2006 Laramie 4x4 48RE Tow/Haul problem

[Homicide]

Ok.



Took the plunge and essentially picked up a 2006 Laramie 4x4 from a wholesaler by selling my 1999 SLT 4x4 to friend -- near straight trade ($1,000 additional).



The only current problem (yeah, I'll get buyer's remorse #@$%! later when the skeletons come out of the Dodge closet) is that the Tow/Haul seems to not work. Light on dash comes on, but no locking of the TC for shifts up. When backing off the diesel pedal, it simply unlocks the torque converter.



..... Simple Fix?



Anyone know a good transmission guy/girl in the San Francisco Area????? ... . no Dodge dealers in Marin County anymore.



Overall happy with the trade until I see future bills cause of the higher mileage.



Thanks... .

 

[cerberusiam]

Checked for codes stored in the ECU?



Does double tapping the TH button lock out OD?



All the TH functionality and OD of purely computer controlled. Frequently the dash lights work but the functionality does not. Could be just a bad connection on one of the harness plugs between the cluster and the ECU.

 

[Homicide]

Double Tap of the T/H buttom does lock out the transmission from O/D. Hoping its just a misconection.

How does one go about checking codes?????

Btw, Tks.

 

[cerberusiam]

Sometimes key on-key off-key on-key off-key on will display the codes in the odometer window. If not you will need a code reader to see them.



Whne you activate TH you should get extended firmer shift points and firmer quicker TC lockup in drive and OD. The OD shift almost feels like it never unlocks. At certain speeds the TC will unlock when you lift off the accelerator so that is not unusual. However, in OD it should stay locked almost all the time.



You normally will not get and OD shift until about 55 mph with TH on, around 45 mph in normal mode. Above 70 mph the truck usually will not downshift out of OD but rather accelerate. Below 70 mph it will usually drop to drive accelerate then shift to OD. It frequently depends on how much throttle to make the shifts and lockup work correctly. WOT will usually delay shifts and lockup, about 3/4 throttle gives the best results and the ability to feel shifts and lockup.

 

[ScottLewis]

The Tow Haul on my '06 is fairly subtle in it's effect on shifting. I can tell the difference when it's on but only because I've driven it awhile. If in O/D when engaged, it shifts out of O/d then back based on speed and throttle pressure. It holds lower gears longer before upshifting and will keep the truck in 3rd longer coming down a grade. It doesn't fully lock the TC but unlocks for shifts, then relocks. The TC still unlocks at about 22 MPH when slowing. The response of O/D off is immediate and noticeable when engaged if you are over 45 in O/D and prevents it from going into O/D when accelerating from lower speed.

I may not be explaining it very well but you may not have any problem beyond expecting a different result. I had no idea what to look for in going from the '98 to the new '06 so just went with the flow. It's worked out OK over the last 5 years and I'm quite happy with the truck.

 

[firemansdiesel]

Left Coast Diesel in Concord for a diesel shop in the Bay Area.

 

[HBarlow]

The Tow Haul on my '06 is fairly subtle in it's effect on shifting. I can tell the difference when it's on but only because I've driven it awhile. If in O/D when engaged, it shifts out of O/d then back based on speed and throttle pressure. It holds lower gears longer before upshifting and will keep the truck in 3rd longer coming down a grade. It doesn't fully lock the TC but unlocks for shifts, then relocks. The TC still unlocks at about 22 MPH when slowing. The response of O/D off is immediate and noticeable when engaged if you are over 45 in O/D and prevents it from going into O/D when accelerating from lower speed.
I may not be explaining it very well but you may not have any problem beyond expecting a different result. I had no idea what to look for in going from the '98 to the new '06 so just went with the flow. It's worked out OK over the last 5 years and I'm quite happy with the truck.

My '06 would not engage overdrive ever if t/h was selected. I believe that is what the owner's manual said it was programmed to do.

 

[Superglide]

I agree with Harvey. My '04. 5 does exactly the same thing.

 

[cerberusiam]

My '04. 5 does exactly the same thing.

Not the same funtionality across years, your TH is OD off only.



The 05 TH was a true TH with changed shift points, more aggressive shifting and lockup, and OD later in the rpm range. No OD lockout.



The 06 trucks implemented the best of previous setups. Single tap for TH. more aggressive shifting\lockup, and OD later in the rpm band. Double tap the TH button and you got OD off with possibly a modified shift\lockup strategy.



If an 06 does not function like this its broken cuz there absolutely NO reason to have TH be an OD lockout when it already exists as an integrated function.

 

[HBarlow]

As I stated above, my '06 did not engage OD at any rpm or road speed while in the T/H mode. It was programmed that way at "birth" and operated that way for about 140,000 miles.

James Northrum performed a full DTT rebuild at that mileage and I drove it until I sold it at 230,000 miles. It still did not engage OD in T/H.

The only way to shift up to OD was to change modes back to the default which was T/H not selected and OD lockout not selected.

The owner's manual provided an explanation that it was intended to work that way.

 

[Wingate]

As I stated above, my '06 did not engage OD at any rpm or road speed while in the T/H mode. It was programmed that way at "birth" and operated that way for about 140,000 miles.



James Northrum performed a full DTT rebuild at that mileage and I drove it until I sold it at 230,000 miles. It still did not engage OD in T/H.



The only way to shift up to OD was to change modes back to the default which was T/H not selected and OD lockout not selected.



The owner's manual provided an explanation that it was intended to work that way.

hhmm... Harvey, maybe your 06 has an earlier control strategy. . my 06 does as every is describing above...

Single tap puts it in T/H where I have all forward gears, but with different shift points and much more aggressive rate of L/U...

Tap it one more time from T/H and it goes into O/D disable... have 1,2&3 plus lockup... . but NO O/D gear. .

I think there may be several versions in the last 3-4 years of the 5. 9L trucks...

 

[Bob4x4]

I agree with Harvey. My '04. 5 does exactly the same thing.

The 4. 5&05 t/h switch can be programmed to be o/d off switch,that may be why you do not get od when switch is activated.

 

[HBarlow]

Wingate,

One of us is misreading the other posts. My '06 did exactly as you wrote above and that is what I attempted to describe.

The only disagreement I had with other statements is the claim that the '06 would eventually shift up into overdrive while in T/H mode. Mine did not and as I remember it, the owner's manual prescribed the same.

 

[Bob4x4]

Harvey was your 06 a C/C ?

 

[HBarlow]

Harvey was your 06 a C/C ?

No, that was before the Gen III chassis cabs were built. It was an ordinary Ram 3500 quadcab dually ordered with Jacobs Exhaust Brake from the factory, 48RE, and 4. 10 gear.

It used the double tap button in the end of the shifter just like my current '08. One press gave me T/H mode which modified shift points and tightened the converter and prevented activation of OD.

The second press returned to normal (non-T/H) shifting but locked out OD.

I would have liked to be able to use T/H mode and still have it shift up into OD at highway speeds but it did not. As a matter of fact, pressing the button once at 70 mph would downshift from OD and activate the programming of T/H mode engaging the exhaust brake. I used this method for highway braking all the time when towing a heavy trailer.

 

[cerberusiam]

The owner's manual provided an explanation that it was intended to work that way.

Considering the FSM does NOT detail any such function, I find it highly doubtful

One of the key features in the press releases for 06 detailed the dual function of TH and OD off.

I have driven a 1/2 dozen 06's and all of them had the dual functionality.



Now what some inexperienced tech in the dealership did when trying to prep it is another story. It is entirely possible you got robbed of the functionality when delivered, but, its hard to believe that an older flash would go on a newer ECU.

Single tap puts it in T/H where I have all forward gears, but with different shift points and much more aggressive rate of L/U...

.

One of us is misreading the other posts. My '06 did exactly as you wrote above and that is what I attempted to describe.

Yeah, and its pretty clear where the disconnect is. :-laf :-laf



I think you were remembering your 2nd gen and getting all confused. It is said the memory is the first thing to go as we age.

 

[HBarlow]

I called and spoke with an old friend who has an '06 that I talked him into buying when I had mine. He confirmed that his '06 w/48RE and Jacobs Exhaust Brake does use all four forward gears when in Tow Haul mode. The only differences are mine was a dually w/4. 10 gear and his is a 3500 SRW with 3. 73 gear. I don't think either of those differences would account for the different way my automatic transmission was programmed.

It appears that is the normal programming and mine should have allowed OD in T/H mode also. I don't suppose I have ever driven an '06 other than the one I owned so I thought they were all programmed like mine was. I was apparently wrong.

My '08 with Aisin six speed automatic operates almost exactly like my '06 did. It uses the same double push button in the end of the shifter. First push gives T/H mode with modified up and downshift speeds and locks out sixth gear/2nd OD. Press the button the second time and it gives OD lockout with 4th/direct as top gear and normal shift programming. Press the third time and it returns to normal operation. That is exactly the way my '06 was programmed except that the Aisin has six speeds, two overdrive ranges.

 

[Superglide]

Thanks for the info Cerberusiam and Bob4x4. That was the reason I joined this forum: to learn more about my truck.

 

[HBarlow]

I think you were remembering your 2nd gen and getting all confused. It is said the memory is the first thing to go as we age.

That is true.

However, I haven't forgotten how diesel engines work or what the rpm range for peak torque of a Cummins engine is like you apparently did.

Is it your memory fading or something else?

 

[cerberusiam]

I don't suppose I have ever driven an '06 other than the one I owned so I thought they were all programmed like mine was. I was apparently wrong.

Single tap puts it in T/H where I have all forward gears,



One of us is misreading the other posts. My '06 did exactly as you wrote above and that is what I attempted to describe.

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