1st gear shifting hard in the morning help...
 

When I accelerate slowly in the morning leaving to go to work, I get a push or jerk (not sure how to describe it) from 1st to 2nd gear. Car is still not warmed up fully..... But if I accelerate quickly instead, I don't get that hard push or jerk, only when I accelerate slowly when I start my day. This issue I'm experiencing isn't an issue when the vehicle is warmed up either.

2004 4.4i with 80k...wondering how I can prevent this issue. If anyone has experienced this and have a suggestion for me...I hate going to dealership, and than hearing we can't replicate the issue...

Cheers

every now and then that happens to me in the morning. But if i put it over in sport tap shift it doesnt happen. Seems like its only the initial movement in the morning as well.

Thanks for the suggestion Dark5yde, I appreciate it. I can give that a try tomorrow...I'm just trying to avoid damaging the vehicle knowing something isn't just right...

I wonder if it has to do with air or fuel or oil that could cause this issue when the vehicle is cold. Wonder what the sport mode does, which prevents this hard shift when the vehicle is cold too...

I have read enough on this issue and it seems to be narrowed down to the valve body in the tranny (mechatronics unit). Mine does this to, along with the lurch when coming to a stop. Im gonna call a few local tranny shops and get an estimate on removing, cleaning, and replacing worn parts on the valve body. Wonder what that will cost...?

I get that too. Its just another reason not to drive off without giving the car a min to cycle it's fluids. All fine after that.

that too, if i sit for a minute or so and run through the gears, all is good.

I hear you SlickGT1..how long do you normally wait before you start your day?

Cheers,

1 min. After that, I take it easy till all the lights turn off around my tach.

As a matter of fact, all my auto cars did that when cold and higher mileage. Even my Lexus.

I had the same problem on my 05 4.8is. I bought the ZF Tranny fluid straight from the dealer and changed it myself, hasn't done any kicks or jerks since!

Hmm...Very interesting, thanks Dannypiv for this information... when I visited changing the tranny fluid while back at a local shop, I was told this isn't a good idea unless its a must.

Anyone else have done this change, and experience same result as DannyPiv??

Cheers,

Neit problem Staskaya :D Some say that it isn't a good idea, but I did it on my own and my X5 has been driving like new since then. Some say it's not a good idea because a gunk may form in the transmission which will destroy your transmission and some say that the shavings on the magnets will destroy it if not done properly, but I cleaned my shavings and gasket off with brakeleen and wiped it off with a clean rag and like I said before, it drives like new! The transmission service its self wasn't too hard, if done properly. I messed up doing it the first time and did it again properly the next day and so far it drives better then when I first got it

Yea search my name. I did the trans service 3 times with GT1 in hand. It made everything better. First shift is still odd. The lurch, is there if I try, like slow down very very very slowly.

If I let the car idle for 1 min, and then drive, much better.

Hmm, first shift for me is much better, no kicks or jerks now. The only problem I have now is if I am really giving it to it, I have the same down shifting issue that I had before, where after I really give the car some gas I will brake while going down hill (only happens when going down hill) and it will downshift taking the rpm's almost to redline. It happened a lot to me before which is one of the main reasons I did the service, also because of the jerking, but now it does it very rarely, knock on wood.

Changing the tranny fluid wasnt a cure all for me either. Def an improvement, but I'm convinced that a clean up of the valve body would be the solution in my case. People have had this replaced ($3000 for the dealer to do) and it has solved their same issues as ours.

My first shift doesn't kick or jerk. Best I can describe it, is that the car doesn't want to shift to second gear yet, so the rpms go up, and then it shifts at a higher rpm. Which just feels un-natural. After that first shift, all good. If I warm up a min, all good.

If the issue is still there after doing the transmission fluid change, I really don't want to tinker with that as well...If running the car for a minute resolves the issue I guess I'll try that. Its interesting that as many people have similar issue and no set solution for it. Bit of a bummer.

I appreciate all the comments.

Cheers,

I don't think that will resolve it completely. It will help for a while, but it will continue to get worse as time progresses

I heard about that too, but my issues aren't so bad that i'll need to clean/change the valve body. My trans has definitely improved from before. It's like day and night.

Mine is at the point that if I do not give it more than the usual amount of gas on the 1st shift of the day, the engine revs up higher like Slick says but my 2nd gear engagement is with a noticeable jerk/mild slam. I avoid it by giving it a bit of extra throttle for a smooth 2nd gear shift. Plus I have the tranny lurch as well. All other shifts are fine and like butter. That's why I think a valve body service would do me wonders.

Maybe it would! Let me know how it goes if you do decide to do it

I doubt its the valve body. If it was, it would do it all the time. Not the first shift, and then like magic all is good.

You know what this reminds me off. If you ever had a manual car, and you never change the oil in the trans, on cold days, you couldn't shift from 1 to 2. Or reverse. But if you warm up for a min or two, you were able to shift.

I have a feeling that life time fluid needs to be changed way the hell more often than we think. I'm actually going to do it again soon. I want to dilute the old oil enough to see amber when I drain it.

I agree with you. If I were him I would change the fluid. That "lifetime" fluid doesn't really last a "lifetime".

Has anyone had the transmission fluid change done by an Independent Shop (Non Dealer) and if so, how much does that run?

Also, has anyone had the valve body cleaned, and/or replaced by an Independent Shop and if so, how much?

Quotes for both would be good for those who are seeking a viable option in possibly resolving some of the tranny issues that many seem to have experienced.

Prices vary to do the fluid exchange in the tranny I've seen some come back and they they were charged $500 or some say over $1k. So it all depends on the shop. How much they charge in labor and where their parts are coming from.

As for the valve body, again all depends but this is where it gets tricky. I don't have a tranny guy that I trust enough to do work on my tranny. Only guy I trust is myself. There is a member here that recently had his tranny rebuilt. His Indy rebuilt it; still problems, opened the box up again still problems, then just a few days ago opened her up again and the Indy sounds like he has given up and is going to send it somewhere else.

Slick and I were talking in the phone the other day and we both have the same idea. One I get my 4.6/4.8 I'm going to buy a smashed up box and rebuild it in my shop and store it. So whenever I need it, I can just swap it out and be done with it.

Exactly. Question though. Why not change the filter, and whatever comes out from the pan drop, by yourself? If you can follow the instructions here, I am sure your Indy can follow them too.