Ford or Lincoln Transmission Shudder Fix
The Ford or Lincoln transmission shudder happens at highway speeds under light throttle. A simple fix may prevent you from having to replace your transmission.
If you are experiencing a shudder or vibration with your Ford or Lincoln vehicle, there may be a simple fix. We were experiencing this with our 2015 Lincoln Navigator and first thought it was an issue with one of the coils on the 3.5L EcoBoost motor.
The reason for this is we had to have a couple of coils replaced early on when we purchased the vehicle used, and it showed the same symptoms. After spending some time replacing coils, the issue was not resolved. Our next step was to have our local Ford dealer check out the vehicle. In this article, we will go into more detail about this issue and what inexpensive solution finally solved our problem.
Our Vehicle With the Transmission Shudder
- 2015 Lincoln Navigator
- 3.5L Eco-boost
- 86,000 miles
Transmission Shudders Under Light Throttle
The shudder on our Lincoln Navigator transmission was most pronounced under a light throttle. What this means is when we were coasting down the road around 60mph and gave the vehicle a little throttle, the shudder or vibration would be most obvious. It would sometimes also happen during initial takeoff, but most commonly under a light throttle going 40-60mph.
Dealership Technician Diagnosis
The technician at the Ford dealer took our vehicle out for several test drives with his computer connected. He was able to replicate the issue while driving, and the computer showed the shudder was coming from the transmission. At this point, we were given two options.
The service adviser said we can replace the transmission or change the transmission fluid and put in an additive to help get rid of the shudder. There was no way to guarantee the fluid change and additive would solve the problem. We chose to pay their diagnostic fee and took our vehicle to our local mechanic for a second opinion.
How Much to Replace Transmission?
The Ford dealership quoted us $7,000 to replace the transmission on our 2015 Lincoln Navigator. To be fair, they did say the transmission flush and additive might solve the issue. We decided to get a second opinion because of the cost to replace the transmission.
Second Opinion at Our Local Automotive Shop
We took our 2015 Lincoln Navigator to our local automative shop to get the second opinion. This is the shop we normally go to, but we happened to be in the Ford dealership to get our Ford Raptor IWE vacuum issue fixed and struck up a conversation about the shudder in our vehicle.
After diagnosing our vehicle, our local shop was confident the issue could be resolved with a simple flush and additive. I was hesitant to believe this, but we took a chance and had the transmission serviced. Our local shop uses the BG brand of oils and lubricants, which they firmly believe in.
Did Flushing the Transmission Fluid Fix the Issue?
Yes!
We have put around 12,000 miles on the vehicle, and it has been running great. The transmission or shudder is completely gone and we have not had any issues. The vehicle has been running smooth on take off and at highway speeds, including when accelerating to pass other vehicles.
BG Transmission Shudder Additive
Prevents deposit formation and fluid breakdown while improving oxidation stability, transmission shudder, and shifting problems.
BG Products Website
Our total cost to repair was somewhere around $300-$400 at our local automatic shop. I would have bet money the transmission oil flush and additive would not have resolved the issue. Our local automotive shop said the additive is what truly makes the difference, and it is specifically built to address the transmission shudder issue.
