will not shift until 3000rpm?

[expls2014]

got my 2014 explorer sport for about two weeks. one thing I am not sure if it is normal that for the 1st gear it won't shift till 3000rpm with moderate gas?

this is our first SUV. for my sedan car (V6 Pontiac), I will feel the gear shifting around 2200.

 

[LukerDooker]

...Quick Robin, to the dealership!

...not normal for any vehicle...?

 

[66gt350ps]

That does seem high unless you are flooring the accelerator. I find that happening on full acceleration and use the paddle shifters (okay to use in D mode) to raise the gears sometimes. I do not know if the automatic shifting is governed electronically or by vacuum pressure and if the twin turbo set up has any bearing on the automatic controls. With no boost gauges to read, it is hard to know what the system is doing.

 

[expls2014]

Thanks LukerDooker and 66gt350ps. it is not full floor. maybe 40%-50%.

it is noticed that if I only give 10% or 20% smoothly ( normally 3-5s run ~15 feet very slow....) it will shift at around 2000rpm. (especially at the traffic light, normally you will feel way slow than other cars if doing that)

 

[WiEx]

That sounds normal. Mine shifts out of first at around 3000 to 3200 with moderate gas. A little more than moderate takes it to about 4000. The Sport engine encourages a heavy foot.

 

[Ryan327]

That sounds normal. Mine shifts out of first at around 3000 to 3200 with moderate gas. A little more than moderate takes it to about 4000. The Sport engine encourages a heavy foot.

Agreed.

 

[66gt350ps]

My guess is that it is case of a lot of torque needed to get a 2.5 ton toy up to the desired speed quickly that causes the stall converter to be set high.

 

[walterhudson]

That sounds normal. Mine shifts out of first at around 3000 to 3200 with moderate gas. A little more than moderate takes it to about 4000. The Sport engine encourages a heavy foot.

So does mine

 

[expls2014]

Thanks Guys. now I feel like I could drive my new toy wildly

 

[Bill #5 Explorer]

I'm over 107,000 miles now. I make mine shift near redline daily. Often.

 

[182RG]

The programming on these transmissions, compared to some of the 8 speeds in other SUVs, is TERRIBLE. Clunky/Unrefined, holding onto lower gears longer than necessary, etc.

 

[goochman]

This design was shared with GM and I can tell you its very klunky on the Enclave/Acadia also.

 

[1995E]

You can solve it by using the paddle shifters if you have the sport to shift up as quickly as possible. You'd feel the huge acceleration difference. I think since you have the Ecoboost, it tries to utilize the torque at those RPMs

 

[Odrapnew]

Yeah, the 3000+ shift in the early gears seems normal. I also agree that the transmission seems to hold the higher gears much longer than needed. Example would be accelerating onto the freeway and it takes forever to shift up from 4th or 5th gears, even when I haven't been accelerating for what I think is long enough to warrant an upshift. I do use the paddle shifters to upshift quite often when getting on freeways once I'm up to speed(or very close to it).

 

[13Sport]

It's possible that the adaptive learning of the transmission needs to be reset. This can be done by disconnecting the battery for a while and then reconnecting it. The transmission adjusts shift points and shift firmness based on driving habits over a period of time (hundreds of miles). If you did mountain driving, or towing, or other non-flat driving for an extended timeframe it could throw the learning off.