Biker

Good diagnosis, that is what is happening. Pressurize the system while cold to confirm. It does suck, but as a mechanic, I would yank that little engine myself and do the short block replacement. Exhaust every avenue politely with corporate first and see if they will bend.

Thanks for the updates!

Just wait til your sliding glass roof explodes randomly in the cold like mine did. After replacement, the sound of glass crumbs sliding around in that metal channel will make you forget all about the rattly clip.

I'm not normally a dealership guy, but I went there for the fluids. I almost fainted at the price of RDU oil, but it didn't take much. Tips: the RDU is rubber mounted, you can pry it slightly to get acess to the fill plug. The PTU is pretty easy. Just a bit of automotive yoga to get to the fill plug.

Thanks man. I have a 2019 Titanium 2.0. Do you need to physically take the vehicle somewhere for tuning?

Good callout on the stop/start accumulator. The solenoid on mine wasn't loose, but the seals on the solenoid pooped the bed and puked fluid in my driveway. Easy to replace yourself.

Welcome!

Not necessarily. They are 2 separate items, the PTU if maintained and kept full, should last a very long time. Mine is at 186,000 kms with 2 PTU oil changes. I'm keeping an eye on a slight right side seal leak that is probably what will kill most PTUs if not caught.

I'm at 186,000 km on my 2019. I'm convinced more than ever now that while some issues may be transmission/TCC related, my particular issue is somehow map sensor or turbo related. On cold or dry days, it runs like a top with plenty of power, smooth shifting and no hesitation. On a damp day, it takes much larger throttle input to get moving and build boost. Part throttle is very jerky. Highway speeds are good, but it upshifts to 8th quickly and doesn't like to shift down under load. Takes a heavy throttle input to kick it down. I stuck a scangauge in to monitor TPS, boost/vacuum and various temps while driving. Definitely seeing odd behaviour of TPS and boost readings when it's having a bad day. Edit: may have a thermostat issue, coolant temp never wants to go above 175F. I doubt that is part of the problem though.

Welcome!

This may or may not be helpful, but with my 2019, I have to press the "s" in the center of the gear selector in order to engage sport mode. Mine then won't shift on its own, I have to use the paddles. I can control the up and down shifts with the paddles when not in sport mode without the car switching to sport mode. But it won't make a shift I command if proper conditions are not met. When it decides conditions are not met, the gear indicator light will flash. I don't use sport mode after I first tried it. I expected it to blow my hat off and it did not. This made me sad, which is now what the S stands for.

Yes. The license plate was the source of mine too. I also noticed (new noise) that the trim pieces on the roof, both sides, just above windshield can make flappy/tappy noises at highway speeds and when I physically tap on them by hand, it replicates the noise.

The price of the Ford RDU fluid at the dealer is ridiculous. I thought the ULV was bad til I bought the RDU fluid...

Agreed. I cleaned it up all with brake cleaner and I will run it around for a couple days. I could also add dye if needed.

During the last few oil changes, I noticed a slight drip running off the lowest point of the PTU. A bit difficult to trace, but quite sure it's not coming from the axle output seal. Had a closer look yesterday, looks like maybe it is the sensor in the bottom of the PTU. Not sure if that is a speed or temp sensor, but I did have a similar sensor fail and puke pressurized trans fluid last year. It was part of the auto stop/start system. Anyone have experience with PTU leaks?

Welcome!

Ok thanks guys. Found similar info on the B.I.T.O.G. site. I will stick with the ULV.

Any transmission guys here know if there is any advantage to switching from ULV to LV trans fluid? My understanding is that the super thin ULV is part of the effort to reduce parasitic drivetrain losses to boost fuel economy. Not necessarily the best for wear or longevity. I'm thinking of switching unless there is a smart transmission guy that knows otherwise.

Have you had the most recent transmission software installed? Sometimes that helps. Personally, I would do drain and fill only. There are other things that can cause shifting issues, so a good diagnostic might also be useful. The ecm relies on a number of engine and drivetrain sensors to determine shift points, harshness etc.

HA! It sure is a fun machine. I still have a bit of runway yet, so by the time I check out, it may have an aluminum 6.0 LS, coil overs and whatever other goodies I can dream up.

I hear ya. Well, your post has me convinced that it as something to do with EGR too. Maybe even MAP or TPS. It is definitely some sensor contributing to engine management at low part throttle. I dont know much about newer systems, but I was doing my apprenticeship when GM started with efi, and EGR only came into play once the engine was at operating temp and in closed loop. I like the vehicle too. Mine is over 160,000 kms now and no torque convertor issues. At this point, if it goes, I will replace the whole trans myself rather than lose money trading it in for something with similar problems. I'm done throwing money at Ford Credit. My kids will get this car in my will!

Good call on the hose clamp. I did the full procedure heating up to operating temp and using the level plug. A dealership did the last drain and fill and I didn't entirely trust how they did the fill.

So far so good. If it does come back, it could be a weak battery issue.

Thanks very much Omar! I will try it today and update later.

I have not used Forscan yet, but one thing I've found with mine is that the "tugging" only occurs on a damp, cool day, on a cold start. Once everything is up to operating temp, the condition quits. It was far worse before replacing the dpfe. I have not tried to replace the egr itself yet, but I may do that next.