transmission shifts hard after sitting for a week

My 2012 truck shifts kinda hard the first drive in the winter after sitting a week, is this the torque converter draining back?

 

Have you checked the fluid levels?

 

It was done when new and at proper level.

 

Sounds like a solenoid valve sticking a bit after sitting idle.

Does it just do it the first time and never after?

May need a drain and fill.

 

Can you give us more details of when it does and what gears it seems to shift hard in?
My truck will shift harder in gears 1-4 when it’s really cold (30 degrees or less)
And it shifts even harder into 5th gear with a “clunk”.

This is considered normal. Mines done it since I got it with 27k miles on it.
I had the dealer inspected it, they said it was normal.
It has 137k on it now and it still does it.
Changing the transmission fluid did not help mine.
At this point, I consider NORMAL for the truck to shift a little bit harder when really cold outside.

Normal is NOT slamming into gear.
Although, the 5th gear shift can be a bit “harsh” if you aren’t familiar with it happening. Again, this is only when it COLD outside.

 

My truck has 45000 miles on it . I may only drive 1or2 days a week. I live in cold Pa, yesterday I take it for gas and I drive very easy, temp was 25 degrees. It seem like 0n the 3rd or 4 th gear change I left off the gas and the was a slight bang shift. I drove a mile got gas then came on the highway with a much harder gas and truck shifted fine. I was wonder could a weak battery cause this? The battery is the original battery. Thanks for your help.

 

how many miles ????

could be temp

miles

normal wear / tear

all the above

 

No, the battery shouldn’t cause this.
I think the 25 degree temps is what caused it.
If it doesn’t do it when it is warm, I wouldn’t worry about it.

I’d wait and see if it continues to do it when warm weather gets here.

 

Cold delayed shifts
Normal

When your accelerating up to shift speed and the truck prepares to shift and you back off the
gas the line pressures and software parameters are set and then YOU CHANGE THE PARAMETERS OF NORMALCY.

It’s going to shift harder
Mine shifts harder
My 96 shifted harder
My 85 shifted harder.
Don’t play with a battery.
Don’t do a d and f for this
The only thing you need to do is JUST DRIVE..

 

Does your transmission seems like at 38 to 42 mph the trans has a wired feeling? If you give it more gas and it shifts the feeling goes away. This truck has done this from new. Thank you.

 

Who are you asking?

 

I depends, if the transmission and truck temps are COLD.
My truck wants to stay in 4th gear longer it seems.
I don’t know what the speeds are, I just know the engine rpm seem to be a bit higher.
I guess this could be described as “weird”?

Again, if your truck does not do this once it is warm. Then I’m going to say it is fine.
If it only does it when it is cold outside after sitting for a long time (over night) - This is Normal


If it does it every day, all day, and every time it shifts. - This is not normal.

 

I have a different transmission ( 4 Speed, 4 banger ), but the only thing I have noticed is that it doesn't lockup until the engine temperature is at 130 degrees F. This is normal on all transmissions. I thought it was strange too the first time I noticed it. Monitored the Ultragauge and noticed that as soon as the engine temp gets to 130 degrees boom lockup, RPM drops and all is well.

And if it is really cold it will take longer to get to the magic temperature.

 

A very cold transmission will always shift much harder initially and smooth out as it warms up. Especially on these trucks.

As stated previously it's a normal thing. Drive it and pay no mind to it unless you start to notice erratic shift behavior.