Bronco screams forward downshifting from 3rd to 2nd in low range

[Donkeygyrl]

I have have a bunch of vehicles, and the tach in the bronco is the most useless of all of them.

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[RHeinz]

I have have a bunch of vehicles, and the tach in the bronco is the most useless of all of them.

I know many others on this site have bitched about the digital tachometer, but I respectfully disagree.

I’m 72, so I’ve been driving for 56 years. Most of the cars I have owned have had analog tachometers. I have never found them particularly helpful when off roading except when driving at a constant RPM. When trying to get up a steep hill, I am watching where my tires are going and only listening to the engine RPM. Also, on my CJ, I added an audible oil pressure alarm for the same reason. At steep climb angles, I‘m not looking at the oil pressure gauge either.

One quick glance at the digital tachometer however, tells all you need to know. You do not have to locate the needle, determine which numbers it is between and extrapolate the approximate engine RPM.

Perhaps I too was disappointed at first, but now I think it is an improvement.

Just my opinion about my first digital tachometer….

 

[PWillette]

I know many others on this site have bitched about the digital tachometer, but I respectfully disagree.

I’m 72, so I’ve been driving for 56 years. Most of the cars I have owned have had analog tachometers. I have never found them particularly helpful when off roading except when driving at a constant RPM. When trying to get up a steep hill, I am watching where my tires are going and only listening to the engine RPM. Also, on my CJ, I added an audible oil pressure alarm for the same reason. At steep climb angles, I‘m not looking at the oil pressure gauge either.

One quick glance at the digital tachometer however, tells all you need to know. You do not have to locate the needle, determine which numbers it is between and extrapolate the approximate engine RPM.

Perhaps I too was disappointed at first, but now I think it is an improvement.

Just my opinion about my first digital tachometer….

I wasn't a fan of the digital tach at first but over time I've made the adjustment and grown to like it.

 

[mrjking2000]

If you downshift in 4low and your rpm’s are high you are going to lunge no two ways about it. Also if you’re in third gear why are you in 4low. My 2014 when stock would lunge when my wife drove it in 4 low
If you’re in 4 low put it in manual and control your rpm’s and gears. If you need to exceed a few mph shift into 4 hi

when descending hills low range allows you to not roast your brakes, you just ride the engine RPMs down. so i'm pretty much always in low range while offroading. you don't heat up your transmission by roasting your torque converter going uphills, and saves brakes down. when you're going down hill slow enough, the bronco will downshift to 2nd on it's own (when just in drive) and it absolutley just screams you forward. so it's not user error. i have been offroading most of my life and this is a legit programming error on the downshift pattern of the bronco.

i forced the issue in the video by operating the vehicle manually to demonstrate it. the RPMS should increase but you should NOT accelerate uncontrolled overpowering your braking force. period.

if you are just on flat ground the downshift is smooth as can be, if you have a load on the trannsmission from engine braking, that's where it get dangerous. the torque converter is likely locked on downshift and it needs to be unlocked. (or at least that's what it feels like).

@Ford Motor Company needs to address this. others have experienced it as well.

 

[telenerd]

Maybe see if the dealer can reflash the tranny so it can relearn.

Hopefully I didn’t offend anyone

 

[mrjking2000]

Maybe see if the dealer can reflash the tranny so it can relearn.

Hopefully I didn’t offend anyone

i might use forscan to force a relearn, i think it can do it.

 

[telenerd]

@mrjking2000

Hey just checking back to see if you had an update from dealer or anything?

By the way good video on your 5k mile Bronco review! Very informative.

 

[mrjking2000]

@mrjking2000

Hey just checking back to see if you had an update from dealer or anything?

By the way good video on your 5k mile Bronco review! Very informative.

not yet. though i do need to reach out. been busy with work.

 

[mrjking2000]

it's been a while since i've done anything with this, been busy... but i have a case open with ford now. CAS-45697440-D5B4V5. hoping to get into my dealer next week or next too.

 

[mrjking2000]

OK finally time to update this thread!

I picked up my bronco from my favorite dealership in Wyoming yesterday after dropping it off before christmas for them to spend some time on the shifting issue, and a couple other things that were bugging me. (seriously, these guys are great!!)

first the easy things, the drivers side window was catching and that turned out to be too soft of window trim. I guess the window would roll up too far, so when you'd go to open the door the window caught on the trim and wiggled like a fish out of water.

second thing was the hood latch sensor seemed to have an issue. you would be driving down the road and hit a big enough bump, and it would constantly ding and tell you the hood was open. the alarm would also go off at random thinking the hood got opened while the doors were locked. Not a big thing until you're parked outside overnight and the alarm goes off at 1, 2, and 3 am over and over lol.

and finally!! they believe they fixed the transmission shifting! If your bronco is screaming forward uncontrollably while in 4 low and downshifting from 3rd to 2nd, there appears to be a TSB about it. it doesn't specifically name my behavior, but TSB 23-2352 deals with harsh shifting. A quick test drive around their lot yields no more jumping to 4000 RPM, but instead 1200 like they indicated.

I am going to put some miles on it today and go find somewhere with a steep downhill and see if i can prove this was the resolution, or find out if it's still doing it. they put over 50 miles on the bronco going back and forth to wherever they were testing it at, so I know they did their due diligance on it.

Page 1 of my ticket:

Page 2 of my ticket

loaded up on the trailer and ready to rock!

 

[Rumbloki]

Guys, it’s called a crawl ratio
It’s doing exactly what you bought it to do. The 2.3 with a manual and SAS is nearly a 100:1 ratio. If you’re in gear the breaks will not overcome the torque. Fun fact this is a way to find out if your gears are tired and ready to break (my atlas 2 case just ate my front ring gear doing front digs). When you downshift if your RPMS are above idle it will lunge forward. Autos may need to shift to neutral to stop in 4L depending on surfaces. The transfer case is compounding torque from the engine and allowing you to crawl with zero to minimal throttle input. Managing the rpms and avoiding wheel spin keeps things from breaking and in control on the trail. Rubicon’s do the same thing

also on a trail don’t get closer than a car or two length depending on experience as the car in front may need to back up to take another line.

Negative. If you are not on throttle when you downshift it should slow the vehicle. It's called engine braking. None of my past vehicles surged forward, including FJ, and Rubicons.

 

[mrjking2000]

Negative. If you are not on throttle when you downshift it should slow the vehicle. It's called engine braking. None of my past vehicles surged forward, including FJ, and Rubicons.

yeah this was my belief too with all the other automatic transmissions i've offroaded. hopefully it's fixed now.

 

[jzweedyk]

OK finally time to update this thread!

I picked up my bronco from my favorite dealership in Wyoming yesterday after dropping it off before christmas for them to spend some time on the shifting issue, and a couple other things that were bugging me. (seriously, these guys are great!!)

first the easy things, the drivers side window was catching and that turned out to be too soft of window trim. I guess the window would roll up too far, so when you'd go to open the door the window caught on the trim and wiggled like a fish out of water.

second thing was the hood latch sensor seemed to have an issue. you would be driving down the road and hit a big enough bump, and it would constantly ding and tell you the hood was open. the alarm would also go off at random thinking the hood got opened while the doors were locked. Not a big thing until you're parked outside overnight and the alarm goes off at 1, 2, and 3 am over and over lol.

and finally!! they believe they fixed the transmission shifting! If your bronco is screaming forward uncontrollably while in 4 low and downshifting from 3rd to 2nd, there appears to be a TSB about it. it doesn't specifically name my behavior, but TSB 23-2352 deals with harsh shifting. A quick test drive around their lot yields no more jumping to 4000 RPM, but instead 1200 like they indicated.

I am going to put some miles on it today and go find somewhere with a steep downhill and see if i can prove this was the resolution, or find out if it's still doing it. they put over 50 miles on the bronco going back and forth to wherever they were testing it at, so I know they did their due diligance on it.

Page 1 of my ticket:

Page 2 of my ticket

loaded up on the trailer and ready to rock!

I have the same problem. I just called my dealer and gave him the TSB. Hopefully I can get it in before leaving for Arizona. Thank you so much for the information. I off road a lot, and this have always bothered me. It does it in 4 high or 2 high as well, but it is not a noticeable as in 4 low.

 

[BroncoBobArea51]

I experienced this also but not to that extent. 22 badlands 2.7 sas in 4 Lo while off road, shifted from 3rd to 2nd, truck lurched forward. Did this several times. My wife finally asked why are you doing that, told her it’s not me, the truck does it when downshifting. I had a long steep hill to descend so I used trail control instead. That worked flawlessly, but I also doubt it downshifted at all.

 

[mrjking2000]

couple videos of me testing after the TSB was applied. it still jumps a little bit but does not even remotely begin to overpower the brakes like it did.

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