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A mechanic told me (oh, joy) that some trucks and even some cars like BMWs have a pretty heavy first gear. I take it as in handling a lot of torque. I have a 2011 Ford Ranger Sport 4x4 with the 4.0. Runs fine and shifts fine. However, first gear sounds almost like a generator whining up to start an engine until it shifts into second. No noise in reverse, no shifting issues. Just a very gradual hum that grows as you drive into second and hums down(in first) when coming to a stop.
I just want to make sure I’m not ignoring something that may be potentially fatal. It doesn’t bother me. It’s a very subtle noise but a noise none the less.
Anyone with the same vehicle with a different experience?
You have a 5R55E automatic
1st and 2nd are the same "gear"
What Ford did was to turn on OD when still in 1st "gear", to get a Faux 2nd gear
So not sure what that noise is but doesn't sound "normal"
There are quite a few posts about 5R55E/S/W making a whining noise in 1st, and in 2nd in some cases, and reports of a TSB, but couldn't find it
Google: 5r55e 1st gear whine noise
Didn't read them all so not sure what came of it, i.e. the reason for it
I'm having another mechanic look at it. After hours of watching YouTube videos, it does, if not perfectly, sound like what would be a bad differential pinion bearing and is much louder when coming to a stop. At 83,000 miles, pretty common? Anything I can look for at the moment before I let a mechanic get their hands on it?
When you say first and second are the same gear, the shift that I feel would be third? This is my first automatic and the strangest automatic. It's hard trying to get use to the weird ratios of what gear is shifting into what. Maybe it is the pinion bearing and I can no longer hear it once I'm up to speed.
If it helps, does noticeable amount of leakage show a clear sign of something being worn? No play at least to me trying to knock it back and forth.
Funny, I've got a pinion bearing going out and it gets louder as my speed increases. I've got a manual trans though. Do you have a sliding back window? Helps to pinpoint if the sound is coming from trans area or axle area. I remember when my transfer case bearings were going bad I could hear that the sound was coming from under the cab, whereas this pinion bearing sound is definitely coming from under the bed.
Went for a bit of a "focused" drive tonight. All windows down including the rear to listen. I ruled out the rear differential by placing the car in neutral when coming to a stop(no noise) unless that pinpoints the noise entirely when there's no power going to it. But, it's definitely first gear whirring. No doubt about it. From stop, it's a gradual hum, gradual hum, graaadual hum and then truck shifts into second...silence. No more hum. But, when you step on the brakes to come to a complete stop, it whines to a stop. If it means anything, when driving in first, if you kind of play around with the gas, you can here the whirl every time you tap the gas oh so slightly.
The noise sort of hums everywhere. I guess that means it's not the rear. And no hum in any other gear including reverse. I'm not expecting any for sure answers. I just want some defense when going to a mechanic telling him the problem. The truck still has the warranty so I want to fix whatever I can now.
As said this was a known noise in these transmissions but couldn't find the TSB mentioned in posts on other forums
If you could find other post about the 1st gear whine and any TSBs that would be helpful to take to a mechanic or transmission shop
It applied to 4R44E/4R55E, 5R44E/5R55E also the S and W sufifx models used in other Ford models
As said this was a known noise in these transmissions but couldn't find the TSB mentioned in posts on other forums
If you could find other post about the 1st gear whine and any TSBs that would be helpful to take to a mechanic or transmission shop
It applied to 4R44E/4R55E, 5R44E/5R55E also the S and W sufifx models used in other Ford models
What is TSB? Is that like a recall or current answer? Tried googling.
TSB = Technical service bulletin
Ford issues these when enough dealers have posted a common complaint for a specific model or vehicle or part in a vehicle
All dealers/Ford Techs summit service reports of what they do daily/weekly on all Ford vehicles, if there is a common pattern/complaint, then Ford looks for the cause and issues a TSB to all dealers on how to fix that issue
You can look up TSBs for 2011 Ford Ranger to see if there is a match for the "whine"
But problem is there may have been a previous TSB in earlier years for the 5R55E that applies to all later years of that transmission, so not specific to 2011 Ranger and may not show up
You could check with a Ford dealer, ask them to check for 5R55E TSBs for all years
A TSB is not a warranty repair unless vehicle is still under a warranty
A Recall is usually a repair paid for by the car maker
After reading about the problem, it seems to be just a noise rather than something catastrophic? I’ll take it in to Ford or give them a call first to see what their take is. If it’s merely just an annoying noise, I can live with it for a little longer. My heart was set on the transmission about to explode every time I’d drive off.
If anyone’s interested, here’s a article about the known issue.
Called up a couple dealerships and whomever I got a hold of could've cared less about the bulletins. What are you going to do. I took it to another local guy(dude barely makes bank but works ten times harder than dealerships. sad.) and pointed me to a torque converter problem. I guess something along the lines of locking up.
Again, first time owning an automatic. I thought the random RPM fluctuation was normal and that the trying to accelerate but no RPM movement was just a Ranger thing. I'm noticing the noises, and the random shuddering on normal speeds but the give away was "stall speed". Never heard of it and my truck checks it off for results. I paid him for the advice and taking it back for a warranty fix. Hoping I don't get a "mechanic couldn't duplicate problem".
All vehicles have problems but man. A torque converter at 83,000 miles?
