Hey Y'all,

First time poster/user here. I have a '21 Lariat, and I'm having a weird issue. For the last two weeks, and only in the early morning, the truck will lose all ability to shift into higher gears. On the digital dash, where the gears are lit up from 1-10, the higher gears start declining until I'm left (often times) with just 1st gear. If I continue to upshift using the + sign on the gear shifter, it will sometimes bring them back temporarily, but it's then a fight for 20-30 minutes while I try to upshift and the truck continues to downshift. I'll upload a video later since this is difficult to describe. I've had it to the dealer twice in two weeks and they can't figure it out since they're looking at it later in the morning/day (and they won't bring in someone early enough in the morning to see it happen), so they've left me completely on my own for now. And it ONLY happens in the early morning for the last two weeks (temperature related?). Once I leave work in the afternoon, it drives perfectly. Anyone ever seen anything like this??? I'll take any insight at this point. Thanks!!

 

Does it shift normally outside of M mode? Because if you're driving around in "manual" mode and trying to keep it in too high of a gear it will still downshift to prevent stalling/lugging. If you have 10th selected and come to a stop it's still going to shift down to 1st gear because you can't start off in 10th.

If you drive normally without being in M, are you saying it's screaming at some high RPM and won't upshift? I'm confused because you keep talking about manually selecting gears.

 

Sorry, didn't clarify that well. I'm not driving around in M mode, it isn't shifting normally outside of M mode. I'm referencing the +/- buttons on the side of the gear shifter, so I'm not necessarily saying I'm shifting manually, but pushing the + button sometimes "lights up" the higher gears again and makes them available. When I'm driving normally without being in M, I'll be going 40-50, maybe in 7th-8th, then all of a sudden the higher gears "darken" on the dash and it downshifts quickly, sometimes leaving it at 4500-5000rpms and then can't access the higher gears.

 

Sounds like it would be locking out gears due to temperature, but I don't think that's a thing on these? And unless it's already super cold where you are, I doubt it should be doing it now. Plus, I'd think they'd be "greyed out" from the start of the truck, not after you've started driving. Could be a failsafe program for some condition. Again, possibly temp related. Have you taken video and shown to the dealer? That would be my next step. Or drop the truck off over night and have them drive first thing when the truck is cold from sitting.

Either way, doesn't sound normal and likely is an issue with the trans itself.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Be good to know what the temps are or where you are or what spec F150 (Engine/Hybrid/ Power boost) you have or miles/KM on the clock.

But lower temps shouldn't be causing any issues. I'm going to assume you are in D, not manual, Normal mode. My knee jerk reaction to any potential transmission issues, is to recommend a drain and refill. But these trucks are so new that shouldn't be an issue. Wishing the transmission dipstick was more accessible.....Its a PIA to check.....

 

Thanks for the input guys. It's only getting into the high 40s overnight. I've dropped it off twice now to the service and they say they can't reproduce the issue. It's only doing it between about 6-9am, and I suspect they aren't getting it out early enough despite my pleading. It's the 2.7L Ecoboost and only has about 45k miles on it. And yes, I'm in D not in manual mode. And I've taken video and shown it to the dealer, but they say that without being able to reproduce it themselves with their diagnostic computer connected, they can't do anything about it because they have no clue what is happening. I'll post any updates, though it seems so odd that it probably won't be of much use to most!

 

Here's a quick video, as well...

 

It amazes me you show them a video and they still won't do anything. I'd find a different dealership that can think outside typical protocol. I'd also start a case with Ford immediately and document all your issues.

 

As tempted as I am to say, unplug the battery. Leave it so the vehicle discharges, then reconnect the battery. Do not. it make cause codes to disappear.

Another dealer or leave it there overnight. Make sure they know you will be in the following AM. Then first thing in the morning, go to the dealer in another car, and ask to plug the truck into the computers and go on a drive with a Tech.

 

There's no check engine light on (I don't know where it is on the digital cluster and I didn't see it in the video)? There has to be some kind of code stored if there's a fault. And it won't lock out gears due to temp. That's not a thing, plus your transmission temperature is showing to be warmed up. There's something wrong either mechanically with the transmission or there's an electrical gremlin. If there's actually something wrong that the computer is detecting that is locking out gears then there will be trouble code.

Now, in the video I keep seeing the truck shift back and forth between 2nd and 3rd and I hear what sounds like you hitting the +/- buttons on the column shifter. Which I think will still lock out gears even in D. Can you record it without touching anything and just keep accelerating and see if it ever shifts past third? I'm starting to think that you're just causing this issue by playing with the shifter constantly. Or at the beginning of the day when you grab the shifter you're hitting the - button.