- Make
- Ford
- Model
- F-150
- Year
- 1999
- Miles
- 251,000
- Engine
- 5.4L
1999 Ford F-150 5.4L - 251K
Intermittent shift engagement issue. Shifter moves to each position, but does not always engage into gear. There is no sound, just no engagement. I never rev the engine when it is shifted and not engaged. When there is no engagement, I have to try multiple times before it will finally go into gear. This may take 5-30 minutes. Many times it seems that turning off the truck, waiting, and then turn back on and try shifting is when it will go into gear. But this is not always the case, and definitely not right away. Once the gear is engaged, the truck runs and shifts normally, even under heavy load, and at all speeds. Just don't turn off the truck or the issue may reoccur.
In December 2021 the transmission was looked at by a shop. They pulled the transmission valve body to check for a stuck valve. Just slightly sticky, so massaged them to loosen. Pan was clean with no metal. No codes. No apparent external issues. Replaced filter and fluid. The issue used to occur more infrequently, but seems to have gotten a little worse since the shop and now occurs more regularly.
Have looked for patterns on how to get gear to engage, and some worked for a while, but then not always.
Two things have been consistently true:
1) It has always gone into gear after first start of the day. It is also usually parked on a slight downhill, but don't think that has any impact. After picking up from the shop and the first start of the day, it went into gear. But just one mile down the street I stopped at a store, and when I returned it would not go into gear for a while.
2) Once the truck has started and engaged, as long as the truck continues to run, regardless of gear, it will shift gears. So, like going into a store, if someone stays with the vehicle while it continues to run, all is good.
Transmission was first replaced with a factory rebuild at about 116K miles (I purchased the vehicle at 25K). It is not the primary vehicle and sometimes sits for a while without usage.
Been told it needs a rebuild, but I'm not convinced based on all other functionality. Any ideas what would cause this behavior, or if I really need to spend that kind of $$ for a rebuild?
Intermittent shift engagement issue. Shifter moves to each position, but does not always engage into gear. There is no sound, just no engagement. I never rev the engine when it is shifted and not engaged. When there is no engagement, I have to try multiple times before it will finally go into gear. This may take 5-30 minutes. Many times it seems that turning off the truck, waiting, and then turn back on and try shifting is when it will go into gear. But this is not always the case, and definitely not right away. Once the gear is engaged, the truck runs and shifts normally, even under heavy load, and at all speeds. Just don't turn off the truck or the issue may reoccur.
In December 2021 the transmission was looked at by a shop. They pulled the transmission valve body to check for a stuck valve. Just slightly sticky, so massaged them to loosen. Pan was clean with no metal. No codes. No apparent external issues. Replaced filter and fluid. The issue used to occur more infrequently, but seems to have gotten a little worse since the shop and now occurs more regularly.
Have looked for patterns on how to get gear to engage, and some worked for a while, but then not always.
Two things have been consistently true:
1) It has always gone into gear after first start of the day. It is also usually parked on a slight downhill, but don't think that has any impact. After picking up from the shop and the first start of the day, it went into gear. But just one mile down the street I stopped at a store, and when I returned it would not go into gear for a while.
2) Once the truck has started and engaged, as long as the truck continues to run, regardless of gear, it will shift gears. So, like going into a store, if someone stays with the vehicle while it continues to run, all is good.
Transmission was first replaced with a factory rebuild at about 116K miles (I purchased the vehicle at 25K). It is not the primary vehicle and sometimes sits for a while without usage.
Been told it needs a rebuild, but I'm not convinced based on all other functionality. Any ideas what would cause this behavior, or if I really need to spend that kind of $$ for a rebuild?
