2011 Raptor SCrew--Trans Downshifted to 5th and Stuck There

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

kglesq

Droid's Brother
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Posts
136
Reaction score
4
So, this evening on my way home from the office, I'm cruising up the freeway at 75-80. Pretty much flat road, roughly constant throttle position, and I suddenly feel a hard thump, and the RPMs go up. I suspect the trans has just downshifted to 5th, though there is no reason for it to do so.

On the center display there is now a large wrench depicted in orange. Oh @#$%. This is not good.

I hit the selectshift "+" button which brings up the gear indicator, and see the truck is, as I suspected, now in 5th gear. It will not upshift to 6th even if I take my foot completely off the gas. I slow down to 55 or so, and head for the nearest exit, which also conveniently has a Ford dealer a couple of miles up the road.

As I roll to a stop at the traffic light off the freeway, I note the gear indicator still shows it is in 5th gear. When the light turns green, the acceleration confirms that the gear indicator is most likely correct, and I accelerate very lightly to 45 and hold it there. Getting to the dealer I end up having to accelerate from a stop to 45 twice, and then once from a stop into the dealership's service driveway. Trans temp registers 195 when I park it.

I try shifting from park, to reverse, to drive and back. The trans engages, but seems to do so aggressively, with a bit of a thump. I move the shifter to the manual shift mode, but it refuses to select that mode. When the shifter is moved to the "M" position, the selector position indicator in the instrument cluster does not illuminate the "M" orange as it should--all the positions (i.e. P R N D M 2 1) are white, as though none of them are selected.

I check the information display's vehicle diagnostics (for lack of a better term) section, and it shows there is 1 warning, but it gives no more detail than that.

Now safely at the dealer, I turn the truck off and then restart it, problem "solved" as the trans reverts to normal and now behaves as it did before. Normal shifting, and the warnings on the info display vanish. I run a vehicle health report on Sync, and it reports the truck is fine--not a hint of a problem.

Soooo, any idea WTF is going on here? Also, would driving the truck as described above with it stuck in 5th (most concerningly the part about accellerating from a stop in 5th) hurt the trans?

Lastly, I want to take the truck in to get this checked out regardless. Does anyone know of a good Ford service department and service writer in the Orange County, CA area?

Truck is a 2011 Raptor Super Crew with roughly 1,900 miles on the clock.

Sorry about the lousy pic--cell phone camera in a moving vehicle at night = camera shake.

Thanks.
 

Attachments

  • 2011-01-03_20-57-33_214.jpg
    2011-01-03_20-57-33_214.jpg
    82.5 KB · Views: 105
Last edited:

warrior

Your Wife's Personal Trainer
Joined
Aug 19, 2010
Posts
819
Reaction score
152
I would certainly have the dealer check it out.
 

BIRDMAN

Birdministrator
Joined
May 16, 2010
Posts
12,915
Reaction score
6,191
Location
Boston
sounds like what my truck did when i had TCM problems. it went in to 3rd gear and wouldn't go anywhere. not even enough power to get on the flatbed without assistance. sounds to me like a software issue probably a complication with the new select shift program. i also doubt highly you would go very far in 5th, it was probably in 3rd and just showed 5th for some reason. even in 3rd my truck wouldn't move. sounds like it went in to limp-home mode which should save the truck not hurt it. good luck keep us posted.
 
OP
OP
kglesq

kglesq

Droid's Brother
Joined
Oct 18, 2010
Posts
136
Reaction score
4
sounds like what my truck did when i had TCM problems. it went in to 3rd gear and wouldn't go anywhere. not even enough power to get on the flatbed without assistance. sounds to me like a software issue probably a complication with the new select shift program. i also doubt highly you would go very far in 5th, it was probably in 3rd and just showed 5th for some reason. even in 3rd my truck wouldn't move. sounds like it went in to limp-home mode which should save the truck not hurt it. good luck keep us posted.

Thanks Bird. So the dealer got it solved in short order I take it? No recurrences?
 

pirate air

will plunder your booty
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Posts
4,253
Reaction score
1,377
Location
Texas
Hmm, well thats no good. I never see any problems with the 6r80 transmissions at the shop, so nothing common comes to mind. Some diagnostic codes should have been saved in the memory for the dealer to review. Starting out in fifth isn't good for it, but if your easy on it and it hasn't happened a bunch, things are still probably ok. I bet its a module/electronic issue like Bird noted. The TCM is part of the PCM in the 6.2 trucks IIRC. Get it to the dealer and let us know.
 

Lead Foot

Active Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Posts
122
Reaction score
1
sounds like what my truck did when i had TCM problems. it went in to 3rd gear and wouldn't go anywhere. not even enough power to get on the flatbed without assistance. sounds to me like a software issue probably a complication with the new select shift program. i also doubt highly you would go very far in 5th, it was probably in 3rd and just showed 5th for some reason. even in 3rd my truck wouldn't move. sounds like it went in to limp-home mode which should save the truck not hurt it. good luck keep us posted.

Maybe your truck was in 5th and actually showed 3rd :hmm::********:


If My truck wouldn't move in 3rd gear,i would have went to 4L :hmm:
To avoid assistance... maybe

I'm just messin with ya Bird :********: i got my face on :naughty: had a few Coors lights,I'm one Happy camper the Doc Just tuned me loose to go back to work starting this coming Monday.... from a Broken Wrist First every broken bone @ 47 Whooo Hoooo Now I'm one step closer to my Raptor!
 

Lead Foot

Active Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Posts
122
Reaction score
1
As I roll to a stop at the traffic light off the freeway, I note the gear indicator still shows it is in 5th gear. When the light turns green, the acceleration confirms that the gear indicator is most likely correct, and I accelerate very lightly to 45 and hold it there. Getting to the dealer I end up having to accelerate from a stop to 45 twice, and then once from a stop into the dealership's service driveway.
Trans temp registers 195 when I park it.

That was VERY smart to take note of the Trans temp...Damn Smart,,,at that point I would have lost my head and prolly not thought to Look at the trans temp!

At 195 your good to go No Problems at all... the trans can take temps over 2xx with No Problem!

I've heard many stories about Pulls in the mountains that Ran the temps over 230* Many!

I would pull the stick and make sure the oil still has Good Color! If Not change it and Roll On Brother :~)
 
Last edited:
Top