erickburke

You may want to second guess your decision in owning a Ford due to the German owned/designed Getrag transmission.

FYI, they supply Ferrari, Porsche, GM, BMW and other major auto manufactures. You may want to stay away from these auto makers as well...

Gaspi101

I have a 2011 GT premium, and I've seen the "Shift 1-4 for Gas Economy" (or some such) on my dash a few times, when I was leaving a red light and lightly feathering the throttle. The message immediately went away when I put the clutch in to shift to 2nd. I've never had the 2nd or 3rd gear locked out! What is this about? Is it really being locked out like in the Chebbys?

AzPete

Yes....if you are granny driving (shifting 1500-1700 rpm) in traffic, it will force you into 4th. Most of the time it is not a problem, just annoying. I found it mostly going around corners in traffic. Either unplug it or if you purchase a tune, have it programmed out. The lights will still put a message on the dash.....just no action at the solenoid.

jlc41

So am I ok buying the car???

Overboost

Of course! I'd suggest it! Best car I've owned yet.

Gaspi101

Maybe stuck shifts dont have this issue. I touch the clutch and the message on the dash goes away and I shift to second normally.

AzPete

It is on stick shift cars only. It is actually rather hard to watch and get it to do a skip shift. There is such a short, small window that it functions in, you seldom see it function. It is even hard to explain "when" you will hit it. As I said, granny driving, shifting at about 1500 rpm, and not accelerating hard at all is the ball field it kicks in at.

Gaspi101

I'm curious now! I'm going to try to get it to do that. I've noticed people's style of shifting is like a fingerprint. No two are alike. Perhaps my shifting technique never encounters this issue.

AzPete

If you accel slowly....I said real slow and watch the rpm's when the light comes on and then goes off, I believe you must shift within that rpm range....maybe 2-400 rpm window. You cannot accel brisk at all. Grandma in the Town Car is in front of you and turning the same as you are and you want 2nd just because.....lol

Modshack

Usually happens right around 17 mph with light throttle take-off in first.

Gaspi101

On my way to work today I reproduced the skip shift event reliably. You have to be feathering the throttle from a stop and slowly climb above 20 mph on 1st, at about 3k rpms. If you try to quickly shift to second, you find 4th instead.

I think those of you that see this as a nuisance aren't using the proper shifting technique. In order to get the shift skip to activate, you have to be holding first for much too long when you are going slowly. The car was absolutely right about 4th being the appropriate gear for the speed of the car at that moment. If you're driving gently, then you should be shifting to second at around 7-10mph, not 20+.

I think this is a case of the car knowing more about how to drive than the driver, and while as a principle I don't like my manual transmission telling me when to shift and to what gear, I don't think this should be affecting anyone that shifts through the gears properly.

jlc41

Dam, now I'll have to sell my Ferrari, Porche and Bimmer

AzPete

I never had it activate above 2000 rpm..........but then again, I am only 59 and may not know how to drive a stick shift........lol...just pulling your chain.

I did find it difficult to get a true reading of the tach and speed when in traffic. I found an old WalMart lot to play in and not worry about traffic.

Gaspi101

The tach is not accurate enough to keep up with this engine, you're right. But why don't you use the digital readouts? Put your key in the ignition, but don't turn it. Hold the Reset button on the left of the steering column, and while holding turn the key to the accessory stage. Once you're in engineering test mode, cycle with reset until you get to engine rpms. Mine does the skip shift between 2100 and 2400 rpms, feathering it on first. Not natural.

AzPete

Good thought but since the surgery to disconnect the solenoid.....I am just about done with the setup....lol I will have to try that just to see when the light comes on. Never read anything from Ford that I can remember either.

Overboost

It'd be nice to get a set of mating plugs for the solenoid connections to keep them from corroding.

coffeejolts

I second this. Does anyone know where we can get caps for the connectors on the solenoid and the wiring harness?

Ltngdrvr

Can't even imagine that any such caps exist.

Do a good job taping them up and don't worry about it.

Overboost

You could make your own with a second set of the plugs used for the solenoid. Just cut the wires off and snap them in place. Taping them up would work too, just make sure you do a good job of it.

Ltngdrvr

If you really wanted to, you could pull the solenoid out of the hole in the tranny and leave it plugged in and just tie wrap it up under the car. Then just make a block off plug for the hole in the tranny or just use a freeze plug to fill the hole.

You could also just cover the contact on the wire and solenoid with dielectric grease, that would keep the contacts prortected from corrosion.