2013 Explorer Sport Shifting Issue

[jasplat88]

Has anyone with a 2013 or 2014 Explorer Sport experienced a hard and sudden shutter/loss of power followed by the transmission either not shifting or acting like it's hitting the rev limiter under FULL acceleration? Mine seems to do it when it's under "load" (like heading up a slight incline), but I can also duplicate it when trying to pass a vehicle and accellorate hard.

I have read the TSB thread, and another thread discussing the new TCM program update (which was updated by my dealer last week when they had my car for 3 days), but it did not solve the issue - it appeared to for a couple of days, but it's doing the same thing again.

My dealer tested several other Explorer Sports. Two of the three new explorers did NOT experience the issue, but 1 DID.

My local service rep is trying to be helpful in addressing, and I was able to duplicate this issue while I took him for a drive and he acknowledges there is an issue. I'm not thrilled about taking my explorer back for the 3rd time to continue to investigate this issue or the thought of having my transmission cracked open on a 1 year old vehicle to hunt around for an issue. I have ~15K miles on my Explorer and rarely get on it. I first noticed this behavior after I took it in for the fuel pump/nipple recall issue (but that could be just coincidence). It also does not experience this issue every time, and is buttery smooth when you only push the throttle down ~3/4 of the way.

Anyone else experience this (or is there another thread I missed which addresses)? If you want to see if your explorer has this issue, I'd suggest finding a flat or incline (not a downhill slope) and get it up to ~40mph then "punch it" and see if it will make it all the way through the downshift gear and shift smoothly back into the next up gear without a shutter having to let off the throttle. I've also been able to replicate this issue from a rolling start.

I'd love for it to be a simple computer TCM issue, but the latest update did not fix it for me. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

-Jason

 

[peterk9]

Has anyone with a 2013 or 2014 Explorer Sport experienced a hard and sudden shutter/loss of power followed by the transmission either not shifting or acting like it's hitting the rev limiter under FULL acceleration? Mine seems to do it when it's under "load" (like heading up a slight incline), but I can also duplicate it when trying to pass a vehicle and accellorate hard.

I have read the TSB thread, and another thread discussing the new TCM program update (which was updated by my dealer last week when they had my car for 3 days), but it did not solve the issue - it appeared to for a couple of days, but it's doing the same thing again.

My dealer tested several other Explorer Sports. Two of the three new explorers did NOT experience the issue, but 1 DID.

My local service rep is trying to be helpful in addressing, and I was able to duplicate this issue while I took him for a drive and he acknowledges there is an issue. I'm not thrilled about taking my explorer back for the 3rd time to continue to investigate this issue or the thought of having my transmission cracked open on a 1 year old vehicle to hunt around for an issue. I have ~15K miles on my Explorer and rarely get on it. I first noticed this behavior after I took it in for the fuel pump/nipple recall issue (but that could be just coincidence). It also does not experience this issue every time, and is buttery smooth when you only push the throttle down ~3/4 of the way.

Anyone else experience this (or is there another thread I missed which addresses)? If you want to see if your explorer has this issue, I'd suggest finding a flat or incline (not a downhill slope) and get it up to ~40mph then "punch it" and see if it will make it all the way through the downshift gear and shift smoothly back into the next up gear without a shutter having to let off the throttle. I've also been able to replicate this issue from a rolling start.

I'd love for it to be a simple computer TCM issue, but the latest update did not fix it for me. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

-Jason

I'm quite sure the answer to your first question is YES. I recall reading posts about high revs while the vehicle itself is slow to move. I can't recall what model was affected.

EDIT, found this thread and merged yours with it. Check out post #8 .

Peter

 

[jasplat88]

Hi Peter - I don't believe this thread is related to the same issue I experiencing. I also note in my second paragraph, I've already had the TSB which calls for upgrading the TCM done last week and it did NOT solve the issue I am describing.

The issue I have is a intermittent (very brief) and sudden HARD jerk/loss of power while under HARD acceleration and my explorer is usually going VERY fast when it happens not like what the OP describes.

I own a 2013 Explorer Sport and created a separate thread in hopes of hearing from folks with the Sport model (the original poster has an XLT and every other person who posted in this thread appears to have a XLT or limited, not a Sport model with twin turbos, different TCM and transmission distribution, etc).

-Jason

 

[Quicksilver]

My last two Volkswagons had auto with tiptronic shifting. While in tip mode, if you hit the max rev limit of the motor,it would automatically upshift without having to use the paddles or shifter. My 2014 ESport just annoyingly sits on the rev limiter as you describe. Were not getting to the issue in the same way but Im pretty sure we have the same problem. I'd like it if when in M mode and I get to max RPM's, the trans would be smarter than I am and just upshift for me

 

[jasplat88]

Quicksilver - I'm stumped, as mine seems to have an issue BEFORE hitting the rev limiter (or before it should be hitting the rev limiter). Mine has done it as low as 4000 rpms and ONLY does it under FULL acceleration. I can step on the throttle 3/4 of the way and it will run through ALL gears and shift right at 5500 rpms as smooth as I would expect.

Besides being annoying, I believe there is a safety issue here - not being able to step on the gas and it go as expected can make it dangerous when trying to get on a highway or out of a potential sticky situation. My other concern is the hard jerking BEFORE it gets to the revving issue which make me wonder about the wear on my tranny.

-Jason

 

[Motoarzan]

IMO, the manual sport shifter feature is nonsense. I mean, who really uses it, and uses it often. 99% of us put the vehicle in drive and go.
I'm sure maybe a couple times a year one might want to get "sporty" and shift the gears themselves for a few minutes but for the most part it rarely, almost never gets used.
I would in a heartbeat have traded away this sport shift feature for something way more practical...like let's say...HID lights???...Perhaps even that heated steering wheel?
Just my 2 cents.

 

[13Sport]

IMO, the manual sport shifter feature is nonsense. I mean, who really uses it, and uses it often. 99% of us put the vehicle in drive and go.

I use the downshift feature of the paddles regularly. Unlike the select shift on the shift lever, you can downshift w/ the paddles w/out having to shift out of drive. For engine braking, passing, etc, it's great to be able to downshift on the fly w/ a flick of your finger.

The only time I've found manual mode useful is when driving in the mountains (winding roads) to avoid gear searching. For this I use it regularly.

 

[13Sport]

My 2014 ESport just annoyingly sits on the rev limiter as you describe. Were not getting to the issue in the same way but Im pretty sure we have the same problem.

If true this is a change in the 2014 vs. the 2013. The problem I have with using manual mode is that the computer will shift about 1ms before hitting the limiter, I typically shift at the same point, so I'm constantly upshifting two gears on accident (computer goes up one, then paddle goes up one).

My 2013 also will drop the gear when slowing or stopping to 2nd or first respectively. I can not get a true "manual" mode in my 2013. I would love to trade you

 

[Kpwweb]

IMO, the manual sport shifter feature is nonsense. I mean, who really uses it, and uses it often. 99% of us put the vehicle in drive and go.
I'm sure maybe a couple times a year one might want to get "sporty" and shift the gears themselves for a few minutes but for the most part it rarely, almost never gets used.
I would in a heartbeat have traded away this sport shift feature for something way more practical...like let's say...HID lights???...Perhaps even that heated steering wheel?
Just my 2 cents.

I use it all the time to upshift... If I see Im on the flat and the comp is winding the engine after climbing a hill, say, I'll shift... Great that I don't have to shift to M!

 

[Quicksilver]

IMO, the manual sport shifter feature is nonsense. I mean, who really uses it, and uses it often. 99% of us put the vehicle in drive and go.
I'm sure maybe a couple times a year one might want to get "sporty" and shift the gears themselves for a few minutes but for the most part it rarely, almost never gets used.
I would in a heartbeat have traded away this sport shift feature for something way more practical...like let's say...HID lights???...Perhaps even that heated steering wheel?
Just my 2 cents.

Hey look! Im a 1%'r I use M most of the time unless I have a Latte AND my cell phone going concurrently