Hello all, I have a 2002 F150 Super crew with a 5.4 and a 4R70W tranny. The issue I am experiencing is when the truck is driven where the tranny has shifted through all it's gears and cruising at say 55 mph, when depressing the accelerator pedal it either downshifts of something unlocks making a shuddering sound which sounds like when you run over rumble strips on the side of the road. The shuddering only happens for maybe a second at the most. If I am on the accelerator pedal when it up shifts or locks back up it makes the shuddering sound again. The harder the unlocking / locking or downshifting / up shifting happens the harder and longer the shuddering is.

This shuddering happens at the very last transmission function which happens in the transmission during it's normal operation. Other tan this issue the tranny shifts and operates excellent.

Please let me know what you think and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Get the transmission fluid changed. A fluid exchange, also known as a flush, is the best way. Just draining the pan will only change half of the fluid.

This is a common problem on the 4R70W and new fluid often fixes it.

 

Thanks, I'll try that. The problem with the flush is that the filter is not replaced.

 

I don't understand why that is a problem. The filter doesn't need to be changed.

 

Elaborate a little on that; why the filter doesn't need to be changed.

 

It is not a fine filter. It is there to catch chunks. If it has enough junk in it that it needs to be changed the trans needs to be rebuilt. Ford doesn't have a change interval for this filter, it is there for the life of the trans.

 

OK Thanks.

 

I know this thread is old, but I wanted to say thank you. I was having the same symptoms this past week on my 2006 E350 van while towing a cargo trailer. I was worried that something was seriously wrong so I searched on here and found the answer! Got the transmission flushed and Mercon V and no more rumble strips!