10 speed Transmission/software issue

[TJ Housden]

Anyone else having major issues their 10 speed Transmission shifting very harsh and erratic(sometimes from 7th or 8th to 1st or 2nd gear)? I’ve taken it to the dealer several times. The last time they changed the valve body( no longer under warranty so it was out of pocket). It made it worse. They want to tear the transmission apart but it’s clearly a software issue.

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[Chili]

I had that exact issue after they did the valve body update in December of 21. They did it again with an updated TSB from April or may of 22 and I haven't had an issue since. It did only do it once before the second fix so it was very intermittent.

My 2020 is under warranty, so It was covered.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Use Forscan and clear the Transmission Adaptive tables. Then drive it calmly for about 250 miles. Should help clear things up. The 10R80 is notorious for picking up odd/harsh shift behaviors as it adapts to driver input over time. This is especially true when towing and forgetting to put the truck into Tow/Haul mode or locking out 8-10 in normal mode. When it does resetting the shift tables forces it to relearn and usually resolves most shift problems like this.

 

[TJ Housden]

Thank you. Shifting from 8th gear to second gear isn’t my favorite part of the day. Last thing I need is a blown engine as well.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Hopefully that will help.

 

[Bandit Heeler]

I thought the same with my wife’s Expedition but it turned out to be two bad drums allowing fluid to pass threw them. The drums hold the clutch packs. 62,500 miles. Thank goodness I had an esp. $4000 and a month out of service. Hopefully the TSB will fix it.

 

[TJ Housden]

I forgot to mention it only happens when the transmission is cold. After a few minutes of driving, everything is fine with the transmission

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Your profile info states a 2018 F150. If this is accurate then the first thing I would do is have the transmission fluid level checked, or possibly having it serviced. When first released up until at least mid-2020 Ford was underfilling the 10R80's by as much as 2-3 qts of fluid. A whole list of issues related to the incorrect fluid level is well documented on many other Ford forums. The other thing is possibly a dirty filter. The filter changes flow through it depending on if cold or at temp. When cold and a dirty filter may cause many issues as described.

https://www.transmissiondigest.com/10r80-10l90-ford-gm-ten-speed-unique-filter-system/

If handy you can get the filter kit online, but it's not a straight forward job. There are guides on all the steps needed to do this properly. You want to pay VERY close attention to how much fluid you get out of it as well as reset procedure that differs from the shift table job and topping off since Ford used a dipstick plug vs a traditional stick. The hassle involved makes taking it to the dealer or certified shop that KNOWS this beast of a tranny to have them service it very attractive.

 

[TJ Housden]

Thank you

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