Stumble When Light Throttle, Heavy Engine Load

[Sinner]

I'm so glad I found this thread because I've started to notice the same thing with my Ranger.

I'm feeling the same thing you are, and it always happens around 2100 RPM for me while going uphill. It almost feels like the truck wants to start misfiring, but never quite gets to that point. It feels like a "stutter" in the engine to me. I had to have one of the spark plugs and coil packs replaced about two months ago, and I was wondering if that had maybe caused this issue to arise. As soon as I get down on the gas it quits.

I guess I'll just keep an eye on it and see if it gets any worse.

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[Will88]

2021 Ranger. After a few trips up the mountains I can confirm some kind of stumble/vibration/engine miss/trans slip when going uphill giving just enough throttle to maintain speed. Usually around 2k rpm. I am getting an inconsistent vibration as though the engine isn't getting enough fuel or ignition or torque converter trying to decide whether to lock or unlock. Makes it feel like I'm going over a rough road even though it's perfectly smooth. Downshift and it goes away, regardless of which gear. Runs fine at all other times. Anyone else?

Mine is doing the same thing then I noticed the exhaust sensor reading -40 so I'm trying to fix mine at the moment but some thing to check

 

[Mitch65]

I'm so glad I found this thread because I've started to notice the same thing with my Ranger.

I'm feeling the same thing you are, and it always happens around 2100 RPM for me while going uphill. It almost feels like the truck wants to start misfiring, but never quite gets to that point. It feels like a "stutter" in the engine to me. I had to have one of the spark plugs and coil packs replaced about two months ago, and I was wondering if that had maybe caused this issue to arise. As soon as I get down on the gas it quits.

I guess I'll just keep an eye on it and see if it gets any worse.

My tremor has been similar since day one and I’m coming up on 1,000 miles. In mine is like a low frequency vibrating lugging type of feeling. I agree it feels like the truck is about to misfire but it’s not. Since my truck is so new I think it’s a programming issue with the trans. Curious to hear is OP had the dealer look at his and what they say.

 

[jlewand3]

I have the FP tune and still notice vibration at around 30mph at 7th. Has anyone confirmed that by locking out 7th and forcing it to be in 6th that the shifting will learn and keep it?

 

[EJH]

Poor transmission programming, any tuner on the market will correct a lot of that. Also most tunes also adjust your electronic throttle body so that less pedal is required for a response.

A combination of sloppy tranny and poor e-throttle response = piss poor performance when entering a hill or large grade at cruising or low speed.

A simple test is go back to a large hill/grade you normally have problems with and put it in sport mode. My guess is the outcome will be different. No one ever talks about sport mode adjusting the throttle response, but I recall that it does. Sport mode is just a free tuner with high RPM hold that not many people care for, nor the other benefits of greatly increased HP/TQ.

Ford should have offered 2 Sport Mode options.

1. Standard (what we have now)

2. Mode that adjusts e-throttle response without the dumb high RPM hold.

Absolutely OFC. #2 is what I want. I love sport mode, but it cruises in high RPMs when unnecessary. My turbo Subaru Forester has a Sport mode that is equal to #2 on your list. It is perfect and what Ford should have done.

 

[Skoth]

After 6k miles and only running premium fuel my stumble has gotten a little better. It now takes a little more of a load to get it to start doing it.

 

[Toytec]

I found this video from 2018 that may have some meaning to a thread like this. I've experienced it coming off a steady cruise then engine load.

 

[VTRanger]

My tremor has been similar since day one and I’m coming up on 1,000 miles. In mine is like a low frequency vibrating lugging type of feeling. I agree it feels like the truck is about to misfire but it’s not. Since my truck is so new I think it’s a programming issue with the trans. Curious to hear is OP had the dealer look at his and what they say.

I wonder if you drove the snot out of it from day one, if it would learn to shift properly from the beginning. I guess I could reset the module and find out.

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