When i take off from a dead stop in "D" it drives and shifts fine, the actual gear it is in is 1st gear and progressively upshifts the way it is supposed to. But when taking off from a dead stop in "3" it is actually in 3rd, it should be in 1st!! I noticed this several times now, and ive gone out of my way to repeat it in a parking lot and it struggles to accelerate, revs like torque converter is slipping (actually it is). But if i stop and shift to "D" and try again it accelerates nice & smooth. I believe there is something wrong with the shift program in the TCM as this cant possibly be right. I have not tried "2" yet

Anyone care to try if theirs does the same?

2007 Sport Trac V8 6-speed auto

 

It's acting exactly as it should. The 3-2-1 indicates the gear it will lock into.

If you shift into 2nd, you are in second. Period. Same for first and third that's how it's designed.

Now sure why you thought it would upshift? No ford I've ever had would shift above or below the locked in gear I selected, other then in Drive.

 

Even from a dead stop? My Expedition does not behave like this so I cant say its specific to Ford. And all other cars ive driven (not Fords) will start on 1st gear from a dead stop regardless of what gear is selected. The 3-2-1 indicates the highest gear it will upshift into. It would not make sense to lock into "3" from a dead stop under any condition.

 

Yes, my old '98 expedition if you're gear indicator was in 2nd you were only in second.

My grandfather has a '08 Sport Trac V8 and it acts exactly the same way, as designed.

There are conditions when this could be useful, although they are limited. Very slick/icy conditions when you want to limit the possible wheel slip.

My '91 F-250 that I plow snow with, I plow in 4 low and use 2nd gear exclusively as I want to limit the shifting of the transmission and 2nd gear works perfectly with 4-low to get me into the sweet spot.

Nothing in my driveway right now, from a '69 Mercury Cougar with a C6 automatic to my 2011 F-150 6 speed automatic will start out in 1st from a dead stop unless I'm in first or Drive. If I start out in 2nd or 3rd(if possible) that is the gear your starting in.

It's working exactly as Ford designed it.