Resistance when driving, goes away in Tow Haul

[InspiredMouse]

Hello! New to the forum, wife and I just purchased a 2009 Expedition EL XLT 4x4 from a private seller. We put new tires on it when we purchased it, and had a tire shop replace the front brakes and rotors and inspect the back brakes. This vehicle sat for a few years after the previous buyer's husband passed 3 years ago, however it looks like it was garaged and taken care of.

Since we purchased it, we've noticed a resistance coming from the wheels when driving it. It normally only happens when driving between 25-35mph and will sort of come out of it. It's not really a sharp grinding like brakes, and it's not a wheel bearing noise. You can just feel and hear some significant resistance.

Yesterday, I took it for a drive and figured out that if I press the Tow Haul mode button, the sensation stops for the most part, but when taking it out of tow haul, it'll go back to the resistance between 25-35mph.

The transmission seems to shift fine, smoothly, and at the right time. We plan to take it to shop, but I'm kind of wondering if maybe someone's suggestion as to what it could be before I'm ambushed by a high number after we just put brand new firestones and a set of rotors and brakes on it last week.

The vehicle has 200,000 miles on it. It drives straight going down the road and seems to run well other than this resistance/noise when driving between 25-35 and not in tow haul.

Thanks!

 

[Fordstroker1997]

bump

 

[Don Hall]

From a search:

"The tow/haul mode changes a vehicle's transmission shift patterns. Pulling a heavy load requires a lot of power. The tow/haul mode reduces shift cycles. Depending on the truck, it may also boost torque and engage an engine braking mode to help drivers maintain control while driving up and down hills."

If the 'resistance' feel/noise disappears when in tow/haul mode, my guess
would be to focus on the transmission.

I'm assuming the 'resistance' was noticeable before you replaced the front brake components.

 

[Blksmk]

Torque converter

 

[07navi]

Have a shop look at it it sounds like an easy diagnosis for them. Some things can be fixed by dropping the pan but it will probably have to come out. Was it doing it the day you bought it? What do you mean by resistance?

 

[chuck s]

If you're driving in 4A try 2H and see if it goes away.

-- Chuck