Hey folks, searched through previous threads and couldn't locate any info on this one, even though the guy at the Ford dealership says this is a common problem. A few weeks back, I bought an 08' Sport Trac Adrenalin with the 4.6 V8 and 6 speed transmission. Didn't notice during the test drive but sure notice now. When I accelerate from a stop, the transmission is in a neutral state. I can hear and see the tach rise but the truck doesn't move. After a couple of seconds, I can feel it move into gear and everything is fine. Odd things I can share...if I don't let it shift out of first or second gear, it won't do it. If I let it get to third or later, it does it nearly every time. Also, I have flowmaster mufflers on it so it is really easy to hear it shift up and down when travelling at 40 mph or so. I can't tell if it is slipping in and out of gear, or if it is shifting up and down. I can see the tach rise as the sound changes. The guy at the dealership told me that the flowmasters will make the engine seem as if it is "going up and down" when it is just the resonance of the engine sounds changing. He said he can't find anything wrong with it. To check his knowledge of the engine/trans config, I wiped some motor oil on a napkin and told him it was the trans fluid, and that I was worried about the color. He said that was normal, and that Ford uses a fluid that doesn't have a dye in it. Truth is, you can't even check the fluid. He did put a recorder on the vehicle with a button to push when it acts up...don't know why he needed that when I showed him what it was doing in the lot. I have 15k miles left on the warranty and am worried that I am hitting a wall. Sorry to be so lengthy...anyone got any thoughts? I will also mention, I can put my foot on the brake and push on the accelerator...it is strong with no sign of even the slightest bit of slip throughout the operating range.

 

Car will not idle I must keep steping on gas and putting into neutal at each corner?

 

I woul also like to get some feedback on this issue. My 2007 Sportrac, same motor and transmission, also has a similar issue. I also get a loud noise, like a huge fan blowing. I changed the trans filter and filled with fluid but it did not resolve the issue.