Safety Recall Question

[Alan Reagan]

The safety recall on the vehicle in park alarm... ... ... what do you do now to check the transmission fluid? Listen to the alarm?

 

[MNielsen]

Alan Reagan,

What do you mean? I just received the recall notice but it does not specify how exactly they install this electronic fix; are you saying it is installed into the dipstick location?

Thanks in advance

 

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

I have a 6 spd, so my memory may be foggy on this... but I believe you're supposed to check the auto transmission fluid in gear w/ the engine running (or is it neutral... that probably makes more sense. )

 

[n7gxz]

The alarm recall is to add some software change to set off the horn if the drivers door is opened and the shifter is not in park. The alarm has nothing to do with checking the transmission fluid level. You have to still do that manually by pulling out the dipstick. If remember correctly you need to have the engine running and the transmission in drive. Now the interesting thing is that this will now set off the alarm with this software change.



Kevin

 

[Hoefler]

Level, hot, and in PARK

 

[DFrank]

I always thought you check it in Neutral. So I would assume if you have the alarm added you will have beeping anytime the engine is running while seatbelt is disengaged and vehicle is not in park.



I just got the recall notice in the mail and promptly discarded it.



Too bad they won't even fix the problem for trrucks that have not been built yet. I believe the 06+ comes standard with this alarm.



I have had several times when after parking, the truck would not surrender the key because it didn't find its way completely into park and one incident when I got out of the still running truck and watched it start to back up without me. THat very nearly pushed my trailer into a parked car.

 

[Mike B.]

close the drivers side door. Also there is some delay before the horn starts going off. My 05 did the horn thing as well as flashing all the lights but you had about 30 seconds before it started. I'm sure my 06 is the same.



Mike

 

[DFrank]

So the safety featrure has a 30 second delay? How long do they think it takes to hop out of the truck and watch it crash into something because it is still in reverse?

 

[BHolm]

There is NO delay on my '06. It is about the dumbest warning ever devised IMO. When backing up to a trailer, sometimes I have to get out a time or two to check alignment. If you don't close the door to roll that last six inches the stupid horn starts honking. I would personally NOT have the recall done, it isn't safe, it is just annoying.

 

[Alan Reagan]

Again, How Do You Check Without the Alarm?

From the service manual, here's how you check the fluid:

PROCEDURE ONE

1. Transmission fluid must be at normal operating

temperature for accurate fluid level check. Drive

vehicle if necessary to bring fluid temperature up to

normal hot operating temperature of 82°C (180°F).

2. Position vehicle on level surface.

3. Start and run engine at curb idle speed.

4. Apply parking brakes.

5. Shift transmission momentarily into all gear ranges.

Then shift transmission back to NEUTRAL.

6. Clean top of filler tube and dipstick to keep dirt from entering tube.

7. Remove dipstick (1) and check fluid level as follows:

a. Correct acceptable level is in crosshatch area.

b. Correct maximum level is to MAX arrow mark.

c. Incorrect level is at or below MIN line.

d. If fluid is low, add only enough MoparT ATF +4 to restore correct level. Do not overfill.



I'm wondering if the parking brake somehow disengages the alarm.

 

[CPG]

Many of the simple questions asked on the forums can be answered by your Owner's manual or shop service manual about the service points on your trucks. There is much inaccurate advice given out by the misinformed.

 

[Alan Reagan]

Seems like they would fix it so that it picked up the signal from the parking brake. If the parking brake is on and the truck is in neutral then there should be no alarm. Somehow, adding the "and" logic was probably to much to consider for a "quick" recall fix.

 

[Alan Reagan]

Alan Reagan,

What do you mean? I just received the recall notice but it does not specify how exactly they install this electronic fix; are you saying it is installed into the dipstick location?

Thanks in advance

No. I was just curious about the alarm sounding while checking the fluid with the truck in neutral.

 

[Rams-n-Hogs]

I received mine in the mail the other day, too. I'm thinking I might make a copy of it, and send it, along with a letter to the NHTSA asking how DC can justify this as a valid fix. Seems to me they should be changing, or modifying the Interlock mechanism, or the cable, or maybe just a cable adjustment. This is nothing more than notifying you that your truck just ran over something.



Jim

(who always double checks that the vehicle is in gear, and parking brake is set, especially since Ford had this same problem a number of years ago. )

 

[Alan Reagan]

I'm curious if it picks up the signal from the position detector on the drivers side of the transmission. I had to finally adjust my cable so that when it was in Park, the "P" was illuminated. Mine would be in Park and the "R" would be lit. Or nothing lit. Finally, I adjusted the cable and fixed the problem. If that's where the signal is derived, my horn would have been beeping all the time.

 

[GColeman]

So the safety featrure has a 30 second delay? How long do they think it takes to hop out of the truck and watch it crash into something because it is still in reverse?

I think the purpose of the honking horn is to help you find your truck after it has left its parking stall without you. Just in case you didn't hear the crash, or if the truck ran over you, it would help the police find the hit and run vehicle. You gotta give it to those DC bean counters... . lets not spend money to fix the problem, lets just make the horn honk.



And for the "death wobble", maybe they could make our lights flash so everyone could get out of the way.

 

[Edgemann55]

20+ thousand miles on mine and it has never jumped out of park. I don't want no stinkin horn warning-so I ain't having it done.

 

[Jaysyl]

I just got mine yesterday. Why don't they fix the problem, this is not a fix.



What happens in 6 months from now when I take my truck for some warranty work. Will they check my VIN and do this recall,even though I do not want it???

 

[GaryCarter]

Can someone who's actually had the recall done post and tell us exactly what it does?

At present I'm inclined to not get it done on mine. I don't need any more beeping, honking, chiming, ringing, flashing lights, etc. ENOUGH!

Just fix the damned shifter mechanism.



Gary

PS- mine has never given any problem.

 

[JWilkins]

Just picked up mine tonight. I took it in yesterday for a service and an annoying noise from the front end, NOT THE RECALL!!! The service advisor came to me a couple hours later asking if I got the recall letter and said they were installing the alarm. While reflashing for the alarm the speedo went out and they were trying to fix it. An hour or so later he came back telling me they have to order a new cluster. He let me borrow a car so i was alright. He called today saying it was fixed, seviced, but they didnt hear the noise... . again. I got it all the way home to find out the door remotes dont work and the truck honks and flashes lights like it is possessed.



Do Not Get This Recall Work Done if You Dont Have Too!!!! I asked the advisor if they could disable the horn from honking and he told me no. Its going to be fun backing a trailer in the middle of the night in a campground.

WHATS WRONG WITH USING THE PARKING BRAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #@$%!