One of the basics of troubleshooting and resolution (especially when somebody else is doing the resolving) is reproduction of the issue so that the resolver can determine root cause.

If it is something one hasn't encountered yet, it is a good idea to see if you can induce it under the right conditions so that you can get it fixed ahead of time. This one isn't terribly common (I have hit it maybe 2-3 times in 15k) but it speaks to possible long term issues so I want to get it looked at.

One of the purposes of this site are to give folks heads up to this sort of thing. You're more than welcome to not do it. Doesn't matter much to me.

 

Yeah...if you hit the pothole at speed enough times, then you can have your truck with the newly broken suspension towed to the dealer to prove to everyone that the pothole was a problem. What's wrong with that?

As far as "If I wanted a manual, I would have purchased one..." I wanted a manual...CAN'T purchase one. Try to find a Supercab 4x4 with a manual... I would prefer to be in control of my truck, especially in severe duty situations such as towing. Those who tow on a regular basis knows a manual is preferred for control and durability.

 

Throughout this entire thread, the only thing I see is Forrest Gump. Stupid is as stupid does. If someone wants to abuse the tranny on their 35K rig, then they are certainly free to do so.

Trying to fail a tranny by lightly accelerating up a hill is your business. I went ahead, and paid careful attention to what the engine management system does on light inclines when on cruise control, and it always raises fuel input enough to unlock the converter. Not just a little bit.

Even towing, on big hills and little hills, the cruise control masters the terrain and manages the engine wonderfully.

What the few of you are doing is repeatable on virtually any vehicle. Seems dumb to intentionally harm your truck like that. I don't think I would even bash a Chevy if someone was doing things like this to em.

 

So here is the root of the problem. You think you know how the truck is reacting, yet do not. This is not repeatable on virtually any vehicle, at least not ones that are operating properly. It's not about lightly accelerating up a hill, it is lightly accelerating into the base of an incline/hill or even coasting, then giving it gas and having it spasm/hitch/lunge on downshift. This isn't about it bogging down/rattling because you haven't gassed it enough.

 

Im not sure what you mean by "Spasm/hitch/lunge"???

a bit of a kick in the pants is usually going to be felt when down shifting.

This thread was started by some one who said

"The test is accelerate your truck to the speed at which it first shifts into overdrive and the torque converter locks (thats approximately 75 KMPH in Canada), then on a slight incline push the accelerator slightly but not enough for the transmission to shift out of overdrive. If you feel a surging or vibration at this point the vibration may actually be your engine missing. If you continue to duplicate this the problem will actually worsen.


Please note the "accelerate your truck to the speed at which it first shifts into overdrive and the torque converter locks (thats approximately 75 KMPH in Canada), then on a slight incline push the accelerator slightly but not enough for the transmission to shift out of overdrive."

HES PURPOSELY TRYING TO KEEP IT IN OVER-DRIVE???


The over drive is made for better economy at hi-speeds. Not for climbing small hills at 38-40 mph. Your forcing the engine to work at a little above idle speeds and it doesnt like it. Climb that same hill at 60mph and you wont have a problem.

The transmission IS NOT DEFECTIVE, your just using the wrong gear.

 

ditto

 

That's EXACTLY why Ford put the OD off button on the shifter!

 

No kidding? Let's see, I have said in my posts that this is something that I have only experienced a few times in the 15k that I have put on the truck. Are you assuming that I have only downshifted those three times in those 15k miles?

I've made it pretty clear in all my posts that it is not this behavior that I am seeing, but the transition from OD to a lower gear, much the same as is described in the 3rd post in this thread and a couple of others throughout this thread. Once again, it's not about bogging down because you're feathering it in OD on a hill, it is a hitch/lunge when it does downshift.

What is the deal? You guys think that since you aren't seeing the problem (or haven't hit the right conditions for it) that it isn't a problem? That's stupid.

 

post #3

My truck drops into overdrive every time I let off the throttle and I'm rolling at 30 mph or faster. Once it does, it's impossible to accellerate lightly. A little throttle will have absolutely no reaction and heavier throttle will cause the hesitation while the truck tries to come out of overdrive, engine revs, tranny downshifts more, then the truck lunges forward. The only way for me to keep my sanity is to lock out the overdrive every time I get in my truck. It drives beautifully with the overdrive locked out.


Hes lugging the engine big time. Its surging forward because it was taken out of a gear that was impossible to pull and put in a gear that gave it more power. Hes driving so damn slow in over-drive that instead of going from 4th to 3rd its going from 4th to 2nd and unlocking the torque converter.


Its normal, The transmission is NOT defective. To avoid the Lunge forward, STOP using your over-drive unless your going at hi-speeds.


And if its only happened to you during 3 down shift in the last 15,000 miles, It doesnt sound like its much of a problem at all.

We never said it doesnt lunge, hesitate, or ping while in over-drive at low speeds.

what we said was " STOP LUGGING YOUR ENGINE " and that wont happen.


And dont say that we are being stupid, we are only quoting our owners manuals.

"Its that little book in the glove box"

 

Are you saying every 04 & 05 F150 transmission is defective? I doubt it

 

Huh? That's quite a stretch to derive that from what I said. You guys are spending a lot of time arguing whether somebody has a problem or not that you haven't experienced.

 

This little quote implies that all our trucks have this problem, we just haven't discovered it yet.

This is the kind of thread that will start the paranoia that ran with the vibe threads. People looking for a problem that they don't have. If you know what conditions cause the problem, then change your driving habits to avoid those conditions. Don't blame the machine for the faults of the operator.

 

Once again, it's not lugging at all. Doesn't even get the oppty. This is freeway speeds that I am getting this. Funny that you feel like you know it all because you can quote an owners manual.

 

Paranoia? Do you feel that vibe wasn't a valid issue? Seems that Ford did. These forums also helped a lot of people figure out that it was an issue for them or not. Feel free not to read future threads on it. Either way, it's pretty simple, either it's happening to you and it's an issue or it's not. And maybe it's happening to everyone and there will be a recall of 04-05 F150's. Or not. Won't know until folks talk about it and figure out if is an issue for real...oh hey, that's what were trying to do here.

 

If this happens, it happens. Changing your driving habits to try to get a vehicle to malfunction isn't a very prudent thing to do. If that's what you want to do, fine, but encouraging others to do something that isn't relavant to the way they drive... Kevin