Dealer told me not to use synthetic transmission fluid.

[Kennywould]

Totally criminal.

:--) :{

 

[MichaelAnderson]

got my atf4 today

well i went to the dealer that works on my truck brown's dullis dodge in norther va. got my 6 gallons of atf4 for about $79. 00 i am a ase mastertech and was able to get a mechanic's jobber rate. so was happy about that. while there i also had their tech look at the power steering leak (the reason i needed the atf4 quickly) and he seems to think that the pump res. burped. i said that i didn't think so, but that i would fill and clean and check. then i pointed out that i hadn't upgraded the ps hose per. the vibration tsb. so he said that he would order the hose! these guys at brown's are really great. he was talking about his 04 and how he has run a new bg injector flush machine and was happy with the results. he said that the 04 and up are more prone to carbon build up. and i told him that i use a can of bg 44k in the fuel tank at oil changes. Oo. so i had fun at the dealer friday! and it's going to snow saturday and i have my truck. too bad things don't allways come together like this all the time.

mike a

fairfax va

03 patriot blue 3500dually auto 4x4 26,000miles

 

[SSage]

These trannys do like OEM ATF. My dealer does check ATF, they told me right away that I needed to get some. I've had non OEM ATF in my 98, I thought the trans was going out. Dealer couldn't find anything wrong execpt for the ATF and a leaking front seal. Dealer put their ATF in and it went back to normal. I had no idea that the compatible Quaker State stuff was giving me soft shifts. The 48RE is in the same family, So I persume it will be picky like my 98. The Dodge dealer in Canton, GA does sell it below retail. I've yet to have a major auto transmission problem under 100K with my Dodges that had the OEM ATF. I tow heavy and hard, even off road in four wheel drive low. The ATF+4 cost me about $18 out the door for a gallon which seems reasonable to me for a synthetic blend approved by Dodge.

 

[Rick Stewart]

When I was researching purchase of my truck, I was very leary about the Dodge auto trans. I did several searches and found an Edmunds forum on Dodge trucks. I found posts from a seemingly knowledgeable source explaining current and past Dodge auto problems. He addressed 47RE vs. 48RE issues and he stated that many of the 47RE problems could be traced to incorrect fluid being introduced into Dodge trannys. He was very adamant that ONLY Dodge fluid be used. He also felt (as many here do) that the 48RE was a vast improvement over the previous Dodge autos, enough that I felt comfortable with making the purchase. (He also stated that the 47RE is more reliable than its reputation, again problems being largely do to wrong transmission fluid being used in them. )



I am not an expert; just repeating what I have read. Don't know the reputation of the Edmunds Forum with this group (or any others for that matter) but this really stuck with me.



Comments or corrections for a newbie?

 

[JMcDowell]

Synthetic

ATF4+ is a synthetic. It is very similar if not the same as the Mercedes

synthetic found in . 6 transmissions. A few of the guys here is the shop

are running the MB fluid because the price is right.

We have had a few of the . 6 transmissions come in where the customer

had an independent service the trans and did not use synthetic and or

added an additive and the transmissions where severely damaged.

 

[SSage]

I know of one performance rebuilder that only uses ATF+4:APS



As far as I can tell, the people having problems with the 48RE are bombed for the most part, right? This trans is holding up so far for me. Its not smooth, its not quiet, but it is holding up to my heavy trailer towing.



But, I'm totally stock power wise. Are stock trucks having 48RE failures? The main reason I wanted the extended warranty was my 14K trailer behind the auto.