Transmission shudder

[tn.lariat]

It's going on 6 yrs. that Ford has been making this 10spd transmissions and still can't get this Trans to shift correctly. Number 2 truck for me with same issues. Love everything about my truck except for this. My 17' was a great truck and updated to a Hybrid, thinking that it would have been fixed by now. I was wrong. A little over 10,000 miles and it still falls all over itself with clumsy hard shifts. I hate to say this, but maybe a Class Action Lawsuit is needed for them to take this seriously.

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[Tsuga]

Are u guys experiencing rough down shifts? Especially fifth or fourth to third and 10-9? Plus the tranny shutter?

I only feel the shift from 4 to 3. The shudder is at highway speed when it does not want to down shift on a light acceleration.

 

[Stevek]

My 21 F150 has the same shudder vibration issues. 4 times at the dealer and was only authorized from Ford to balance tires. Ford is ignoring the real issues. I hate this truck it is junk. 8000 miles on it and it is no where near the 15 F150 was. People should not buy a new F150. Ford needs to step up.

 

[Snakebitten]

I hope you are OK with the fact that there are a lot of folks that have these trucks and NOTHING is wrong with them?

And there are a few folks that had 2015 F150's and had lots of problems.

That's just how it works

 

[Stevek]

I hope you are OK with the fact that there are a lot of folks that have these trucks and NOTHING is wrong with them?

And there are a few folks that had 2015 F150's and had lots of problems.

That's just how it works

My 15 had a few issues but a much better truck. I've owned plenty of Ford trucks over the 35 last years. There is no excuse for Ford to put out such garbage with the technology that is available today. Ford is not the only brand with issues. They need to take care of the issues and not ignore them.

 

[Snakebitten]

I have a 2012, 2016, and a 2021 Powerboost

They are all trucks I feel live up to my expectations. But the 2021 is fascinating and beyond what I was expecting.

I realize I might feel differently if I had a problem and the dealership didn't address it, but still that wouldn't indicate all 500,000 of them are crap.

 

[Dadofjax]

I have a 2012, 2016, and a 2021 Powerboost

They are all trucks I feel live up to my expectations. But the 2021 is fascinating and beyond what I was expecting.

I realize I might feel differently if I had a problem and the dealership didn't address it, but still that wouldn't indicate all 500,000 of them are crap.

This thread has 41K views it doesn't matter if not every owner has stopped here to express their concern. It's obviously a wide spread issue and coming here down playing it for some Ford points isn't helpful.

People spend $40k, 50k, $70k on a new vehicle it doesn't matter is rhis is one person it's not acceptable.

 

[Snakebitten]

Downplaying? Just because I don't think the current Ford F150 "is garbage", as you call it?

Do you need everyone to agree with you?

 

[Dadofjax]

Downplaying? Just because I don't think the current Ford F150 "is garbage", as you call it?

Do you need everyone to agree with you?

Listen there is one "Ford" person on these forums they come in copy/paste their quota for the day and leave. There is no need to run around the forums telling people their trucks aren't garbage when they spent $70k on it and Fords solution to a problem is turn off gear 9 and 10. Ford isn't going to pat you on the back they are not here.

There are issues with these trucks I'm on my 3 recall, stuttering transmissions, took 6 month to fix my 250+ pre collision assist error issue. Those are just my issues and I'm not alone.

So run to a different thread, it's not a good look to down play an issue like this that obviously impacts a lot of people.

 

[Snakebitten]

Again, not downplaying or denying the well documented issues here.
I just don't agree that Ford F150's are garbage.

Sorry you are having issues with yours

 

[Tsuga]

Again, not downplaying or denying the well documented issues here.
I just don't agree that Ford F150's are garbage.

Sorry you are having issues with yours

I am having the same issue and I don't think that the F150's are crap. The problem is that from the responses we have been hearing from Ford people is that this is part of the characteristic of the 10 speed. If that was the case, everyone with an F150 would have the same issue. The fact that you are not having this issue, it's abnormal. I guess Ford's lack of acknowledgement of this issue is the source of our frustration.

 

[Snakebitten]

I am having the same issue and I don't think that the F150's are crap. The problem is that from the responses we have been hearing from Ford people is that this is part of the characteristic of the 10 speed. If that was the case, everyone with an F150 would have the same issue. The fact that you are not having this issue, it's abnormal. I guess Ford's lack of acknowledgement of this issue is the source of our frustration.

This is just my opinion, so nothing I say is meant to offend, but I believe the reason my 2021 Powerboost doesn't "shudder" is probably because I don't allow it to.

I believe the shifting strategy that Ford labels "Normal" and "Eco" are both so aggressive at getting into overdrive that they have the truck dancing on the edge of lugging.

A few data points that I have observed:

1. A few folks report that the shudder is altogether gone in other shift modes. (Sport, for example) Even the gentleman most irritated with my posting here stated his truck doesn't shudder in Sport Mode.

2. If I allow my truck to get into overdrive (8,9,10) as early as it wants to, the rpms are so low that the Knock Sensors trigger the pcm to start pulling timing. As much as 4-6 degrees. And if I let the truck continue to cruise at that RPM long enough, the Octane Auto Adjust will be lowered and the truck will switch to even more conservative timing tables.

3. Folks have reported diminished shudder with higher octane fuel. That too fits the narrative of raising the parameters of lugging/knocking.

I am not saying that every truck that is described as having the shudder is suffering the same malady. A torque converter can cause these symptoms. Inadequate transmission fluid level. Transmission operating below normal temperature. (these 10r80's can take a very long time to reach operating temperature. As many as 20-25 miles) There are some folks that will rarely ever reach normal operating temperature for the 10r80 or for their oil. The short commute truck is kinda like a big dog that lives in a tiny backyard. It can't stretch its legs.

Nothing I have said excuses Ford for what I believe is the most likely source of poor customer experience with the overdrive ratios in these trucks. If we had a clutch and 10 speeds with 8th being an overdrive gear ratio, I doubt many folks would be in overdrive while cruising at 42mph. It just wouldn't feeeeel right to a standard transmission driver.

Based on watching my knock sensor trigger for pulling timing, I pretty much cruise in a gear ratio that is at least 16-1700 RPM's. Below that is "lugging" according to the combustion chamber.

 

[Tsuga]

This is just my opinion, so nothing I say is meant to offend, but I believe the reason my 2021 Powerboost doesn't "shudder" is probably because I don't allow it to.

I believe the shifting strategy that Ford labels "Normal" and "Eco" are both so aggressive at getting into overdrive that they have the truck dancing on the edge of lugging.

A few data points that I have observed:

1. A few folks report that the shudder is altogether gone in other shift modes. (Sport, for example) Even the gentleman most irritated with my posting here stated his truck doesn't shudder in Sport Mode.

2. If I allow my truck to get into overdrive (8,9,10) as early as it wants to, the rpms are so low that the Knock Sensors trigger the pcm to start pulling timing. As much as 4-6 degrees. And if I let the truck continue to cruise at that RPM long enough, the Octane Auto Adjust will be lowered and the truck will switch to even more conservative timing tables.

3. Folks have reported diminished shudder with higher octane fuel. That too fits the narrative of raising the parameters of lugging/knocking.

I am not saying that every truck that is described as having the shudder is suffering the same malady. A torque converter can cause these symptoms. Inadequate transmission fluid level. Transmission operating below normal temperature. (these 10r80's can take a very long time to reach operating temperature. As many as 20-25 miles) There are some folks that will rarely ever reach normal operating temperature for the 10r80 or for their oil. The short commute truck is kinda like a big dog that lives in a tiny backyard. It can't stretch its legs.

Nothing I have said excuses Ford for what I believe is the most likely source of poor customer experience with the overdrive ratios in these trucks. If we had a clutch and 10 speeds with 8th being an overdrive gear ratio, I doubt many folks would be in overdrive while cruising at 42mph. It just wouldn't feeeeel right to a standard transmission driver.

Based on watching my knock sensor trigger for pulling timing, I pretty much cruise in a gear ratio that is at least 16-1700 RPM's. Below that is "lugging" according to the combustion chamber.

What you have said makes sense, but I had a 2020 F150 rental for 5 weeks and not once did I feel the shudder in that truck. If the adaptive transmission is supposed to learn the driver's style, imagine how many how many styles it had learned.

 

[Snakebitten]

The adaptive tables for the transmission are real, and they do get populated with values that are determined by drivers input. But I think their affect on how the transmission shifting "settles in" is both underestimated and over estimated. The term "learning" is a powerful suggestion and can be overplayed when convenient. (by the service department, for example)

"Sport" mode is another term that is very misleading, and it too is a powerfully persuasive word. So much so that there are folks that will never have any intention of choosing that shift strategy because they just want to drive normal, rather than "sporty".

In my opinion the so called Sport Mode is the closest strategy there is to how the 10r80 would come from the factory if there was only one mode. Afterall, it's the mode that treats the 10 speed like a 10 speed. It doesn't skip 2nd gear, and thus fall on its face. And like a 10 speed bicycle, it keeps the truck in a ratio that is closer to the heart of the torque, similar to keeping the bicycle in a gear that best matches your leg muscles output.

My biggest gripe with Ford concerning the Powerboost is that they are so hell bent on pretending Sport Mode is for Sport drivers that they nix EV altogether in that mode. For no good reason at all. Cruise Control at 50mph is cruise control at 50mph, regardless of the transmission or gear ratio. Why can't a Hybrid be a Hybrid regardless.

Ferrari's can cruise at 55mph. Lol

 

[Snakebitten]

What you have said makes sense, but I had a 2020 F150 rental for 5 weeks and not once did I feel the shudder in that truck. If the adaptive transmission is supposed to learn the driver's style, imagine how many how many styles it had learned.

The 2020 is the previous generation truck. I had a 2018 for nearly 4 years. And although it too was aggressive about getting into overdrive early, my 2018 Ecoboost would be a couple of hundred rpms later at doing so.

1600rpms is farther from the lugging edge than 1400. And this 2021 will even try to cruise below 1400. It's crazy.

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