Upshifts from 2nd - 3rd and from 3rd - OD especially can really slam in if the throttle is increased during the shift. Shifts under decreased throttle or steady full throttle are fine. It's worst when you back off on the throttle, say after a pass and the tranny is going from 3rd to OD, and pick it back up too soon (before the shift finishes.) The transmission engages not gradually at all but instead all at once with a slam that makes me think that one of these times it is just going to destroy itself.

Is this typical? Do I just need to be carerful about how I ask the transmission to shift?

Any feedback will be appreciated!

 

Is the transmission maintainace up to date? I had a shift like that once, but I think I gave it too much gas while it was about to shift. Anyway, I've never had it happen again.

 

Mine does it often from 1st to second. The tranny people told me it was a bad seal on a shock absorber, changed it, and sent it back to me. It now does it less often, but it still does. They told me if that didn't fix it they would have to rebuild it... So I'll deal with the occasional rough shift. It actually happens less and less... I drove 800 miles today and it didn't do it once...

 

I just bought an 03 Screw w/5.4 and had the dealer repair the trans for just that same problem before I picked it up. The truck is still under the 3/36 warranty (I also bought the extended Ford warranty as well) so they fixed it without a problem. The first drive showed up a horrible slam shift when the truck shifted out of OD into a lower gear under throttle. It felt and sounded like the truck was being hit from behind by a train everytime you throttled while the trans was going to shift. I haven't yet found out exacetly what was replaced, but I should be finding out soon since a buddy of mine knows the manager at the trans shop who did the work.


My guess is that there was a problem in the valve body itself that was causing some crazy fluid pressure under throttle downshifts, but we'll see.....

 

I Think I Now Know That This Is Not "just The Way They Are" Like The Dealership Said.

My Problem Happens Every Time An Upshift Is Performed As Previously Described. And Yes, The Transmission Has Been Serviced, Fluid And Filter, Twice In The 103,000 Miles It Has Been Around.

As Mentioned, Gddyup, My Full Throttle Shifts, Either Up Or Down, Are All Right.

I Guess I Will Just Live With The Reality That On Upshifts I Need To Give The Tranny Time To Finish The Shift Before Getting Back In The Gas.

 

Had the same problem. I was told by a mechanic to have the transmission oil changed. Took the vehicle and had the transmission oil changed and bang the problem went away. Shifting is very smooth now. Only $64.00 to do this.

Hope this helps.

 

I dont know if it will help or what years this is available on ...but after I bought my 02 F150/4.6 Triton, I was reading in the manual and found that it had a "learning" transmission. Supposedly, you can disconnect your battery for about 10 minutes, then reconnect and begin driving. As time goes on, the tranny learns your driving habits and adjusts the shift points etc. They say in the manual that this can take quite a few miles though.

 

Yes, but the tranny will never voluntarily shift that hard. We're talking slamming into gear, not just shifting at odd times or odd situations. As far as changing the fluid, that's when mine started its problem. A mechanic friend told me that if there were metal shards in the old fluid they had plugged any damaged seals and allowed it to work fine, and when I removed them the seals were no longer tight.

 

I've heard the same thing about auto trans's. If you've got one that's going, the worst thing you can do sometimes is change the fluid. All the gunk and crap is what is holding it together.

The problem on this truck has been since the very beginning and changing the fluid and filter twice has not altered it.

Thanks again all. I'll keep checking the thread.

-Alan

 

most transmisson ford makes shift real smooth because the owners do not like hard shifts, I here to tell you after rebuilding many of them . I WOULD PREFER a harder shifting transmission.why? because the smooth shifting uses transmission clutch pack slipping making more wear in the transmission and heat build up. I LIKE TO GET MY MONEY worth out of my truck not replace the trans at 60000 or less miles!!