I have an 08 Screw FX4 with an auto. If i put the shifter into "2" from park, the truck is in 2 and starts from a stop in 2. Now I have had plenty of vehicles with autos and it has been my experience with all of them that, if you put the shifter into 1, it starts from a stop in 1 and stays in 1 until you manually shift out of 1. AND, if you put the shifter in 2, it would start in 1, shift to 2 and stay in 2 until you manually shifted out of 2. I have never driven a vehicle (with an auto) that, when the shifter is placed in 2, it starts in 2? Does your truck do this?

 

It is supposed to do this. I have had the same types of transmissions you talk about where they start in 1 and go no higher than 2, and hated them. They happened to be GMs. The reason to start in 2 is for slick conditions, like snow, where you do not want a lot of torque so you can get started. Starting in 1 would make it useless for those conditions.

 

Makes sense, thanks!

 

I don't think that I have ever had a Tranny that when started in 2, went from 1st to 2nd, but then again I have never owned a GM.

 

Lucky you. I unfortunately have.

 

2nd gear start has been a Ford feature for many many years. It's very handy for slippery conditions.

 

My fiance drives a Blazer, so i'm working on getting her into an escape before we get married!

 

All Ford automatics do this that I know of. Fords start in 2 and gm's with the selector in 2 begins in 1 and limits to 2.