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Shifting Problems or Exhaust Brake

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15/40 oil in 2022 cause engine damage?

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DGamelin

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My 22 made the first couple runs fine then I noticed on the next run the exhaust break was about 1/2 as strong as it had been. I didn't worry about it because the truck has monster brakes anyways. On the way back pulling about 20k pounds behind it. On the same run I have made almost every month for over 20 years. I was in the Ozarks rock and rolling the hills. On a long downhill grade with the exhaust brake on. I was letting it coast, at about 74mph and out of no ware the truck down shifted. I looked down and a second later it shifted down again, down 2 gears at 74mph. It wrapped the tack around and the engine was screaming bloody murder. I stomped on the gas pedal to force an up shift. It shifted with a bang so violent it shook the dash. I thought for sure the engine or trans had grenaded. Scared the hell out of me. It will now do this with the crus on if the truck picks up to much speed it will just down shift. It didn't behave like this on the 1st couple of runs so I am guessing it was an over the air software update. I have been to the dealer with absolutely no help., said they hadn't heard of it. So I called some dealers in parts of the country with monster hills. They had heard the complaint and didn't know what to do about it. They said to buy the extended warranty. I got a hold of a dristac rep. He said he said to get rid of it. So I have given up on any help from dodge, hell I am still waiting to get the blown shocks replaced. Now when I am in rolling hills I just turn the crus and exhaust brake off. Ram really F up this truck. In 84 I bought my 1st dully a 74 chevy car hauler I have owned them all. My 15 ram was by far the best truck I ever had in every way and the 1st truck I didn't keep to 300k I am so sorry about that. For the first time since owning a dodge cummins I couldn't recommend one to a customer who was here for a gooseneck trailer. If it were to do this on a snow covered road with an empty gooseneck you would jackknife with the exhaust break off.

I bring this up because on my last trip in the same area roads were wet, I was passed by a guy with a 5th wheel with a big motorcycle hanging off the back so it was probably a little light on tung weight. Just before the bottom of a hill we were on it looked like he got a little out of shape. But he was a ways away. He pulled into the Cherokee Pass truck stop I usually stop there. I asked him if anything had happened on the hill. He was just a kid and still shaking. He said it down shifted and the rear tires skidded for a sconded, scared the hell out of him. He flew down to Texas to bring grandpa's RV home. Grandpa had a medical problem and had to be flown home, sadly grandpa won't be driving any more.

I haven't driven the truck in 3 months, I didn't get around to posting because I am so fed up with the truck that I have given up and I don't feel like arguing with anyone. But I see on the internet that 22s are losing engines. Just wanted guys to beware and make sure you are heavy on the tongue weight.
 
This is why they have lemon laws......you don't have to live with this, putting yourself at risk and leaving your hard earned money sitting in the yard.
With your owners manuals, you should have gotten a book explaining your legal rights under your state's lemon laws and Ram's obligation to fix it.
Read the book and google your state's lemon laws for info on the mileage limits, days out of service and the number of repair attempts by the dealer.

I went through this kind of nightmare with my 2014 truck with 500 miles on it. Electrical gremlins in the dash that the dealer couldn't fix and the same BS from FCA.......live with it or get rid of it. I took their advice and got rid of it but on their dime.

Sam
 
Mine downshifts before the exhaust brake comes on. Two questions. Did the engine actually exceed the red line, or was it just higher than you were used to. The ECM should not force a downshift if it will exceed the red line. Also, you can run it all day long at governed speed and never hurt a thing. Have you tried auto exhaust brake vs full brake?
I also can't believe a district rep would just tell you to get rid of it. Perhaps that statement was taken out of context.
 
Sadness for some 2022 owners I have used my cruise and exhaust brake hard . Some good grades etc and many of them no issues so for. Knock on wood. Works awesome. Hope it’s not a universal problem. I to think I would lemon it back. How many miles are on the truck?
 
I think mine does also. Very normal. At 74 miles a hour taking a 8000 lbs truck and a 20 k trailer to a slow down I think it should down shift pulling a trailer that fast is a bit crazy all by itself
 
When using cruise control, this is normal operation regardless of exhaust brake setting or tow haul setting. I live on Table Rock Lake, in the middle of the Ozarks, I tow a 40' fifth wheel weighing north of 18k. When using cruise, the truck will try to maintain speed with in 5mph of set speed. It will have the exhaust brake on and down shift to accomplish it. If you have the exhaust brake on auto and/or have the tow haul off, it will have a hard time maintaining the set speed going down hill. There is a reason when starting your truck with a trailer is attached the exhaust brake comes on automatically on full brake. Run the exhaust brake on full and the tow haul on, especially when driving in hilly or mountainous terrain.
 
I don't believe there is any reason for a down shift at 74 mph, (4:10 gears) let alone 2 gears down in seconds. If the roads would have snow on it the tires would have locked up and the ass end would have come around. My 15 never did this in the many trips on that same run. At 3 mph over the crues setting the exhaust brake would come on but never a down shift at these speeds. It would just coast even if it picked up speed. When it did, never anywhere near redlining the engine. You would have to slow the truck down with the breaks first. I did the math. It puts the engine right around red line which is just wrong. Regardless if the engine can take it or not, this is not the way to get longevity out of a piece of equipment. Let alone it will cause an accident sooner or later. Another thing that is odd, is on the first 2 or 3 trips it behaved just like the 15 did with a strong exhaust brake. Then when I left on that run I noticed I had 1/2 as much brake for some reason and this ridiculous down shifting started, why is that. I am so so sorry I got read of my 15 1n 26, I am going to stop running the auctions anyways. My 15 shift was intun with everything so well it would give a gearhead a hardon. The power of that HO with the 4:10 gears was a great working combo. It might seem crazy that you could enjoy a truck's shift points in the power band but I did. I never thought I would say this truck has power it doesn't need and can't use. This setup just doesn't work well and could be dangerous. This is my last new dodge.

When I talked to that rep he was at the dealer I bought the truck from. He was there firing people so he probably had a bad day going on.

I plan to get a gopro set up in the cab and film this violent downshift and put it on youtube. That way if someone ends up hurt their lawyer will have a reference.

I am going to go work on my Cummins powered 36 dodge now. be safe guys.
 
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I still would really like to know the mileage on your truck. I have 13 k no issues. I might give us a reference point to when it will/ might happen to our 2022 trucks
 
Exhaust brakes work better at higher RPMs, which is why the transmission might downshift before engages. It's "normal."
 
I have the Max Tow package in my Ram. Going down a good grade with the cruise on, it will do its best to maintain set speed. And it will get aggressive when the situation dictates. I found out, by lightly applying the service brake, it will cause and almost immediate downshift. Which the exhaust brake is showing its value. I will find myself releasing the service brake and letting this machine do its thing. Many times I can roll almost to a stop with out touching the brakes.
 
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