2016 FORD F-53 Power Train Problems

INOPERABLE TOW/HAUL MODE. 2016 FORD F53 STRIPPED CHASSIS FOR MOTORHOME CONSTRUCTION. NEWMAR BAY STAR SPORT 2705. THE TOW/HAUL MODE IS A MODE THAT ALLOWS UTILIZING ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FOR VEHICLE DECELERATION, ESPECIALLY DOWN HILL. IF THE TOW/HAUL MODE IS OPERATING PROPERLY, THIS DYNAMIC BRAKING CAN EASE THE LOAD ON THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES. OVERHEATED BRAKES CAN RESULT IF THE TOW/HAUL IS INOPERABLE. OVERHEATED BRAKES IS MOST DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. THE TOW/HAUL MODE HAS BEEN MADE OPERATIONAL FROM A THIRD PARTY VENDOR, SO IT IS FIXABLE BY SOFTWARE ALONE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE 3RD PARTY COST IS IN THE RANGE OF $500. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT THE OEM OF THE POWERTRAIN (FORD) CAN AND SHOULD FIX AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT HAS BEEN INOPERABLE SINCE THE DAY OF PURCHASE (1-15-2016).

TOW / HAUL MODE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY ITS ON ALL THE TIME COMING DOWN A GRADE IF YOU LET OFF THE GAS IT STARTS TO DO A HARD DOWNSHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION EVEN IF ITS NOT NECESSARY ITS NOT THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED TO WORK THERE IS A BUTTON TO TURN ON OR OFF THAT DOES NOT FUNCTION.

MY 2016 THOR HURRICANE MOTOR HOME WITH THE FORD F53 18K CHASSIS HAS A TOW-HAUL MODE IN THE TRANSMISSION. ACCORDING TO ALL FORD PUBLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE OWNER'S MANUAL, WHEN IN THE TOW-HAUL MODE THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD DOWNSHIFT EACH TIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ON MY UNIT AND NUMEROUS OTHER UNITS WITH THE 16K AND 18K GVWR CHASSIS. I BASE THIS ON NUMEROUS COMMENTS ON THE IRV2 FORUM. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION IN HILLY/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHERE LONG AND STEEP DOWN GRADES ARE ENCOUNTERED. WITHOUT THE ENGINE BRAKING SUPPOSED TO BE DELIVERED BY THE TOW-HAUL FUNCTION, ALL BRAKING MUST BE DONE BY THE SERVICE BRAKES. ON LONG GRADES THIS CAN RESULT IN OVERHEATED BRAKES THAT LOSE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS, CREATING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

2016 JAYCO ALANTE MOTORHOME ON A FORD F53 CHASSIS 16000 GVWR. WHEN OPERATING IN THE TOW/HAUL MODE, NO ENGINE BRAKING IS AVAILABLE AS DESCRIBED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL (PAGE 32, 33). THIS CAUSES A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE CONDITION IN ALL MODES OF TRAVEL, ESPECIALLY DESCENDING A HILL OR MOUNTAIN AS BRAKE OVERHEATING OR FAILURE OR FIRE COULD OCCUR. I HAVE READ OTHER SIMILAR REPORTS ON SEVERAL RV FORUMS TO INCLUDE IRV2.COM. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS TOLD OTHERS THAT THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM, BUT MY PREVIOUS TWO MOTORHOMES WITH SIMILAR ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION EQUIPMENT PERFORMED PERFECTLY AS ADVERTISED.THIS CONDITION SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER.

I HAVE A 2016ITASCA MOTORHOME ON A 2016 FORD F53 26000 POUND CHASSIS. THE FORD POWERTRAIN IS EQUIPPED WITH A TOW/HAUL SELECTOR. THE TOW/HAUL MODE IS USED FOR VARIOUS REASONS, ONE OF THEM IS THE CAPABILITY OF AUTOMATICALLY DOWN-SHIFTING WHEN DESCENDING STEEP GRADES AND DURING HARD-STOPS. THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH MY 2016 POWERTRAIN, IT ACTS NO DIFFERENT WHEN IN TOW/HAUL OR NOT.THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITON ON DECENDING HILLS. BRAKES COULD FAIL DUE TO OVERHEATING.

I HAVE A 2016 THOR MOTORHOME ON A 2016 FORD F53 18000 POUND CHASSIS. THE FORD POWERTRAIN IS EQUIPPED WITH A TOW/HAUL SELECTOR. THE TOW/HAUL MODE IS USED FOR VARIOUS REASONS, ONE OF THEM IS THE CAPABILITY OF AUTOMATICALLY DOWN-SHIFTING WHEN DESCENDING STEEP GRADES AND DURING HARD-STOPS. THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH MY 2016 POWERTRAIN, IT SIMPLY ISN'T WORKING AT ALL. NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NORMAL-MODE AND TOW/HAUL MODE. THIS IS "MAJOR" SAFETY ISSUE WHEN DESCENDING GRADES OR PANIC STOPPING AS YOU HAVE ZERO "ENGINE-BREAKING". I HAVE DRIVEN MY NEW MOTORHOME ABOUT 1000 MILES SINCE PURCHASING IN FEBRUARY 2016. WHEN EXITING OFF THE INTERSTATE FOR FUEL STOPS OR REST AREAS I HAD TO REALLY APPLY THE CHASSIS BRAKES MUCH HARDER THEN "NORMAL" DUE TO NO ENGINE-BREAKING. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND ACCORDING TO SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL AS OTHER PUBLIC FORUMS, IRV2, THOR FORUMS, ETC. THERE ARE NUMEROUS EARLY...