Transmission Stutters Up-Hill

[Porpoise Hork]

Mine has similar issues with this as OP's. Even dropping into Sport mode, tow, or locking out 9 & 10th gears did not seem to help much. My truck had about 200+ miles on it when I bought it so there's no telling what kind of driving conditions it was put under so the transmission had no clue what it was supposed to do. Thus causing all sorts of erratic shifting and gear hunting. Even after flashing it with a tune it didn't seem to help. It wasn't until I reset the transmission shift tables with Forscan and allowed it to relearn did I see any sort of improvement. Since doing so pretty much all the gear hunting and stutter issues like in this thread have been resolved without having to switch modes or locking out gears.

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[KeyLargoBill89]

Mine has similar issues with this as OP's. Even dropping into Sport mode, tow, or locking out 9 & 10th gears did not seem to help much. My truck had about 200+ miles on it when I bought it so there's no telling what kind of driving conditions it was put under so the transmission had no clue what it was supposed to do. Thus causing all sorts of erratic shifting and gear hunting. Even after flashing it with a tune it didn't seem to help. It wasn't until I reset the transmission shift tables with Forscan and allowed it to relearn did I see any sort of improvement. Since doing so pretty much all the gear hunting and stutter issues like in this thread have been resolved without having to switch modes or locking out gears.

I’m still kinda confused why it has to “learn” the driver habits. Some days I’m forced to drive different, so why does it not just shift normal? Mine has gotten better, I put it in sport mode whenever I’m in hilly terrain.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

The 1080RE transmission has a learning computer that monitors driver throttle input, clutch slippage, and multiple other aspects and determines the ideal shift points and aggressiveness of those shifts based on driver input. It will do this in the first 250-500 miles driven on a clean slate shift table. This allows the system to adjust to the primary driver over time in a variety of different driving conditions. It minimizes clutch wear (or at least is what they say it does) as well as provides the best overall driving experience and responsiveness based on the driver. The down side to this is the shift tables are across the board and cannot be set for individual drivers. So if someone else gets in and drives the truck or you drive someone else's truck, it won't respond the same way for them/you as each person has a different driving style.

The shift tables once set will usually adapt to changes in driving conditions, but may take time to do so. It may also not provide the best response if suddenly put into a condition that was not present during the initial learning phase. Thus the stuttering/gear hunting when towing or in a hilly environment when if it originally learned on mostly flat terrain. Switching the truck into sport mode or into tow mode takes it out of the learned shift table and into a more aggressive set that responds differently by holding higher RPM's and preventing certain shift patterns or gears from being used.

By resetting the shift tables you force the truck to relearn the driver's input and conditions it's under to better respond to new conditions that may not have been present before. Say you move from an area with mostly flat terrain to the hill country and it starts acting up, reset the tables and allow it to adapt to it. Toying a heavy trailer and forget to put it in tow mode and it starts shifting extremely harshly after you are done towing, reset it.. You get the idea.

 

[Mitch65]

So I have 5,000 miles on my 2021 ranger and I notice that when I’m going uphill, and even inclines at a slower the speed the transmission almost almost stutters between 25-30mph. I think it happens when it’s in a higher gear, when it should be lower. If I speed up before the hill it won’t do it, and if it starts rumbling on the hill, I’ll let off the accelerator and hit it and it will be fine. I’ve heard it could be some adaptive learning software from the transmission? Has anyone else had this problem? Other than that the truck has been solid.

Mine seems to do the same thing. If I give very light acceleration and the trans is in a higher gear maybe 6 or 7 and I’m going 30mph I get the vibration in the steering wheel and it feels like it’s bogging down. Usually happens around 14-1500rpm. Once the truck downshifts and I give a little more gas all is well. Is this what you guys are describing? My truck is brand new with 150 miles so the trans is still learning.

 

[KeyLargoBill89]

Mine seems to do the same thing. If I give very light acceleration and the trans is in a higher gear maybe 6 or 7 and I’m going 30mph I get the vibration in the steering wheel and it feels like it’s bogging down. Usually happens around 14-1500rpm. Once the truck downshifts and I give a little more gas all is well. Is this what you guys are describing? My truck is brand new with 150 miles so the trans is still learning.

Yeah that’s the issue. I have 6,000 miles now on mine and it still does it, but after trying locking out 9th, and 10th gear and Sport Mode it seems a lot better especially in sport mode. If I’m in really hilly areas now I just pop it into sport mode.

 

[Mitch65]

Yeah that’s the issue. I have 6,000 miles now on mine and it still does it, but after trying locking out 9th, and 10th gear and Sport Mode it seems a lot better especially in sport mode. If I’m in really hilly areas now I just pop it into sport mode.

I think its just a characteristic of the 10 speed trans and Ill just have to get used to it or put it in S mode.

 

[KeyLargoBill89]

I think its just a characteristic of the 10 speed trans and Ill just have to get used to it or put it in S mode.

I’m with you there. I was just worried something was wrong with it, but I’m already getting used to it. I’ve taken 3 big road trips in it, and it’s an absolute cruiser on the highway I love it.

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