Manual shift settings / programming - plus minus button vs paddle shifters

Hi all,
long story short - I have replaced the standard steering wheel on my 2011 Explorer Limited (with Selectshift) with one that has paddle shifters. I do not like how the manual shifting works on the Limited trim - put it in the Manual Mode and the then use the plus/minus button on the floor shifter to up or downshift. The Sport trims (Edge, Explorer etc.) have the possibility to use paddle shifters in the Drive mode - when you use them you get sort of temporary manual control and can up or downshift.
After reviewing the wiring diagrams I connected the steering wheel paddle shifters to the matching wires running from the floor shifter to the PCM. I confirmed the functionality of the paddle shifters in the Manual mode and they work properly. However they do not work properly in the Drive mode, despite the fact they do connect the appropriate pins of PCM when engaged. In other words the Control Return (C-SIGRTN pin 56) and Shift UP (SSTU pin 23) or Shift DOWN (SSTD pin 24) are connected on the PCM.

It appears that there is some sort of programming or settings involved with how the PCM reacts to the input signal, depending on if it is a Sport trim or not. I would like to enable the ability to shift in the Drive mode, but have not found any info on which settings are involved with this feature.

If any further details, diagrams or pics are required, I can provide.

Many thanks in advance.

Vlad

This is a firmware change needed for the PCM. I recommend you settle for the manual mode rather than risk bricking a 2011 PCM you may not find a replacement for.

Thanks for the advice. I don’t want to rush this and brick my PCM. I have also tried one of the tuning companies (HP Tuners) and there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel. They have identified some setting that adjusts the duration of the live-in-drive up/downshift before the PCM goes back to standard auto. Nonetheless this would only work if the PCM actually “listens” to the up/downshifts in the drive mode, which appears not to be the case at the moment.

It appears, that the Live in Drive function is enabled/disabled in PCM calibration. Although it discusses disabling this feature, this TSB 13-3-15 for Escapes indicates that Live in Drive can be disabled through reprogramming the PCM with the latest calibration using IDS

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/pubs/content/~WT/~MUS~LEN/3583/tsb13-03-15.htm

Presumably, an analogous approach can be applied to any SelectShift (SST) equipped Ford vehicle.