Community Forums

VistaOne · 11-12-2018, 08:37 AM

Has anyone found a solution to Ford V10 cruise control that downshifts from 1900 to 4500 RPM in less than a minute on minor Interstate highway grades? Owners I've talked to say they just don't use it. There must be a reason and a solution??
Dealers are clueless.

Winterbagoal · 11-12-2018, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VistaOne

Has anyone found a solution to Ford V10 cruise control that downshifts from 1900 to 4500 RPM in less than a minute on minor Interstate highway grades? Owners I've talked to say they just don't use it. There must be a reason and a solution??
Dealers are clueless.

Cruise control tries to maintain a constant speed, while monitoring a load of variables, including target speed, current speed, current gear, engine load, RPMs, torque, HP, fuel consumption, and who knows what else? If any of those variables begins to affect the target speed, causing it to trend higher or lower, the ECU will compensate appropriately. So if you're minor highway grade begins to cause the speed to drop below the target cruise control speed, the ECU will downshift the transmission to raise the engine RPMS, and try to increase torque/HP and performance to compensate.
What's your definition of "minor Interstate highway grades"?

twinboat · 11-12-2018, 12:58 PM

Lots of reports of screeming V10s with the 5 speed transmission on upgrades, with and without using cruise control.

A bunch of owners installed the 5 star tune and it helped by putting 4th gear back in play.

Not sure if 5 star got the 4th gear to work with cruise control though. Some said it didn't help.

Call them and ask.

jhlady · 11-12-2018, 01:25 PM

I too had this problem on a 32' Coachmen Mirada. Same Ford F53 chassis, engine and drive train as your rig. Installed the Five Star Tune and this problem all but went away and the drive-ability has improved markedly. Do a search on Five Star tune and you will find a lot of additional information. Best thing I have done to my rig so far and much bang for the buck.

Hope this helps.

WBandJ · 11-12-2018, 03:29 PM

When I approach a grade, I hit the cruise reset button to disable the cruise. Using the appropriate throttle, I then drive up the grade without the harsh downshift. At the top of the grade, I again press the cruise reset button to restore the cruise function.

Winterbagoal · 11-12-2018, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WBandJ

When I approach a grade, I hit the cruise reset button to disable the cruise. Using the appropriate throttle, I then drive up the grade without the harsh downshift. At the top of the grade, I again press the cruise reset button to restore the cruise function.

X2. Whether in our old Sunstar, or the new Navion. It usually makes sense to override the cruise on uphills. On most rigs, it's going to downshift, or increase throttle/RPMs until it does, unless the grades are pretty gentle. My foot knows better how to avoid the downshift than does the cruise control.

powercat_ras · 11-12-2018, 09:59 PM

Same problem on all F53s with 5 speed transmission. X2 that does not seem to be any fix. 5 Star Tune on mine and still have the problem.

X2 on the workaround, anytime you start going up more than a 1% grade just cancel the cruise by hitting the resume button and regulate speed with your foot on the gas pedal until you top the grade, then you can hit resume and re-enable the cruise. I have 5 Star Tune on mine and doing it this way you can either slightly drop speed and stay in overdrive or if you apply the right amount of gas pedal you can drop only 1 gear to 4th vs. the cruise always dropping straight from 5th to 3rd gear.

VistaOne · 11-13-2018, 12:20 PM

I appreciate the feedback, however, I tried a 5 Star Tuner, it didn't work and I got a refund. I've tried all the manual remedies and believe for $100K the cruise control should not go crazy on a 6 % grade. Sometimes it downshifts on level pavement with a strong headwind. It should downshift one gear at a time, or switch itself off.

The questions are: Has any RV owner found anyone at Ford who will accept responsibility and offer a solution? or Does anyone know who the vendor is who makes the cruise control for Ford? Maybe they have a solution ?

twinboat · 11-13-2018, 03:59 PM

Why are you so against downshifting ? The V10 is built to turn 4500 + RPMs all day.

If your MH needs X amount of power to climb a hill, it needs to raise the RPMs to develop it. Yes it gets loud but that's the tradeoff, for having a small cylinder engine.

The V10 is a smaller engine then the old 460 V8.

Lugging the engine up hills isn't good for it. Just wastes gas and pollutes more.

The new, 2016, V10 with 6 speed has a much smoother shift pattern and a bit lower turning engine. I think Ford got it right.

VistaOne · 11-14-2018, 02:58 PM

Not looking for an argument, just someone who knows how to fix the problem. I have nothing against downshifting, but not from 2000 to 4500 RPM in about 48 seconds.
V10 may be able to run all day at 4500, but only an idiot would do that or think it was "normal". Almost exact words were told me by Ford NC service manager, who did not know how to fix it after I showed him the problem.

Winterbagoal · 11-14-2018, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VistaOne

I appreciate the feedback, however, I tried a 5 Star Tuner, it didn't work and I got a refund. I've tried all the manual remedies and believe for $100K the cruise control should not go crazy on a 6 % grade. Sometimes it downshifts on level pavement with a strong headwind. It should downshift one gear at a time, or switch itself off.

The questions are: Has any RV owner found anyone at Ford who will accept responsibility and offer a solution? or Does anyone know who the vendor is who makes the cruise control for Ford? Maybe they have a solution ?

A 6% grade is not minor, headwind or not. Uphill or down. IMO.

I had a 2016 Sunstar with the 3 valve V10 engine and the 6 speed tow/haul transmission. It was probably very similar to yours relative to weight (heavy) and shape (drag), HP, and torque. It did more or less what you're describing, even with the upgraded engine and transmission.
That's why the Ford folks can't help you. It's the nature of the beast. Sorry if it's not the answer you want, but it's the answer. Your vehicle is functioning as designed.

If you don't like the cruise control causing downshifts to increase power on 6% uphills, maybe consider switching to a diesel pusher or similar. Might be a little better. One of the reasons we sold our V10 gasser and got the Navion was better power at lower rpms. Better fuel economy, less engine noise, and no doghouse, all included at no extra charge.