is listed in the TSB 24-2174.... trucks built on or before August 15, 2022 do not have the updated CDF Drum.

If it adds anything to this conversation my truck was built in April 2023, so I should have the new drum in my truck, and I still get these clunks and lurches. Just tough to know if "normal" or is my clunk/lurch much less pronounced than others here with the CDF drums actually failing?

Still haven't taken mine in yet. I hate going to the dealer. But the TSB 24-2176 I mentioned (there are other similar ones too) seems to have a several-step process.
1) Verify the harsh/delayed shifting/engagement.
2) Check for PCM (transmission programming?) software update.
3) Check for any error codes (DTCs). If yes proceed to "sticking valves - main control body". Looks like they cycle clutches depending on the codes to try to force a "break-in routine". If that doesn't fix it then "clean and inspect" the main control valve body.
4) Then if your truck is pre Aug 15,2022 move on to the CDF drum.

 

[snapper9601]

Reporting back after the 1300 mile trip. The truck has almost 2k miles total (in Sport mode) since the trans work. I think the trip put the truck through its paces. 725 miles the first day. That included 275 miles across Interstate 15 between LA and Las Vegas where it was 116 deg. People haul ass on that road! Typical speeds were between 75 and 95 mph. Not that I am paranoid, but I did keep an eye on the trans temp the whole time. It never got over 205 deg.

What I said before still stands. The vibration/shuddering at throttle tip-in on the highway is vastly improved. But I can still detect a very slight bit of shuddering. I am locking out gears 9 and 10 to keep RPM's a little higher and avoid lugging more that before. The 4-3 downshift is much improved, but Sport mode is a little different shift pattern than I've been used to. I'm going to drive it in Normal mode now as that's where I predominantly had it before the trans work. I looked up the CDF part number listed on the parts list, ML3Z-7H351-B is the updated version.

 

[Captain Dirty Beard]

Does anyone know if FDRS will show what part numbers are installed?

 

[Ricksc]

Drive it in sport mode for a few weeks. Let the tranny relearn fixed mine.

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