Transmission slipping into neutral.
 

On occasion my tranny will act like it’s in neutral, it happens when you’re accelerating then suddenly let off for a second then get back on it, like if a car in front of you suddenly slows down to get in a turn lane, etc., so the tranny up shifts in the brief moment that you’ve let off and if you get back on it mid shift the engine just revs and you get nothing. Sometimes it can take a full 2 second to get back in gear. So basically anytime your accelerating let of momentarily and the tranny tries to up shift under no load, then resume accelerating it may or may not end up in neutral, this may happen once or twice a day. Near as I can tell it’s happened between 2-3 and 3-4, I can also manipulate it into happening using a combination of the gas and overdrive switch. Only happens on up shifts, though downshifts are abnormally clunky, and the up shifts aren’t any better when they are working. The ride along mechanic felt it and had the nerve to try and tell me it was normal, that didn’t end well for him, the service advisor says he can’t do anything until it gets worse. It’s almost like it’s just taking too long to make its shifts, clutch packs? computer? Transmissions are my weak area.

Sorry for the long complicated post, but it’s driving me crazy.

P.s. only has 3500 miles on it.

well the trannys in these trucks are very sensitive it could be a number of things , i would go to a diff dealer and have an actual transmission mechanic look at it

Mine does the same thing. It's an 07 v6 with 17,000 miles. Listening in on this. Hope someone can figure it out.

i know that i can get my tranny to rev up up like its in neutral while in gear, but i haven't tried hitting the gas right after i always let it settle before i get back on it

TSB 8-14-3 have your dealer check this out

I don't know what that TSB says, but you only have 3500 miles on it. It's under warranty. Take in and tell them to FIX IT!.

Mine is doing the same thing, took it into the dealer and they also said it is normal for this truck. I have 2600 Miles on mine and it has been doing it since about 200 miles, (or that is when I first noted it.) Some on here have said a Tuner will fix it but a little leary of putting a tuner on a new truck.

Mine started doing it even with the tuner after 8000 miles not as often as the stock tune though.If you hold steady throttle or coast for 5-6 seconds at 25-30 mph you get neutral.Or light throttle at 25-30 shifting 2-3rd gear the TBS fixed mine not only does this problem get fixed the trans shifts better all over.

is this TSB fr 08's only? or any year?

Only for build dates 12/4/06 to 5/20/08.
See TSB text below. Google will find what you want most of the time, once you have enough information to know what to search for...

TSB 08-14-03

2007-2008 F-150/MARK LT BUILT BETWEEN 12/4/2006 TO 5/20/2008 ONLY - ENGINE RPM FLARE DURING 3-4 UPSHIFT UNDER LIGHT THROTTLE ONLY - 5.4L 3V / 4R75E ONLY
SOME 2007-2008 F-150 AND MARK LT VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN 12/4/2006 TO 5/20/2008, EQUIPPED WITH A 5.4L 3V AND 4R75E, MAY EXHIBIT AN ENGINE RPM FLARE DURING LIGHT ACCELERATION DURING THE 3-4 UPSHIFT. THIS WOULD ONLY OCCUR AT ROAD SPEED RANGES FROM 25-30 MPH (40-48 KM/H). NO DTCS OR OTHER DRIVABILITY OR TRANSMISSION ISSUES WOULD BE PRESENT. REPROGRAM THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) TO THE LATEST CALIBRATION USINGIDS RELEASE 54.5 AND HIGHER. THIS NEW CALIBRATION IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE VCM 2008.3 DVD. CALIBRATION FILES MAY ALSO BE OBTAINED AT MOTORCRAFT PARTS FOR FORD, LINCOLN OR MERCURY VEHICLES.

Mine was doing the same thing. I was down a litre of tranny oil. Mercon 5 is hard to find. Once I put it in all the problems went away. I had to check the tranny when it was stone cold to see it was down.

MSRanger, thanks for posting the text of that TSB. I tried to find that on this site under the RECALL/TSB tab but could never find it. Mine does exactly what that describes. I'll have to keep that in mind and have a Ford dealership reprogram mine when and if I ever take it to one. The dealership I bought my truck from closed down. What Jeff said about his fluid being down sounds more like Screwy's problem.

It appears that the TSB links on this site and others are limited to 2 years old and older (07 right now).

Folks that have access at Ford dealerships occasionally will post newer TSB text on request. I found the 08-14-03 text by Googling for it. Glad it helped you; it'll be helping me shortly also. I'm calling my dealership (Millbury Ford, Millbury, MA) on Monday. They're good people.

Just took my truck in for several issues, one of which is this rpm flair on light upshift. Service writer told me since it does not throw a code and the tech could not duplicate there is nothing they can do! Service writer was not interested in the TSB. I guess I will have to be a jerk and go to the General Manager, there is nothing more aggravating than dealing with somebody who is too stupid to think out of the box. That is what is wrong with the big 3.

Got the TSB done lil over a week ago, and oh my goodness, night and day difference. I still wouldn’t call it silky smooth, but it’s plenty good for me. I had to fight with them though, it’s like every time I mentioned the TSB even a lil bit their hearing quit working, and that coupled with how annoyed I was with the truck at the time... anyways once I fixed their hearing all was well, just got to be firm :) . Now for that pesky exhaust rattle and crooked bed.