[makingpoordecisions]

I've been noticing that if I'm doing anything under highway speeds, the transit tends to dive into the highest gear possible. The problem is that it stays at 1100rpm until I stop cruising and give it gas.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't 1100rpm too low and lugs the engine? My temporary fix is just pressing "-" on the shifter and leaving it in M4 or M5 until I'm above 65km/hr. That way I'm cruising at 1800rpm which I believe is healthier for the engine.

 

[jdybvik]

By highway speeds, you mean 100km/h correct? Then it should be about 1.8k to 2k rpm.
If you are doing 65 km/h then I think 1,100 rpm is about right?
Don't remember what mine does at that speed.

 

[makingpoordecisions]

Yup, 90km/hr is about 1800rpm or something. By keeping it in 5th gear I can do the same at 60km/hr. The police are very particular on how fast everyone is going around here so sometimes I'm cruising at 50km/hr and it just likes to be at 1100

 

[impatient]

The Tow-Haul feature might correct this. Otherwise, manual shifting does as well. IMHO, the transmission is programmed poorly. Try to accelerate smoothly (almost gently) and it just bogs down. You press accelerator and press it a little more, then even more at which point it downshifts abruptly, too far perhaps (2 gears?, maybe 3), sending rpms to the 3k+ range. Same thing happens sometimes trying to pass someone on highway, which of course can be dangerous. Could just be my van (EB with 3.31). This year, I am trying to be more conscious of rpms and shifting manually more often to keep rpms a little higher....no doubt using more gas, but avoiding the “bog.”


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[surly Bill]

The few times I had to "punch it" to pass someone on a short straight stretch I was alarmed that it seemed to go from 5th/6th gear down to 2nd. Otherwise I haven't had a problem with the shift points.

 

[jdybvik]

The few times I had to "punch it" to pass someone on a short straight stretch I was alarmed that it seemed to go from 5th/6th gear down to 2nd. Otherwise I haven't had a problem with the shift points.

At some point, when I can get my van into a competent dealer service department to check my dual batteries properly, I will have them check for any ecu program updates. Our transmission does not have it's own computer (tcm).

 

[Tonwagen]

You shouldn't be worried but you have every right to be irritated. I usually set the limiter to 4th gear when driving in hilly terrain below 50 mph and find the behavior for more agreeable. At least the limiter buttons are very nice ergonomically and can tame the tranny under most circumstances. Don't hesitate to use them. --Frank

 

[Michael Ophus]

Our transmission does not have it's own computer (tcm).

No TCM? this guy says Ford replaced the TCM 4 times.


https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/ford-transit-general-discussion/26922-2015-t250-transmission-problems-since-new.html


In the past it has been said on this forum that you can reprogram the shift points of the TCM to match your current driving style (Or if you bought used.) by disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes.


The plug for the TCM is located behind and bellow the coolant reservoir, Rain water getting into this plug has damaged a few peoples transmissions in the past, this has been pointed out in separate threads as well as the wet air filter thread.


(Of course people may be confusing the PCM with the TCM.)

 

[jdybvik]

Our transmission does not have it's own computer (tcm).

No TCM? this guy says Ford replaced the TCM 4 times.


https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/ford-transit-general-discussion/26922-2015-t250-transmission-problems-since-new.html


In the past it has been said on this forum that you can reprogram the shift points of the TCM to match your current driving style (Or if you bought used.) by disconnecting the battery for 15 minutes.


The plug for the TCM is located behind and bellow the coolant reservoir, Rain water getting into this plug has damaged a few peoples transmissions in the past, this has been pointed out in separate threads as well as the wet air filter thread.


(Of course people may be confusing the PCM with the TCM.)

You are probably right. I just read that 2011ish the 6r80 transmission no longer had a tcm.

 

[call me Rob]

Yeah the Transit is not Your Father's Oldsmobile.

My dad's '55 Olds was a heavy car, big V8, Rochester 4-barrel carb, 4-speed Hydramatic transmission, very well behaved. Floor it and you could hear the other 2 barrels of the carb open up and start sucking wind. Hydramatic dropped to third or second, and you ring up 80-mph in a hurry. Loved that transmission. It was bullet proof, knew its job, and did its job all by itself. No messing with the shift lever - just step on the throttle.

Which is why I've been reluctant to use the Transit shift select. The transmission is supposed to be smarter than me, and I'm not towing, so let it do it.

But on a recent trip to Nevada there were lots of long grades and hilly terrain, and the smart transmission would drop three or four gears at 70-mph, wind the engine up to 4500 rpm, start shifting back up, realize it was still on a hill, and do it all over again. So I started using manual select shift. Now I'm a believer.

 

[JAD]

But on a recent trip to Nevada there were lots of long grades and hilly terrain, and the smart transmission would drop three or four gears at 70-mph, wind the engine up to 4500 rpm, start shifting back up, realize it was still on a hill, and do it all over again. So I started using manual select shift. Now I'm a believer.

Similar to how my van behaves on hills. It' perfectly fine when on flat or long low-grade hills, but when it gets into those short, steep 10-20% grade hills in the North Carolina mountains it up-shifts and downshifts at all the wrong times. I tried to control it by taking my foot off the pedal just before topping a hill to get it to up-shift, but sometimes it would downshift on the way down causing the engine rpm to skyrocket. This is mostly at 20-40 mph in 2, 3, and 4th gears. The problem is solved when I shift to manual. It seems the transmission learned how to shift on relatively flat land and gets confused when I take it into the mountains.

 

[kc8flb]

I am going to have to learn how to use the "M" +/- . Unfortunately lots of these shifting strategies are optimized to pass emission tests and fuel mileage targets and may not be perfect for general drive ability.

 

[jdybvik]

Find out if there are ecu or tcm updates.
My Equinox shifted like crap. Found out there were 5 updates for the tcm (previous owner was a twit). Smooth as butter after that.