The latest and greatest info on my transmission problem

[Bug Out]

The repairing dealership today called me, and told me to star technicians recommended at this point, after re-flashing the controllers, changing the valve body, to take the transmission out, take it into pieces and replace what part may be causing the shifting issue. I find this suggestion totally ridiculous, ludicrous and way way way unacceptable. I bought a brand-new truck not to have the transmission ripped into thousand pieces on a bench in the middle of surprise Arizona, put back together with less 5000 miles on it.
Has anyone ever had this ridiculous suggestion told to them with a brand-new truck? I have a lemon law attorney who's biting at the bit wanting this case, but I'm trying not to go that route if I don't have to.

Thanks for listening to me vent.

 

[Ram4Sam]

Seems odd that they wouldn't just replace the whole transmission and move on..... Best of luck.

Sam

 

[transe]

I'll ask again:



Did they try simply driving it with a scan tool (to monitor TCC status) to see whether the PCM is commanding the TCC to unlock (or, more likely, go to partial lock) during the shifts?



There is no point in tearing down a transmission (or replacing it) if it is merely doing what the PCM commands it to do. First step for "funny shifting" should always be to verify whether the controller is telling it to do that or not.



If the PCM is telling it to unlock the TCC (or go to partial lock) during upshifts, then compare to a like truck. If others do the same thing, then it's normal operation. If not, time for a reflash. You are running a stock PCM (not a "trans tuner"), I presume?

 

[Bug Out]

My understanding is they were sending data back to the star tech indicating out or shifting etc. They determined some plunger or something behind the housing was possibly bad... i guess they had to have something hooked to the PCM to send electronic readings back to the star technicians.

 

[sag2]

Well I'm afraid you don't have a choice on the repair. All manufacturers determine the proper repair procedure for warranty repairs. The RFE has been around for many years and any technician that has been doing transmissions for a while should be familiar with them. They really are not that hard. I would always trust the one I have over a reman, which is what you will get if they put a box in it. You are really trading the known for an unknown.

Before you let them go into it I would be asking myself some questions.

How bad is it? Is it just a little annoying and your getting obsessed with it?

Is the fluid burned at all? If a trans is really flaring (clutch slipping) it will cook the fluid in short order.

What are the CVI's? Are they excessively high?

Does it do it loaded and unloaded? At all throttle openings?

Did they drive it with the laptop and monitor the shifts or make any data recordings? As was stated above this should be a no brainer to determine if the flare you get is the result of a clutch slipping or just the converter unlocking and locking back up.

Have there ever been any codes for gear ratio error in any gear? These controllers are very good at watching for excessive slip and they will set a code before you even feel it.

So in summary if it were mine I would ask those exact questions of my self and the dealer. If the fluid is fine if it were mine I would just drive it. If it gets to the point where it actually slips it will turn on the CEL, set a gear ratio error, and go into limp in. I am not there to feel it or look at the data, but my gut tells me you are setting them off on a wild goose chase.

In the end it is your decision, but be careful what you wish for.

 

[Bug Out]

sag2, after they got thru with it the last two days, it now is doing the slip between gear between 1-2-3 and the usual 4 to 5th to 6. Fluid is not burnt. It does it cold, warm hot no load, worse under a load. Sounds like a teenager learning to shift when the trailer is attached. The gap is getting worse (longer )with time. The tech at the dealer who has been working it says so too.

Just so I understand correctly, I bought a "brand new truck" that had a transmission problem from the factory. Now the manufacture can tell me , "so what. . we are going to rebuild your trans and you will have a new engine, rear/front axle but a rebuilt transmission"... . Wow... ..... I hope thats not the case. But you work for them so I'm sure you've seen this done already. I'll tell you Monday what CAC has to say about all this. They are supposed to give me a answer monday.

The work order says the following: "Star center says to remove trans and tore down to inspect internal parts and pos replace 4c/2c clutch but need to advise"... . ? It goes on to say had reprogram ECM quicklearn etc.

 

[sag2]

So now it flares on every shift? That would be really unusual for it to flare in every gear and not have any other symptoms. I would want to see a data recording of each shift and see what is going on before I opened it up. Once they tear it down unless it is obviously broken they are not going to see anything. Then it just usually gets all the clutches, seals, converter, and pump, most or all of which are fine.
I would also like to see the line pressure. If it is OK, the pump is good. It may be the converter, so again I would want to see the data, as it may be simple as dropping the trans and putting the converter in.
And the CAC is probably not going to be much help, as the policy to repair is right in your warranty book. There is no reason to throw away perfectly good parts, or a whole transmission. Like I said, your going to get a remanufactured unit anyway, so whats the difference. I would trust the guy that has to look you in the eye more than some faceless employee in a big plant.
Why don't you ask them to see if the tech advisor can drive it and see what he thinks. I know at least he knows how to do data recordings. And if it does it worse under load you really should have them make recordings empty and loaded.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Bug Out, I can tell you are upset that your new Ram is misbehaving. I hope you are able to get your dealer to do what Sag2 suggests. Just throwing parts or a complete trans at the problem is not likely to fix it. There may be hardware problems, or software problems, or both. The days are long past when it would be smart to just swap out parts blindly. I had a warranty issue some months back and sag2 felt there was a bad wire, maybe chewed by a rodent, or a bad connector. The dealer insisted on replacing the PCM (on a gasser car) but the tech told me while he was at it, he fixed a connection. Hmmm. Chrysler had to pay for a PCM and labor that probably weren't needed, and a one hour repair took most of a week. Smart diagnosis beats changing lots of expensive parts these days. Between WiTech etc. diagnostics, and the warranty tech resources, your Ram can be brought into shape.

 

[Bug Out]

The flares from 1-2-3 were never there before, be can now be heard, although very minor. The flares from 4-5-6th are there( blatantly when it goes into unlock) as they were and slightly longer in duration. The truck is great. . All I want is a trans to shift as my last one (2012) did and Chrysler will NEVER hear from me again... . Good grief.

Sag2, I think honestly you would figure outs whats wrong, but when I go in and "suggest" very softly( so as not to insult the egos etc)that folks have suggested certain things, they blow it off like they got in covered, and or have "already " done that..... The Trans Tech they ( Larry Miller in Surprise,az) have there also says something is definitely wrong and agrees it should be fixed. I would bring the trailer there and show them loaded, but the trans guy is not there on weekends and I work 6am to 6pm... Taking time off while on probation is not a good idea for me. . As far as the tech advisor goes, I have no idea where they are located. Sag2, if you know of anyone down here thats excellent at trannies, let me know. I'll take i to them. If I still lived in the(lived in san fran-w. pitt, Oakley, P-hill etc) bay area, I'd take it to you. I new a guys 30 years ago named Corky who worked for Magnussen Dodge that was real sharp with CTD's, but I'm sure he's probably retired by now.

Joe, its killing me to have my first Ram ever( out of 5,3 new) with mechanical problems right out of the gate. . Not to mention I have never had this at all with past CTD's . Now come to find out they ( Chrysler) will just pop in used/reman parts and call it good. If I didnt have a 5th wheel to tow, I'd solve this problem quick..... LOL Now I'm praying to the "Train Gods" that one derails 2 miles away and finds its way to my driveway... all kidding aside, hopefully this gets resolved soon.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Bug, I think you hit it on the head--find another dealer, one with enough intelligence not to simply throw a reman transmission and other expensive parts at the problem. The right place will involve the head warranty guy from Chrysler for the geographical area so the proper approach is used. That is way better than doing wrong and expensive things and then asking the warranty expert to approve those stupid expenses. The real fix could be easy and "non-invasive. "

 

[Bug Out]

Joe, my first thought when I heard the transmission , was no big deal. Knowing a lot of the shifting is electronically controlled, i thought "reflash" bang, done back on the road. This is gone down the "oh crap road". After all the years of bragging about CTD's , Dodge etc etc and even just last year(sold a few others along the way) a friend bought a 12 dually mega 4x4 big horn etc on my advice, i'm left shaking my head. .

I have never heard anyone here in Az "recommend" a dealer for anything, much less decent repairs. If you happen to know someone who has had good luck, and you know LOTS of folks, please let me know. . e-mail me at; -- email address removed -- Thanks.

 

[JohnsonRichard]

Have 3500 thats fine but have a ford 250 super duty thatwas rebuilt at 17k mikes only because at 7200 I lived with it. Neutrals every time you step on it. Four close calls while passing. Goes to 7500rpm and sets there. It's getting tore down again right now. So my advice get the lawyer on it because they can't fix them.

 

[champspa]

I'd say for what it's worth that you are not going to satisfied with anything but another truck . take it to your attorney , tomorrow and in 6 months you will have a new truck .

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

I know the Chrysler warranty Tech Advisor for Arizona and will have him get with you. At this point, a lawyer will only tie Chrysler's hands and ensure that you get no satisfaction at all for about a year. Even then, it puts Chrysler into a defensive lawyer mode and does not focus on your problem in a positive way. Lets give the top warranty guru a shot at the problem. Maybe Ford can't fix Johnson's truck, but if you work with the Tech Advisor, he will make sure your truck is fixed properly.

 

[Bug Out]

Joe, I'd rather go that way and get it fixed. I have already put 2K in ad ons. I REALLY like the truck, but the transmission problem(drove around and tried to live with it-cant do it) is driving me crazy. Have him e-mail me. Thanks. Appreciate it.

Ed

 

[Bug Out]

Joe, can you email me your number ? I appreciate it. Ed

 

[Bug Out]

Got a call from the dealer. I will have a recorder installed on the truck to get info on exactly whats going on with my transmission. I'm praying this gizmo finds out whats wrong . . Besides the shifting goof, this truck is awesome in all other aspects. . Even the wife is starting to like it. . She got used to the "Dually" look and feel after having one for the last 9 years...



Hopefully this will pinpoint whats going on( praying to the transmission Gods) and she'll get fixed and shift like my last 68RFE (2012), smooth and no flares!!!!

 

[Bug Out]

I had the POD installed last friday and drove without a load friday, then with the 5th wheel saturday . Hopefully it will give transmissions gurus what they need to give me a fix. One of the parameters for the test was to go full throttle from a stop, to speed (safely) with the trailer attached which I have never done with any of my CTD's, funny enough... I guess in the back of my mind i see horror flicks of driveshafts twisting, transmission pans blowing out etc etc. . LOL .

From the Loop 303 to N/B I-17 toward Flagstaff, I gave it all she had... . Mind you, I near max GCVW rating so my hearts pumping thinking the worst. ( I'm sure during factory testing they did much worse to these trucks)...

That CTD took off like a raped APE up the on ramp and by the time I got to the freeway, about a 1/4 mi( that portion is 65 and most are at 70+) I was already passing traffic and had to slow down. I don't think the truck ever got into 6th gear... I could only imagine DPS ( Our Highway patrol here) seeing this Grey RAM zinging up the on ramp with a 40' 5th wheel blowing past traffic. That was the only portion of the test that the transmission, oddly enough did not do its flare, maybe as it was at 2500+rpms at shifting. Got my fingers crossed the fix comes soon.

 

[JHumphries]

I had the POD installed last friday and drove without a load friday, then with the 5th wheel saturday . Hopefully it will give transmissions gurus what they need to give me a fix. One of the parameters for the test was to go full throttle from a stop, to speed (safely) with the trailer attached which I have never done with any of my CTD's, funny enough... I guess in the back of my mind i see horror flicks of driveshafts twisting, transmission pans blowing out etc etc. . LOL .

From the Loop 303 to N/B I-17 toward Flagstaff, I gave it all she had... . Mind you, I near max GCVW rating so my hearts pumping thinking the worst. ( I'm sure during factory testing they did much worse to these trucks)...

That CTD took off like a raped APE up the on ramp and by the time I got to the freeway, about a 1/4 mi( that portion is 65 and most are at 70+) I was already passing traffic and had to slow down. I don't think the truck ever got into 6th gear... I could only imagine DPS ( Our Highway patrol here) seeing this Grey RAM zinging up the on ramp with a 40' 5th wheel blowing past traffic. That was the only portion of the test that the transmission, oddly enough did not do its flare, maybe as it was at 2500+rpms at shifting. Got my fingers crossed the fix comes soon.

Were you at least smiling?

 

[Bug Out]

Yes I was smiling. . I usually take it easy on my investments so they last a good long time. . Full throttle at near max weight puckered me up. Apparently she's up for the task. . Can't wait to get rid of the "flare" my 2012 68 RFE never had. .