Hello everyone. My 2014 4x4 5.0 with 80k miles tends to shift hard as soon as it enters 3rd gear from 2nd only when it is cold. Like clockwork when I leave to work in the AM, the first and second time it shifts up to 3rd gear it sounds and feels like a clunk. After that, it is fine. Occasionally, at highway speeds if I get on it hard and drop a few gears it will do the same thing even warmed up. My powertrain warranty will be up soon and Im thinking about having the dealership look at it. Has anyone had this problem or know what is causing the hard shifting???
Thanks,
Erik

 

 

When the temperature drops or the temp stays cold for multiple days, transmission fluids with poor cold-flow properties can thicken and cause elongated and hard shifts until the fluid has warmed up enough to flow properly. Synthetics don’t contain waxes, though conventional fluids do. those waxes improve performance in cold weather. what kind of fluid are you using?

 

 

DarrenT04 ....."When the temperature drops or the temp stays cold for multiple days, transmission fluids with poor cold-flow properties can thicken and cause elongated and hard shifts until the fluid has warmed up enough to flow properly. Synthetics don’t contain waxes, though conventional fluids do. those waxes improve performance in cold weather. what kind of fluid are you using?"

According to Ford, the maintenance schedule for transmission fluid change is 150k miles, so I have not yet changed that. The fluid from the factory is Mercon LV. Perhaps I should change the oil much sooner and or use a different brand of fluid? And also the outside air temp doesn't have to be cold, I guess what i meant was that when the truck is started for the first time of the day, it shifts hard a few times then goes away.

 

I was having the same problem with my 2014 f-150 with 101,000 on it. I took it in to a trans shop and also had the trans flushed and everything came back good still had a hard shift though.I did some more research and found out the 14s f150 have a recall right now for there pcm, it makes it go into first gear when going highway speeds, they also “updated” the cold shift pattern. It feels so much better but it’ll still kinda shifts weird into 3rd, did some more research and apparently it’s better to keep a moderate amount of throttle when cold shifting instead of babying it, so it can “build enough pressure” I noticed a difference! maybe try calling ford or looking on there website to get you’re pcm reprogrammed it’s free for it might aswell !