Transmission Firmware Upgrade in the Works?

[mercmtneer]

I've seen the downshifting problem with the six-speed automatic mentioned elsewhere, and that's one of the things I checked for last evening when I test drove the Edge. Sure enough, when cruising at 45 mph and flooring it, the transmission downshifted in to second gear, or maybe first gear, and the RPMs went to almost 6000! At that point, there was virtually no acceleration left in that gear, and it seemed to just hang there until I let up on the gas pedal a little, then it upshifted. This seems like odd behavior, and I was wondering if anyone has heard of an upcoming firmware change that might correct this problem. After all, it's only software. :stats:

 

In a related note, I was reading MSNBC's review of the Saturn Aura, which has a six-speed automatic, and they mentioned that early customers of it were unhappy with the transmission's decision-making, so GM reacted immediately, improving the transmission in new cars and giving existing customers a free software update when their cars visited the dealer. Since we know the Edge transmission was codeveloped with GM - what a revolting thought - and is a six-speed automatic, could a firmware update along the lines of GM's be coming?

[bigbird]

Since we know the Edge transmission was codeveloped with GM - what a revolting thought

 

Hmmm. I didn't see GM losing $7 billion last year. I don't think there's anything wrong with collaboration between manufacturers. If it produces a better product at lower prices, I'm all for it. Usually religion-like fanatacism over brand loyalty is a sign of a young (ofter read immature) owner. That's not meant as any disrespect, by the way.

[mercmtneer]

It just depends on whether you believe in inherent superiority of one product over another. I know from personal experience owning GM and Ford products which ones have been better vehicles - for me. In fact, I've owned a bunch of vehicles, both foreign and domestic, and the absolute worst ones of the bunch were GM products. Say what you want about immature minds, but I've owned dozens of cars over the last 31 years, so there's no fanatical brand loyalty here.

 

As far as GM not losing $7 billion last year, the actual number for Ford was more like $12 billion wasn't it?

 

If Ford hadn't gone off on this truck tangent for the last decade, they would have killed GM. The way it is, they let GM hang around, and now they're - Ford, that is - the ones in the hole.

 

Did you have anything meaningful to contribute, or are you just on here to slam people?

 

Hmmm. I didn't see GM losing $7 billion last year. I don't think there's anything wrong with collaboration between manufacturers. If it produces a better product at lower prices, I'm all for it. Usually religion-like fanatacism over brand loyalty is a sign of a young (ofter read immature) owner. That's not meant as any disrespect, by the way.

[gob63]

ihope they do something, ford just replaced my transmission with just 1000 miles on it.

I've seen the downshifting problem with the six-speed automatic mentioned elsewhere, and that's one of the things I checked for last evening when I test drove the Edge. Sure enough, when cruising at 45 mph and flooring it, the transmission downshifted in to second gear, or maybe first gear, and the RPMs went to almost 6000! At that point, there was virtually no acceleration left in that gear, and it seemed to just hang there until I let up on the gas pedal a little, then it upshifted. This seems like odd behavior, and I was wondering if anyone has heard of an upcoming firmware change that might correct this problem. After all, it's only software. :stats:

 

In a related note, I was reading MSNBC's review of the Saturn Aura, which has a six-speed automatic, and they mentioned that early customers of it were unhappy with the transmission's decision-making, so GM reacted immediately, improving the transmission in new cars and giving existing customers a free software update when their cars visited the dealer. Since we know the Edge transmission was codeveloped with GM - what a revolting thought - and is a six-speed automatic, could a firmware update along the lines of GM's be coming?

[ctrcbob]

Merc,

 

I think the complaints were not about the downshifting (like flooring it at 45mph) at full throttle. I think the complaints were more about the transmission searching and shifting down and up, at small throttle changes, and when holding throttle steady when you come to a small hill or upgrade.

 

These six speed transmissions are something that is not needed. (IMHO) The four speed transmissions work great, without all the down shifting and upshifting. In addition, the six speeds really keep the engine running faster as first gear is geared so very low, and top (6th) gear is geared the same as the previous four speed transmissions. In my own case, I can climb telephone poles in 1st gear. When I tromp on it from a standstill, the engine is screaming in 1st, at 20mph before it shifts into 2nd at a slightly faster speed. 70mph in top gear (4th in Continental and 6th in MKZ) is 2100RPM, in both cars.

Engine eats the gas as long as it is in 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th. Milage gets better only once in 5th or 6th. Around town, it never gets into 5th or 6th, so in town milage sucks. My Continental goes into top (4th) gear much sooner at a lower speed. My Continental with the 4.6 32valve engine gets better gas milage than my MKZ with the 3.5 24valve engine.

 

Note that my MKZ has the "Aisin-Warner" 6 Speed Transmission whereas the Edge/MKX has the "6F" 6 Speed Transmission. From all that I read about the 6F. the difference between the two aint worth a hill of beans, other than using different transmissions fluids. I guess manufactures think that "6 Speed" (or even some cars have 7 Speed and 8 Speed) sounds better than 4 Speed. (More is better, right?) I would rather have the same transmission from my Continental than either the A-W or 6F transmissions.

[Aggie79]

I've seen the downshifting problem with the six-speed automatic mentioned elsewhere, and that's one of the things I checked for last evening when I test drove the Edge. Sure enough, when cruising at 45 mph and flooring it, the transmission downshifted in to second gear, or maybe first gear, and the RPMs went to almost 6000! At that point, there was virtually no acceleration left in that gear, and it seemed to just hang there until I let up on the gas pedal a little, then it upshifted. This seems like odd behavior, and I was wondering if anyone has heard of an upcoming firmware change that might correct this problem. After all, it's only software. :stats:

 

In a related note, I was reading MSNBC's review of the Saturn Aura, which has a six-speed automatic, and they mentioned that early customers of it were unhappy with the transmission's decision-making, so GM reacted immediately, improving the transmission in new cars and giving existing customers a free software update when their cars visited the dealer. Since we know the Edge transmission was codeveloped with GM - what a revolting thought - and is a six-speed automatic, could a firmware update along the lines of GM's be coming?

 

I would hope Ford would make the firmware upgrade available free when we visited the dealer. Keep customers happy, make vehicles they want and get Ford back to the top.

[sim]

Of course you dont have to stomp to get a downshift at 45mph, a good toe poke will get a downshift of only a gear or two and off you go.

 

As for the engine speed and gear shifting, i have found it great so far. The revs in top gear on any road from 40mph upwards are rediculously low - much lower than any other cars i have driven. Whilst i have only owned 5 cars in the last 12 years, i have probably driven about 100 different models from loaners to rental, work vehicles to friends cars - not to mention riding as a passenger too, none of them does 70 at 1900rpm. My transmission shifts to 6th gear at about 41-42 mph on moderate acceleration, on foot to the floor it hangs in gears as suggested above, but i am not looking to make tire tracks every time i pull away! Under modest acceleration the car goes 0-10 in 1st, 10-20 in 2nd, 20-30 in 3rd, will hold 4th up into the 40's before shifting down the final two in the high 30's and low 40's, under more acceleration it will pick up 5th in the mid-40's and kick into 6th in the 50's. All in all it drops into gears around the same time as my older 4 w/ overdrive automatics did when going up the first 4 gears and the 6th is so high that it really is almost ticking over up until 60mph or higher to highway speeds. This may also be the reason i dont get into accidents and get better than EPA mileage - i dont drive it like a viper.

 

If there is an update i would prefer to get it to be up with the technology, but really i dont try to haul once i get to 45mph, it picks up quickly enough in 4th or 5th with a small toe poke that i am very content to overtake most things on the road.

[akirby]

Ford and GM chose different strategies for controlling the 6F shifting. Ford chose to do it entirely from the PCM while GM put some of the smarts on the transmission control module itself. So while the hardware may be identical the software is unique to each company.

[tweakfreak88]

I feel that the shifting strategy is very reasonable for this car. Given the engines powerband and the cars weight, close ratio short gears is whats needed for a engine with smaller displacement(3.5L) compared to the vehicle weight(4000lbs+). I have the 6cyl Escape with the old CD4E 4-Speed transmission, and I feel those gears are a little too tall for that engine and the vehicle. Lucky for me I have a 01, the 03+ got a 3.72 final drive and I got a 3.92. I've did some ECU tuning with shift strageys and torque converter lockup schedules on the Escape and I changed them considerabley from stock. The Edge seems reasonable, I may change a couple of things on it.