possible auto transmission problematical

[kip88]

2010 ram 2500 4x4 diesel. Towing 15,000 lbs when going uphill in 6th gear the down shift to 5th gear creates a heavy shutter simular to running over closely spaced speed bumps.get off the throttle it quits. I was in the tow haul mode with the jake brake engaged running 65 mph. Any input would appreciated. Thanks, kip

 

[transe]

Sounds like you are getting what we call bumpalong, which is where the releasing clutch gets rapidly re-applied several times during a shift, because the applying clutch doesn't gain capacity as quickly as the PCM expects it to. This usually indicates a clutch volume that has learned to a wrong value, although a trans hardware problem is also a possibility. I would recommend two things:

• Use the ERS switches to manually tap the transmission down to 5th (or 4th) gear, as you start into a grade where it will have to downshift.
• Next time you visit your dealer, ask them to perform a "quicklearn" procedure on the transmission. They do this with a scan tool, and actually it resets all the shift adaptives in the PCM to "factory" settings, and then re-learns all the clutch volumes, in about 10 seconds. After the quicklearn, drive gently for a few days while the PCM fine-tunes the clutch volumes. See if that helps.

 

[kip88]

Thanks transengieer, i am sure i will use this info. Do you think i have hurt the transmission? Kip:-laf

 

[transe]

Thanks transengieer, i am sure i will use this info. Do you think i have hurt the transmission? Kip:-laf

If this was just a few times, and you just got a short BRRRRRT shudder during the shift, then I'd say you are probably OK.