I own an 05 F-150 FX4. I have put 31,000 miles on it. Every once in a while I would fell the transmission shutter a little when changing out of 1st into 2nd. Started noticing this around 26,000 miles or so. It wouldn't do it all the time just sometimes. I just thought it was normal since it is a fairly new truck. Well, the other day it actually slipped pretty good when changing to 2nd. I made it home and checked the trans fluid. The dipstick was dry! So I added some mercon V until it was right. It ended up being half a quart low. I drove it and rechecked it again. Dead on the money. It hasn't slipped again...think goodness. So my questions are....

I know the trans system holds a total of 14 quarts, how could the dipstick be dry if its only half a quart low? Would half a quart make it slip? Is it that sensitive?

Should a truck with only 31,000 miles be using transmission fluid like that? There are no leaks at all. I'm thinking it wasn't filled to the correct level from the factory or at least I'm hoping.

Also, do you think any damage resulted to my transmission due to this misfortune?

Thanks

 

Are you saying that in 31,000 miles, you NEVER checked the transmission fluid?

 

[QUOTE= Well, the other day it actually slipped pretty good when changing to 2nd. ]

Helix24,

I have a 05 Lariat 4X4 with the exact same problem. Slipping from 1st to 2nd started at about 18K miles and dip stick was dry when I checked the fluid. First dealership said that they could find nothing wrong (go figure). Second dealer said that a soilenoid was going bad and the small grinding noise I was hearing was my hubs trying to lock in. Anyway they replaced the above mentioned and guess what, 5k miles later same thing.

I am going to take it to an independent trans shop and will post anything I find out.

Kss415

 

There nothing you can do. Mine has 83000 miles and still does it. I was through hell trying to figure it out. Its just a weird defect, but cause no harm.

 

hello im new here i have/had the same problem with my 04 stx scab 4.6 but before it was slipping into second it was whining real bad like when you would be low on ps fluid i barely mad it to a gas station to notice that it was dry on the dipstick added 5 qts by accident for some strange reason i thought it held more. after draining the fluid in the pan and dropping it and refilling it i noticed metal swirls in the fluid. still wont go any where and had it towed back to the house.taking the truck to the dealership i bought it from a month and a half ago to see if they can find anything wrong with it.any idea's? im thinking that the tranny is shot and its only got 34k miles on the truck.let me know this is bugging the heII outta me

 

Have 4.6 lariat and know two more guys with same trucks just standard version. Both have this shudder when going up hills not all the time but sometime.