automatic transmission -- park!

[HOBrian]

I would start to flood DC with calls. They might "not know" Of the problem and it maybe your only saving grace god forbid you or someone gets hurt by a rolling truck :{ They need to know

 

[Mgeary]

Make: DODGE

Model: RAM 2500

Type: TRUCK

Year: 2004

NHTSA Action Number: EA04025

Summary:

THERE HAVE BEEN 50 COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND DAIMLERCHRYSLER ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF REVERSE POWERED ROLLAWAY AFTER THE DRIVER HAD ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE GEARSHIFT LEVER IN THE “PARK” POSITION WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE RUNNING, AND THE PARKING BRAKE DISENGAGED. THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE RESULTED IN 42 CRASHES AND 3 INJURIES. IN MY 2003, DAIMLERCHRYSLER INTRODUCED A NEW SHIFTER DESIGN IN THE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS THAT FEATURED AN ELECTRONIC GEAR POSITION INDICATOR (“PRNDL”) LOCATED IN THE DASH DISPLAY DIRECTLY FORWARD OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE COMPLAINT RATE FOR THE MY 2003-04 RAM 2500/3500 PICKUP TRUCKS IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE RATES FOR THE MY 2001-02 RAM 2500/3500 PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PRIOR SHIFTER DESIGN USING A MECHANICAL “PRNDL” AND THE MY 2003-04 RAM 1500 PICKUP TRUCKS WHICH USE THE SAME SHIFTER AS THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, BUT A DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION DESIGN. AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED.





Info from NHTSA

 

[DocDetonancour]

This is crazy. Glad this post is going, and have to wonder why we haven't seen on the 03 and 04? Doc

 

[DLoughery]

This is crazy. Glad this post is going, and have to wonder why we haven't seen on the 03 and 04? Doc

It happend to me on my 03 Dually. I stopped at the end of the driveway to get the mail, got about 10 feet past the front of the truck when I noticed it rolling off backwards. Then the race was on. I was able to catch up to it, get the door open and push the brake peddle with my hand. Got it stopped a foot before the right rear fender would have taken on a barb wire fence. I am sure I just didn't get it all the way into park. I double check it every time now and use the e-brake whenever I'm on any kind of incline.

 

[JSBeswick]

Guys, I have had this " not going into park" happen with my 2004. 5 3500 AT. Seems like it is caused in the colum to me. If I dont place it carefully into park it will end up in no-man's land even though the "P" is lit up. if the truck is on it's gonna roll away.

 

[midlife crisis]

From the very first time I set it in PARK, I never had any faith in the electronic gear indicator. My suspicions were not without merit, as several times I have found a miscorrelation between the indicator and the trans. Having been a Ford guy, (give me a minute while my truck shifts) and taught by a guy that resembled the D. I. in "FMJ", you simply never exit the truck without applying the brake.

 

[scootergmc]

Not to divert attention from the problem, but I have a habit of putting the truck in N and then setting the parking brake, making sure the brake is holding the truck. When everything is secure, I then place the transmission into Park. Habits of a sloped driveway and keeping the pressure off the transmission.

 

[rbattelle]

Not to divert attention from the problem, but I have a habit of putting the truck in N and then setting the parking brake, making sure the brake is holding the truck. When everything is secure, I then place the transmission into Park. Habits of a sloped driveway and keeping the pressure off the transmission.

I have a similar habit with my wife's Civic. I leave the transmission in "D", apply the handbrake with enough force to hold the vehicle in "D" without the service brakes applied, then I shift to "P". This takes the load off the park pawl and ensures that even if the vehicle were to start itself and put itself in "D" it wouldn't move anywhere.



-Ryan

 

[rbattelle]

I was just on the NHTSA site and looked up the Dodge trucks. There are 3 ongoing investigations into automatic transmission problems on HD trucks. Here's the summary of one:

THERE HAVE BEEN 50 COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND DAIMLERCHRYSLER ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF REVERSE POWERED ROLLAWAY AFTER THE DRIVER HAD ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE GEARSHIFT LEVER IN THE “PARK” POSITION WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE RUNNING, AND THE PARKING BRAKE DISENGAGED. THESE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE RESULTED IN 42 CRASHES AND 3 INJURIES. IN MY 2003, DAIMLERCHRYSLER INTRODUCED A NEW SHIFTER DESIGN IN THE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS THAT FEATURED AN ELECTRONIC GEAR POSITION INDICATOR (“PRNDL”) LOCATED IN THE DASH DISPLAY DIRECTLY FORWARD OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE COMPLAINT RATE FOR THE MY 2003-04 RAM 2500/3500 PICKUP TRUCKS IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE RATES FOR THE MY 2001-02 RAM 2500/3500 PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE PRIOR SHIFTER DESIGN USING A MECHANICAL “PRNDL” AND THE MY 2003-04 RAM 1500 PICKUP TRUCKS WHICH USE THE SAME SHIFTER AS THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, BUT A DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION DESIGN. AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS HAS BEEN OPENED.

Here's a second, similar investigation:

THERE HAVE BEEN 50 COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND DAIMLERCHRYSLER ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF REVERSE POWERED ROLLAWAY IN SUBJECT VEHICLES THAT WERE PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE DISENGAGED. THE INCIDENTS ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE RESULTED IN 42 CRASHES AND 3 INJURIES. ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYSLER, INCIDENT VEHICLE INSPECTIONS HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED ANY MISADJUSTED OR BROKEN PARTS. A TYPICAL INCIDENT IS BELIEVED TO INVOLVE THE FOLLOWING SET OF CONDITIONS: (1) WITH THE VEHICLE ON A RELATIVELY LEVEL SURFACE, AN ATTEMPTED SHIFT INTO PARK INADVERTENTLY PLACES THE TRANSMISSION IN A POSITION BETWEEN THE "REVERSE" AND "PARK" GEAR DETENTS; (2) THE DRIVER EXITS THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE RUNNING, AND THE PARKING BRAKE DISENGAGED; AND (3) AFTER SOME DELAY, THE VEHICLE BEGINS TRAVELING REARWARD. IN PRIOR INVESTIGATIONS OF OTHER DAIMLERCHRYSLER PRODUCTS, REVERSE MOTION WAS FOUND TO RESULT FROM A GRADUAL PRESSURIZATION OF THE REVERSE CIRCUIT ("HYDRAULIC REVERSE"). DAIMLERCHRYSLER ATTRIBUTES THE INCIDENTS TO OPERATOR ERROR IN USING A SYSTEM THAT FUNCTIONED AS DESIGNED. ACCORDING TO DAIMLERCHRYSLER, THE ALLEGED DEFECT CANNOT OCCUR IF THE DRIVER: (1) SHIFTS FULLY INTO PARK AS INDICATED BY END OF SHIFTER TRAVEL SLAM, THE FORWARD THROW OF THE SHIFT LEVER, AND/OR THE ILLUMINATION OF THE PARK INDICATION IN THE "PRNDL" DISPLAY; (2) REMOVES THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION; (3) TURNS THE ENGINE "OFF;" OR (4) ENGAGES THE PARKING BRAKE. THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH: (1) DAIMLERCHRYSLER'S "RE"-SPECIFIC TRANSMISSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN THE SUBJECT OF TWO PREVIOUS ODI REVERSE POWERED ROLLAWAY INVESTIGATIONS (EA96-006 & EA01-017); AND (2) A COLUMN MOUNTED SHIFT MECHANISM WITH AN ELECTRONIC GEAR POSITION INDICATOR ("PRNDL") THAT IS LOCATED IN THE DASH DISPLAY DIRECTLY FORWARD OF THE STEERING WHEEL. TWO PEER POPULATIONS OF DODGE RAM PICKUP TRUCKS WERE ANALYZED FOR COMPARISON WITH THE SUBJECT VEHICLES: (1) MY 2001-02 RAM 2500/3500 PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SIMILAR TRANSMISSIONS, BUT A DIFFERENT SHIFTER WITH A MECHANICAL "PRNDL;" AND (2) MY 2003-04 RAM 1500 PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME SHIFTER AS THE SUBJECT VEHICLES BUT DIFFERENT TRANSMISSIONS. THE COMPLAINT RATE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN IN THE TWO PEER POPULATIONS. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.

My point? NHTSA is investigating complaints and anyone who experiences this should report it to them in order to nudge them into requiring a recall.



-Ryan

 

[DPKetchum]

Somewhere this has been reported to the NTSB. There have been reported injurys. D. C. is aware! Tell the dealer to inform their REP nd to call Star to discuss or report. I can across this SEVERAL months ago opn another site dealing with safety issues.

 

[BBean]

Parking Brake

My son had the same problem. Parked on a slight hill, put it Park, emergency brake on and it rolled down the hill into a stone wall. Dodge dealer said it couldn't happen, and tough s***.

 

[BrentKaiser]

Holy Cow! I thought I was loosing my mind. I would go to get in my truck and it would be 2 feet from where I had parked it. I park on a slope in my driveway, and thought that maybe it was slipping on the ice. Then today, no ice on driveway at all, clean concrete, and when I got out of the truck it rolled back about two feet making a weird noise. I don't use the parking brake because in Alaska during breakup, you take a chance of freezing your pads to the rotors, but the truck is in park and shut off and still rolls backwards. Going to call the dealer tomorrow.

 

[DPKetchum]

The reports are trucks coming out of PARK. Now the PARK BRAKE at least on mine will hold a bull elephant. I can set the park BRAKE without trying to cram it to the floor with a 10k trailer hooked to it and it HOLDS.

 

[BBean]

Good luck on going to the dealer. They basically told my son tough s***. There was no way that that could happen, according to them.

 

[DPKetchum]

But D. C. is aware. Lots of dealers may not be.

 

[BrentKaiser]

Received a call from NHTSA and they told me that they are taking this very seriously. They warned me not to take any chances and to take my truck to the dealer to have them check it out. They also want me to call them back and let them know what the dealer finds and what actions they take. I suggest everyone that is having this problem get on the NHTSA website and file a complaint.

 

[rbattelle]

I suggest everyone that is having this problem get on the NHTSA website and file a complaint.

I second that recommendation!!



-Ryan