My 2008 Expedition seems to have a problem shifting correctly when it first is driven for the day. As I start and start to drive down my street, it begins the shifting process and seems to stick as it tries to shift. Once it gets through this first cycle, it never does it again until the next day when I first drive for the day. Is this something I need to correct, or just live with? Thanks in advance. Laura
Check your owners manual for the recommended service requirements for the transmission, i.e. how often should the ATF be changed. If there is a service interval and you have been adhering to it, then I guess just live with it. If the transmission has not been serviced on schedule, the an ATF drain and refill along with a filter change should be performed soon.
If the shop recommends that they flush the transmission, ask them if it is a flush machine or a fluid exchange machine. The latter is OK provided they drop the pan and change the filter first. The former is not OK, go to the next shop down the line. Recommend that you avoid any national chain transmission shops like AAMCO. Use the dealer or a good independent mechanic.
Yes, @keith. An old and experienced transmission shop owner once told me that if people kept their transmissions serviced he would have to become a plumber.
Confirming all the good comments mentioned above. If a good inde shop haveing experience with transmission service on your make (or a dealership) doing a proper transmission service and bringing the routine transmission maintenance up to date doesn’t fix the problem, better save up, as from my own experience with my truck’s automatic transmission which had similar symptoms and after a time grew worse, a transmission rebuild may be in your future.
Thanks for the comments. Let me say this… the car is still under warranty. I took it to the dealer, they said the transmission was re-programmed. I noticed the sluggishness was still there. The dealer said I needed to drive the car 100 miles to let the “re-program” take affect. The 100 miles have come and gone and still the problem. Now what??
Get it serviced…