Tow / Haul Button Not Working '05

18822 Views 13 Replies 7 Participants Last post by SixOhDriver, Jun 6, 2005

Sotoman

Discussion Starter · Jun 3, 2005

Anyone have problems with their tow / haul button?

When my truck was new it worked like this. When I pressed the tow haul button, nothing would happen until I pressed the brakes, then it would downshift (or come out of overdrive) and hold that gear. This was great for going down hills, etc..

About a week ago, this completely went away. The light still comes on, but when I hit the brakes or do anything, nothing happens.

Can anyone characterize how their tow/haul button works.

On my '96 F250, when I was on the freeway and pressed the tow/haul button, it would always come out of overdrive and stay their. And when I was going down a hill and the truck was just coasting, I would press the button, and then I would have to give it a tiny bit of throttle, then it would downshift and hold a gear enough to slow the truck down.

My 2005 acts a little different in that I have to press the brake going down a hill for it to downshift and hold the lower gear. But on the freeway, when I press the button, nothing has ever happened.

Anyway, it doesn't work at all now. Just curious how others tow haul work.

Thanks.

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Sotoman

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 3, 2005

OK. So if I am cruising on the freeway at 65mph and press the T/H button, should my tranny downshift? This has never happened even when the truck was new.

And when I am going down a hill lets say at 40mph and I press my T/H button, nothing will happen unless I tap the brake, then the tranny will downshift into the appropriate gear to hold me back. This just stopped working.

So what should I look for when cruising on the freeway to ensure my T/H is working.

Thanks

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Sotoman

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jun 3, 2005

Thats pretty much what I was experiencing when the truck was new. Down a steep grade, I would tap the brake and it would down shift and hold my speed pretty well. And cruising at 70 unloaded, there was no difference.

So it seems everything was working great up until about a week ago. Now nothing happens on a steep grade.

I wonder if I am having transmission problems. I would be surprised because I haven't hauled or towed anything yet, and I am very very easy on the truck.

One thing I noticed just recently is that when I am driving on the freeway and I have to let of the gas pedal for a second, when I press the gas pedal again (even just a tiny bit), the tranny always seems to unlock the converter for a second or two. So as soon as I press the gas pedal again, the rpms will jump up a couple hundred rpm, and then drop back down again to were they originally were.

This happens every time I let off the gas. And I am not mashing the pedal or anything like that, just setting it right back to were it was to maintain my speed.

Are these signs of tranny problems? Or is this unlocking and locking of the coverter normal, and I possibly just have a t/h issue.

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Sotoman

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 4, 2005

Very interesting. I did not know the transmission had to learn. I have about 4000 miles on it now, and like I said before, no one could have been easier on it. I didn't give it more than 1/4 throttle for the first 1000 miles, and I probably never took the rpms over 2500. I can can't the amount of times I have actually floored it on one hand! And each time that happened it was only through a couple of gears.

I just like to drive it mellow. I drove my '96 F250 like that for 125000 miles, and did the summer camper and boat haul half a dozen times a year, and never had a single problem.

Maybe I need to be a little harder on the truck. But I wonder if it is too late. I haven't reflashed anything, and it hasn't been to the dealer. But I will be taken it soon to get the T/H thing fixed.

I also notice recently that when I am slowly accelerating from a stop, when it shifts into 3rd or 4th, it slips a little. My '96 did that some times so I figured it was normal. I don't really know if it is a slip or not, but the rpms do go up a tad then drop back down during the shift.

I'll try the computer reset thing. Are there any drawbacks to doing this? Is there a potential to mess anything up besides my presets on my stereo.

Thanks.

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