Frustrated with this 2018 Convertible 10 spd Ecoboost - Need Some Recommendations!

[fredsmustang]

All,

This is my second ecoboost mustang. I had a 2016 with the six speed, a COBB stage 1 tune and 19" GT350 style wheels.

My current ride is a 2018 ecoboost Mustang convertible with the same COBB stage 1 tune. Frankly, it feels terrible compared to the 2016.

No doubt, the primary reason is the automatic transmission which effectively ruins the car.

I even purchased a $150 tune add-on from Purple Drank. Frankly, that made it even worse. He did not provide me with a refund, despite it being a software add.

Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions on how to improve this car beyond where it's at? I am looking for reasonable solutions under $1,000.

Should I get a different tune? Maybe a Ford Performance tune, JB4, XCT, Bama?

What other ideas do you guys have?

Thanks in advance!

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[K4fxd]

Trade it for a GT?

Sorry I got nothing.

 

[2020Tang]

What mode are you driving it in? I always drive my 2020 in either sport/sport + all the time, never in standard drive mode. I also have the the add on trans tune from PD tuning and it shifts fast and crisp.

 

[sirben711]

What exactly is your issue with the transmission's behavior?

I absolutely HATED driving my car on the stock tune. No issues with up-shifting but the downshifts were horrifically bad - they would unbalance the car under breaking and felt like I was constantly getting rear ended when coming to a stop. It also NEVER knew what gear to be in at any given speed/rpm. It was reprogrammed multiple times, had some internals swapped out, fluid levels checked, and retrained multiple times. None of which had a positive effect on its behavior.

About 10k miles ago I installed the FP Tune to retain my warranty. This made a pretty good improvement. Really smoothed out the downshifts. They are still a little to harsh for my liking - but I can at least drive the car consistently and predictably now. Shifting logic was greatly improved too. It was night and day difference. I would still prefer the 6R80...but my 10R80 with the FP tune I can live with it now.


I don't care what anyone says - the 10R80 is NOT a smooth transmission.

 

[fredsmustang]

What mode are you driving it in? I always drive my 2020 in either sport/sport + all the time, never in standard drive mode. I also have the the add on trans tune from PD tuning and it shifts fast and crisp.

I am constantly mixing it up between sport and normal. I use mostly normal for cruising around. Although the shifts are slow, at least it doesn't 'buck' at every shift point like sport. I find sport to shift faster, obviously, but it jerks and bucks at everything but full throttle. So it's not a very friendly ride.

I added the PD, but it just made it much more jerky and harsh shifting.

 

[fredsmustang]

What exactly is your issue with the transmission's behavior?

I absolutely HATED driving my car on the stock tune. No issues with up-shifting but the downshifts were horrifically bad - they would unbalance the car under breaking and felt like I was constantly getting rear ended when coming to a stop. It also NEVER knew what gear to be in at any given speed/rpm. It was reprogrammed multiple times, had some internals swapped out, fluid levels checked, and retrained multiple times. None of which had a positive effect on its behavior.

About 10k miles ago I installed the FP Tune to retain my warranty. This made a pretty good improvement. Really smoothed out the downshifts. They are still a little to harsh for my liking - but I can at least drive the car consistently and predictably now. Shifting logic was greatly improved too. It was night and day difference. I would still prefer the 6R80...but my 10R80 with the FP tune I can live with it now.


I don't care what anyone says - the 10R80 is NOT a smooth transmission.

Sounds like you and me have the same experience. Stock, the car is nearly undriveable. Terrible shifting up and down, slow, etc.

I have had an improvement with the COBB stage 1 tune overall. Definitely better, but still very frustrating. Agree with you that shifts are still a bit harsh.

Probably the worst modern automatic transmission out there. This feels like it would best fit in a late 1990's V6 Mustang. Terrible.

 

[shogun32]

Wengerd. How did you miss that thread? Get tunes from people who know what they are doing.

 

[EFI]

Probably the worst modern automatic transmission out there. This feels like it would best fit in a late 1990's V6 Mustang. Terrible.

Honestly, if that's how you truly feel about this, nothing will make it good enough. At this point, either learn to live with it or get something else. No amount of money (well I shouldn't say that... ALOT of money) will make it behave in your mind like it should.

I don't mean that in a harsh way, but you seem to have a very specific goal in mind for this transmission and it just ain't it. You need a Bentley level smooth type of transmission and you won't get that in a 30k Mustang.

 

[EFI]

I don't care what anyone says - the 10R80 is NOT a smooth transmission.

I don't think there has been a single person on here to have made that statement in the 5+ years this has been out. They say it performs well, but noone has made the claim it's soft and smooth to drive.

 

[shogun32]

The trans.is perfectly good in the f150. It's the mustang factory tune that is utter garbage. It's also a beauty in the Camaro.

Bite the bullet and allocate 600-1000 for a correct tune if you want to hold onto the car. Otherwise learn to drive stick and you won't have this particular problem.

 

[sirben711]

I don't think there has been a single person on here to have made that statement in the 5+ years this has been out. They say it performs well, but noone has made the claim it's soft and smooth to drive.

There have been others haha

But seriously, after my experience I think it is mostly how Ford programed the thing. I think 90% of the 10R80's issues are software related.

 

[fredsmustang]

Wengerd. How did you miss that thread? Get tunes from people who know what they are doing.

What does Wengerd mean? And I think every tuned that has been mentioned on here - COBB, PD and FP are reputable.

 

[fredsmustang]

Honestly, if that's how you truly feel about this, nothing will make it good enough. At this point, either learn to live with it or get something else. No amount of money (well I shouldn't say that... ALOT of money) will make it behave in your mind like it should.

I don't mean that in a harsh way, but you seem to have a very specific goal in mind for this transmission and it just ain't it. You need a Bentley level smooth type of transmission and you won't get that in a 30k Mustang.

No, not expecting Bentley level smooth. I am expecting a normal working transmission. This is generally regarded as a poor transmission give there are extensive threads.

All I am trying to do is find out if there are others who have had a degree of success with different tunes, software updates, etc.

 

[fredsmustang]

The trans.is perfectly good in the f150. It's the mustang factory tune that is utter garbage. It's also a beauty in the Camaro.

Bite the bullet and allocate 600-1000 for a correct tune if you want to hold onto the car. Otherwise learn to drive stick and you won't have this particular problem.

I would prefer a manual, but probably less than 2% of convertibles come in a manual. Unfortunately, sometimes you have to take what is available.

 

[EFI]

No, not expecting Bentley level smooth. I am expecting a normal working transmission. This is generally regarded as a poor transmission give there are extensive threads.

All I am trying to do is find out if there are others who have had a degree of success with different tunes, software updates, etc.

I understand, but if you currently think that this transmission is "terrible" then no amount of tunes, software updates etc. will make it "good". It will take it from terrible to bad.

If you thought that this transmission was OK and wanted it to be good, then yeah there's plenty of things to try. But that's a small jump, you're trying to make a huge leap in the way it feels and it frankly won't be possible without completely tearing it down and installing all new clutches, converter, valve body etc. and that costs 6-10k.

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