10R80 Owners - ULTIMATE M6G 10R80 Facts + Resolutions to harsh or no shift conditions

[Vertex]

I had the same issues as GT2022 minus the upshifting problems. Yes it a pain in the ass to check the fluid level. I didn't believe my dealer at first so I checked it myself, the level was fine.

But the problem can very easily be the valve body. Eventually (after 5 visits) my dealer took the valve body apart - found debris in it. Cleaned it out and replaced something. The shifting has been better. Still to this day the downshifts are bad but not nearly as harsh.

I am telling you all, the 10R80 is poorly designed and poorly tuned transmission. I have not been in a good shifting 10R80 yet (2 mustangs and a F150)

I have found that the only good drive mode that always shifts buttery smooth is drag mode.

Edit: I also want to state I was and am probably still having shift issues with mine. I was having extremely harsh shifts between 2-3 and sometimes 3-4 upshifts and also those same gears on downshifts. I tried every drive mode while it was happening and it was surprisingly a smooth shift only in drag mode. Normal/sport/track were all very harsh. I've also experienced a weird clunk when the vehicle would downshift I believe it was from gears 4-3 at a coast and will state that when this noise happened the vehicle didn't move I could just hear and feel it in my foot on the pedal.

Took it in and had them check the fluid and it was 1 quart low. After topping it off and running the car right after it was smooth for a couple days in all drive modes but the harshness came back again a little but not to the degree it previously was. Hence why I just basically run the car in drag mode basically all the time now.

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[njweatherman]

I have found that the only good drive mode that always shifts buttery smooth is drag mode.

Edit: I also want to state I was and am probably still having shift issues with mine. I was having extremely harsh shifts between 2-3 and sometimes 3-4 upshifts and also those same gears on downshifts. I tried every drive mode while it was happening and it was surprisingly a smooth shift only in drag mode. Normal/sport/track were all very harsh. I've also experienced a weird clunk when the vehicle would downshift I believe it was from gears 4-3 at a coast and will state that when this noise happened the vehicle didn't move I could just hear and feel it in my foot on the pedal.

Took it in and had them check the fluid and it was 1 quart low. After topping it off and running the car right after it was smooth for a couple days in all drive modes but the harshness came back again a little but not to the degree it previously was. Hence why I just basically run the car in drag mode basically all the time now.

I like your explanation about the downshift. I am experiencing something similar. When my car is cold and I am in Sport Mode+, and I am coming to a stop, it feels like I am getting rear-ended, but at the same time, it also feels like the rear wheels lock-up for a split second and I hear a click. So, all three things happen at once: a click, rear-ended feeling, and the rear wheels locking up.
After about 10 - 15 minutes of driving, the transmission is fine, and the car runs great.

 

[The stang dude]

I knew these issues were plaguing the 2022. I too have these shifting issues and bogging issues at highway speed. I took it in to dealer in late summer and they flashed it and advise the issues would go away after 500km of driving. So the 3-4 shift issue disappeared for bit but I still had random hard shifts in Normal. Also the bogging became more top of mind where you give it a little gas to keep up with traffic so to speak and it chugs, and doesn't down shift. So my plan once April comes around and I get it back on the road is to drive it 500km in a week and then bring it in for fluid check which I will supervise if I can to ensure they do it right at operating temp. I'll also provide the latest TSB to make sure they know I'm paying attention to these things. I'll update ya'll then on the results. Regarding the chugging, another thread was looking at the intake system impeding airflow/ robbing HP because of the carbon filter and extra plastic lattice work in the redesigned intake system for 2022. Perhaps insufficient airflow is causing the bogging!?! I look at that once tranny issue is fixed.
Sucks that FP and aftermarket are not providing warranty compatible CAI with tune. 2022 and 2023 the forgotten ponies........

 

[Vertex]

I like your explanation about the downshift. I am experiencing something similar. When my car is cold and I am in Sport Mode+, and I am coming to a stop, it feels like I am getting rear-ended, but at the same time, it also feels like the rear wheels lock-up for a split second and I hear a click. So, all three things happen at once: a click, rear-ended feeling, and the rear wheels locking up.
After about 10 - 15 minutes of driving, the transmission is fine, and the car runs great.

In my case I have a 30 mile drive to work (20ish miles of hwy driving 70mph and then in town driving between 30-40mph for the remaining 10ish miles). By the time I get to work on cooler days when I'm encroaching winter months the transmission never gets up to normal operating temps. I can't say I ever paid enough attention on regular days (60-70 degrees) to see where it was at by the time I got to work however and is something I will pay attention to this coming spring. I don't think it really matters either way though cause I don't feel that a 20-30degree change in trans temp should still cause any shift problems like I've experienced and that clunking on downshift has been there since a few thousand miles after owning the car. It did go away for a couple days after the trans fluid was topped off but I feel like there was damage that has already been done to something and most likely a part needs to be replaced to fix it.

 

[njweatherman]

After about 1 - 2 weeks of having no issues whatsoever with the transmission, I had one today.
On the first start-up of the day, I was driving out of my development and came to a stop sign with 2 other cars ahead of me. As I was inching up behind the two cars at the stop sign, I felt like I was rear-ended. I could not have been going faster than 5 mph. I immediately looked in my rear-view mirror and nobody was there. I was in Normal drive mode.
BTW - I'm approaching 1700 miles. The rear-ended feeling will happen within the first 5 to 15 minutes of driving, if it happens at all. Again, the car drove fine for the last 1 - 2 weeks. Weird!

 

[Zathras]

Weatherman, when I start my car and put it in drive, and begin driving slowly (parking lot, neighborhood, etc.) I also sometimes get a hard, lurchy shift out of nowhere. After it happens once, it usually doesn't happen again during that drive cycle.

(And sometimes I get the opposite--instead of a hard shift, I'll get a dead spot where it seems to be in something like neutral for a second or two.)

 

[njweatherman]

Weatherman, when I start my car and put it in drive, and begin driving slowly (parking lot, neighborhood, etc.) I also sometimes get a hard, lurchy shift out of nowhere. After it happens once, it usually doesn't happen again during that drive cycle.

(And sometimes I get the opposite--instead of a hard shift, I'll get a dead spot where it seems to be in something like neutral for a second or two.)

Austin,

Thanks for chiming in. I went out today, and the harsh downshift occurred when I was driving in Sport Mode+, trans temp was still 100F, and the gear shift display dropped down to 3rd gear. However, it was not as bad as previous ones, and it did not feel like I was rear ended. It was just a harsh downshift if that makes sense. I'm keeping a daily log for the dealership when I go in for my first service.

 

[JimC]

Weatherman, when I start my car and put it in drive, and begin driving slowly (parking lot, neighborhood, etc.) I also sometimes get a hard, lurchy shift out of nowhere. After it happens once, it usually doesn't happen again during that drive cycle.

(And sometimes I get the opposite--instead of a hard shift, I'll get a dead spot where it seems to be in something like neutral for a second or two.)

I had my car in to be checked last week. I was getting that same "dead spot" like I shifted into neutral rather than drive. They ran a bunch of tests, including following the TSB, but found nothing. At least it is now on record if something comes up later (still under warranty now though)

 

[Stage_3]

After about 1 - 2 weeks of having no issues whatsoever with the transmission, I had one today.
On the first start-up of the day, I was driving out of my development and came to a stop sign with 2 other cars ahead of me. As I was inching up behind the two cars at the stop sign, I felt like I was rear-ended. I could not have been going faster than 5 mph. I immediately looked in my rear-view mirror and nobody was there. I was in Normal drive mode.

I know I'm comparing apples to oranges, but a lot of 4th gen Ram truck owners report the same issue with their transmissions in their trucks.

 

[Jstang23]

Hey all, I'm new to this forum but I just upgraded my 16 V6 for a 23 GT. I had my break in oil change at 1000 miles yesterday and had been reading about the oddity that is the 10r80 trans. I had been experiencing very jerky and harsh downshifts even after 750 miles(I know still early for the adaptive part to learn how to shift). So, I had the dealer check the transmission fluid level while in and they pulled me into the shop so I could see the dip stick. It was right where it is supposed to be. The mechanic (my dealers master tech and dailys a 2020 GT) told me he didn't have those buttery smooth shifts until 2500 ish miles. However, he did recognize that sometimes the transmissions come low on fluid form the factory, just poor quality control on fords part. He told me to go out and drive it like I wanted it to shift, he said after one or two good hard drives you should start to see a difference. Now at 1150 miles I can say there is a good improvement, especially on the downshifts. Still not where it should be as far as smoothness, but I can notice its getting better every time I drive it. Since the mechanic told me the low fluid still happens even with the 22 and 23 MYs I think it's still good to have them check it at your break in service, especially since it IS covered under warranty(If a dealer says its not, find a new dealer). I hope this helps y'all a bit, but every car is different.

 

[2016S550]

Mine is odd, on some days I get the hard 4/3 downshift and others it’s perfectly fine. I’m at roughly 900 miles so I’m gonna just keep driving and see how it goes. I may get the fluid checked but really hate the idea of leaving the car at the dealer and chancing other things going wrong.

 

[Jstang23]

Mine is odd, on some days I get the hard 4/3 downshift and others it’s perfectly fine. I’m at roughly 900 miles so I’m gonna just keep driving and see how it goes. I may get the fluid checked but really hate the idea of leaving the car at the dealer and chancing other things going wrong.

I would highly highly recommend getting it checked. It is listed as an hour job in the mechanics hour book but any competent mechanic can do it in 30 minutes or less. I would call the dealer and ask them to check it because you think the fluid is low... that will make sure its covered under warranty. Also make sure you see the dipstick in person. It may not take long to check but it is a pain the butt. Its not worth the chance of it being low, especially with even it being half a quart low these transmission are extremely responsive to fluid level. A buddy of mine is the ford engineer that actually developed the transmission. You should be in and out of the dealer in an hour without leaving the car anywhere.

However, if you're only at 900 miles the adaptive learning has only just started to learn, give it at least another 1000 miles before you get really concerned.

 

[wynand32]

Hey all, I'm new to this forum but I just upgraded my 16 V6 for a 23 GT. I had my break in oil change at 1000 miles yesterday and had been reading about the oddity that is the 10r80 trans. I had been experiencing very jerky and harsh downshifts even after 750 miles(I know still early for the adaptive part to learn how to shift). So, I had the dealer check the transmission fluid level while in and they pulled me into the shop so I could see the dip stick. It was right where it is supposed to be. The mechanic (my dealers master tech and dailys a 2020 GT) told me he didn't have those buttery smooth shifts until 2500 ish miles. However, he did recognize that sometimes the transmissions come low on fluid form the factory, just poor quality control on fords part. He told me to go out and drive it like I wanted it to shift, he said after one or two good hard drives you should start to see a difference. Now at 1150 miles I can say there is a good improvement, especially on the downshifts. Still not where it should be as far as smoothness, but I can notice its getting better every time I drive it. Since the mechanic told me the low fluid still happens even with the 22 and 23 MYs I think it's still good to have them check it at your break in service, especially since it IS covered under warranty(If a dealer says its not, find a new dealer). I hope this helps y'all a bit, but every car is different.

Interesting. Are you talking about Normal or Sports/Sports+ mode (or other)?

 

[Jstang23]

Interesting. Are you talking about Normal or Sports/Sports+ mode (or other)?

Both... The normal/drive mode was less but still way too jerky for an automatic shifting on its own. I did go drive it hard in both normal and sport(shifting on my own), to make it learn in both scenarios.

 

[wynand32]

Both... The normal/drive mode was less but still way too jerky for an automatic shifting on its own. I did go drive it hard in both normal and sport(shifting on my own), to make it learn in both scenarios.

Good luck, I hope it works itself out.

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