Stuck in tow haul mode (kinda)
#1
02-10-2019, 10:54 AM
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Stuck in tow haul mode (kinda)
My truck recently started having an issue where it feels like it’s in tow haul mode. It’s not ridding out the gears longer before it shifts but when you let off the gas it won’t coast. It just uses the gear and slows it’s self down like it does in tow haul mode, I guess it keeps the converter locked or something? You can obviously feel when your in tow haul and your riding a gear to slow down and you then turn it off and the rpms drop and you coast, there is no difference when I turn it on or off. Anyway my truck is under warranty still and it’s going on Tuesday. Just wondering if anyone has had this problem and what the fix was. Truck has 15,000 miles on it. Driving it like this though has really killed my mileage, getting 13.5 of a mix but mostly highway.
#2
02-10-2019, 06:54 PM
13.5 is good combined driving. As for you not feeling like you are coasting maybe thats because there is so much compression in the motor that the truck will slow itself down more than you think. Only 15,000 miles means the truck isn't broke in yet. You could take it out of gear and see if your brakes are dragging.
#3
02-10-2019, 08:12 PM
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My mileage before this was around 16. It is definitely something with the transmission, I have had the truck since October of 17 brand new no miles and this is something that just started happening. I have had a lot of ford trucks with tow haul mode and have used it on all of them. When you are driving in tow haul mode and coasting and then you shut it off there is a dramatic difference in how the truck coasts. Right now I have no difference the rpms hang and slow the tuck down wether it’s on or off. The truck rolls fine in neutral.
#6
02-12-2019, 08:45 PM
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#7
02-13-2019, 06:14 AM
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350 and it’s single rear wheels. I dropped it to the dealer yesterday but because of the snow storm here in ny yesterday they did t really drive it. They did the block heater recall and some of my tire pressure sensors where jacked up so they replaced them. With this truck on the highway I generally get around almost 20. I hope they don’t call me back and give me the “we can’t replicate” what you say it’s doing. It’s pretty obvious for someone who drives it every day though. We’ll see though they said they where gunna get into that issue today. Hopefully they find a fix too because I am supposed to be driving to Colorado in a few weeks and I don’t want 13 mpg the whole way
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#8
02-13-2019, 07:33 AM
You have to remember winter fuel lowers mileage. If I have to put It in four wheel drive at anytime, mileage takes a big hit. My last 3 fillups were 13.32mpg, 11.96mpg and the last 14.68. They do vary. Then when the warmer weather rolls around, I usually average 15 to 16 mpg.
I drive in tow/haul mode because I don't like the shifting strategy of these trucks. I think they shift into the higher gears way too quick. I also want to reduce the soot produced by the engine when it lugs in the higher gears at lower speeds. When I'm driving on local roads and not the highway, I lock out 6th gear. When I get on the highway, I add 6th gear.
It seems to be working. My regens are right about at 500 miles.
I drive in tow/haul mode because I don't like the shifting strategy of these trucks. I think they shift into the higher gears way too quick. I also want to reduce the soot produced by the engine when it lugs in the higher gears at lower speeds. When I'm driving on local roads and not the highway, I lock out 6th gear. When I get on the highway, I add 6th gear.
It seems to be working. My regens are right about at 500 miles.
#9
02-13-2019, 08:22 AM
Around town I lock out 6 also.I also set the trip meter to see how many miles I get between oil changes and I am right around 14.4 miles driven around 700. Its the best way to get true MPG's.
The reason these trucks shift so fast is because of fuel millage. The public wants the most they can get so this is one way to get it. The 10 speed transmission is designed to do the same thing. With the 10 speed you will get closer gear ratios. You may not even feel it shift. It will shift faster than the 6 speed and every consecutive gear will be just a little different than the last. It may even skip some gears depending how you are driving the truck.
The reason these trucks shift so fast is because of fuel millage. The public wants the most they can get so this is one way to get it. The 10 speed transmission is designed to do the same thing. With the 10 speed you will get closer gear ratios. You may not even feel it shift. It will shift faster than the 6 speed and every consecutive gear will be just a little different than the last. It may even skip some gears depending how you are driving the truck.
#10
02-13-2019, 11:04 AM
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Well it happened exactly what I figured was gunna happen. They called me down said it’s all good the tech took it out drove it and felt it and reset the computer or something is what they told me. They said it’s all good. I got down picked it up got right on the park way and still the same thing happens.
im not saying because my mileage is low I have a problem, I’m saying that’s the result of the problem.
There is is no difference in how the truck coasts with tow haul on or off. If I get on the park way 6th gear and let off the gas in tow haul it hangs on to the gear and it slows the truck down. Turn tow haul off and the same thing happens. There is no drop in rpm and the truck continues to slow down rather then coast.
how do you know when these trucks do a regen anyway? Could this be a result of a regen problem?
im not saying because my mileage is low I have a problem, I’m saying that’s the result of the problem.
There is is no difference in how the truck coasts with tow haul on or off. If I get on the park way 6th gear and let off the gas in tow haul it hangs on to the gear and it slows the truck down. Turn tow haul off and the same thing happens. There is no drop in rpm and the truck continues to slow down rather then coast.
how do you know when these trucks do a regen anyway? Could this be a result of a regen problem?
#11
02-13-2019, 11:09 AM
#12
02-13-2019, 11:14 AM
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#13
02-13-2019, 12:18 PM
There is is no difference in how the truck coasts with tow haul on or off. If I get on the park way 6th gear and let off the gas in tow haul it hangs on to the gear and it slows the truck down. Turn tow haul off and the same thing happens. There is no drop in rpm and the truck continues to slow down rather then coast.
I had a brake caliper hang up when my truck was almost new. I proved the problem with a temperature gun, then is was repaired under warranty.
#14
02-13-2019, 12:25 PM
Turbofox, it definitely sounds like your trans is stuck in tow/haul because there's a difference to be felt between regular shifting and the tow/haul mode. Good luck with your problem. X2 on taking the tech for a ride to give him your opinion and observations since you drive it the most.
TheBone, if the speed you are traveling requires the next higher gear to maintain keeping the engine in its power band, then great. But when I'm going up a hill and the speed limit is 45mph, and I'm going 40, I don't need the truck in 6th gear causing the engine to lug and having no power to get up the hill which will cause it to drop back down into 5th. You may have a point about the fast shifting, I don't know. But all I do know is that most of the time in city driving, those higher gears are not needed. I also like tow/haul mode because it helps slowing the truck down in winter weather and also on icy hills.
Like you said, with the 10 speed there will be closer gear ratios which will keep the engine in the correct RPM range in the power band. This Will cause the engine to use less fuel because it doesn't need to work hard to bring the RPMs up to get back in the power band because it will still be there with all those extra gears.
TheBone, if the speed you are traveling requires the next higher gear to maintain keeping the engine in its power band, then great. But when I'm going up a hill and the speed limit is 45mph, and I'm going 40, I don't need the truck in 6th gear causing the engine to lug and having no power to get up the hill which will cause it to drop back down into 5th. You may have a point about the fast shifting, I don't know. But all I do know is that most of the time in city driving, those higher gears are not needed. I also like tow/haul mode because it helps slowing the truck down in winter weather and also on icy hills.
Like you said, with the 10 speed there will be closer gear ratios which will keep the engine in the correct RPM range in the power band. This Will cause the engine to use less fuel because it doesn't need to work hard to bring the RPMs up to get back in the power band because it will still be there with all those extra gears.
#15
02-13-2019, 12:29 PM
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i guess I suck at explaining this... put your truck in tow haul mode... drive it... transmission will lock when you let off gas and use that gear to slow you down rather then coasting. That’s how my truck feels all the time.
now get on a highway with tow haul mode on and cruise in say 6th gear (I have just been using that as an example this whole time it will happen in any gear) let off the gas (with tow haul mode on) the gear will slow you down, while the gear is slowing you down turn off tow haul and you will feel a dramatic change and rpms will drop and you will now coast rather then be slowed down by the gear.
My my truck is permanently being slowed down by the gears now coasting or rpm drop involved when letting off the gas
now get on a highway with tow haul mode on and cruise in say 6th gear (I have just been using that as an example this whole time it will happen in any gear) let off the gas (with tow haul mode on) the gear will slow you down, while the gear is slowing you down turn off tow haul and you will feel a dramatic change and rpms will drop and you will now coast rather then be slowed down by the gear.
My my truck is permanently being slowed down by the gears now coasting or rpm drop involved when letting off the gas