Well I traded in my 98 a month ago and I am getting ready to get another truck so I went to the dealership and liked the new trucks! Saw a nice FX4 with all the right options on it. My salesman said he'd get the keys so I could see the interior and when he came back and said lets take it for a spin! So I jump in and off we go on our 4 mile test drive. head out of the dealership and it drives nicely. get stopped at a light so I turned and then floored it to see how these new trucks pull with the new 5.4 3 valve engines. The engine rev's up, the truck starts accelerating nicely then the trans screwed up and tried to shift then seemed to hunt for a second then it took off again for couple seconds and did it again! My salesman tried to act like he didn't notice it and tried to comment about the power but I told him no something wasn't right. Got up to the next light and he said the truck had probably already shifted into second when I punched it so I punched it thins time right off the brake. I couldn't beleive what this $39,000 truck was doing... This time it gets itself lost 3 times before it gets up to speed and I back off. I commented that it didn't have the chance to shift that time and so he suggested I try it again. Sure enough, pull up to the next light and it does it 3 more times exactly the same as before. At this point I was rather disgusted and I told him I would definately not be buying this truck. He talked me into testing a King Ranch and it drove fine, none of the problems that FX4 had.

So to get to my question of all of you who already own 2004-2005 models has anyone seen this problem? and if so what is the problem? Is this a known issue with these new engine's and trans? I sure as hell am not going to pay $42,000 for a truck that can't accelerate properly! At this point I am determined to purchase a King Ranch but I will need to order it as nobody has one like I want in stock and the last thing I want to do is order it and have it come in with this nasty problem.

PS anyone out there have a pic of a King Ranch with the dark stone/ arizona beige paint?

 

Here ya go---I love it---fully loaded---let me know if you want to buy it.......would love to get one of the new ones with the 6.5' beds.



My gallery

https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=5539

 

I have an '04 FX4 and don't have the shift problems you mention. I haven't heard of any either. I only had throttle lag which Xcal took care of. I'm sure that truck was a fluke.

 

I have a 04 FX4 and have had no problems with the shifting . Superchips took out the lag and improved the factory settings.

 

Why all the concern over a truck you didn't buy, or have no intention of buying? They're not all going to be like that, just keep looking until you find one your happy with. That's what I did.

 

My 2004 shifts fine. How many miles were on the "test driven" truck? Maybe it was just the "Adaptive Drving Strategy" of the PCM at work???

Test drive another and then buy one you won't regret it!

 

Not that I am concerned with that exact trucks problem as much as I want to make sure it was a "Fluke". The test driven truck had only like 20 some miles on it. Hence my concern. I am definately buying one just will be test driving the one I buy even if I order it to ensure it doesn't have the same "fluke".

rhyno1,

Thanks for the pic, truck looks awesome. Definately going to be going with the dark stone King ranch. Thanks for the help!

 

Mine does it, seems like it doesnt know what gear it wants to be in. Once in a while it chatters when it shifts too.. its going to the shop shortly.. Mines an early build 6/12/03, XLT supercab 4x4.

 

My 05 FX4 has 8000 miles on it and I have never had any problems. Test drive another.

My biggest concern would be why the heck you would bay $42,000 for a truckmost people buy for around $30,000??!!

 

If you find one you like, try talking the dealer into letting you take it overnight. My dealer let both myself and my wife take trucks for extended test drives to ensure we liked them. I tested maybe 3 diff trucks before I was fine with the FX4 I have now. I actually test drove a v6 for the hell of it it see if it would be worth considering for the mileage. lol Man was that a dog.

I say even if you order it from the factory that you get a good 20 to 30 mile test drive in, with at least 2 seperate test drives to ensure it's what you want. You are talking about a 5 - 6 year commitment here, hell thats longer than some marriages.

 

I'll let you in on a little secret. Its the same transmission in both trucks.

Obviously if it works fine in one then there is a problem in the other. Problems can be fixed. OR if you want the FX4 have him bring in another one from another dealer or order you one.

 

Well when I say 42,000 I am refering to the sticker price that I don't actually pay as I have A-Plan. Therefore I will only be paying around 30,000 after discount and rebates.

I know they are the same trans that's why the concern if it is a issues that is common or an isolated incident. Besides after finding out there is only a $3K difference to get the king ranch I have concluded that I want the King Ranch and not a FX4.

The main reason for the post was to make sure that it's a fluke more than anything.

 

if it was the norm you'd be hearing a lot more about it and Ford wouldn't be selling 900,000 units a year.

It probably just needs a PCM reflash.

 

That is the beginning of the end...

Once I took my 2004 FX4 home overnite for a test drive, both the salesman and I knew it was a done deal! Wife saw the 2004 in the driveway, and knew that the 9-month old (7k miles) 2003 Lariat SCrew was history. Not that there was anything wrong with the 2003, but the 2004 is sweet!

Overnite test drives - a dealer's best friend (unless of course, you wreck it)

I bought my 03 on a 9 mile test drive. Put about 50-60 on the 2004 before I signed on the dotted line. 5-6 years IS a long time.

 

I don't know how you guys het these long test drives. The longest I have ever had was maybe 6 miles. I definately like the idea of it so how do you get them to do the overnight deal?