Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Dodge Ram Transmission Problems

13637383941

Comments

  • guythunderguythunder Member Posts: 19
    I had the same problem and this is what I did. It now shifts like a new trasmission. I odered these parts on line at www.CascadeTransmissionParts,com.....................

    Product Information
    Product Name Part No. Quantity Item Price Total Price
    Governor Housing Base Gasket 12328B 1 $6.88 $6.88
    47RE Governor Solenoid Borg 12432AB 1 $56.88 $56.88
    47RE Pressure Sensor 96-99 12415B 1 $59.88 $59.88
    Universal Drain Plug Kit 3020S 1 $14.88 $14.88
    47RH / RE Filter Kit (R) 88-97 22011GR 1 $16.88 $16.88

    Subtotal: $155.40
    I have had three other people do this to there Transmission and it worked for them to. Good Luck..
  • darth_venomdarth_venom Member Posts: 43
    Thanks Guythunder for this info. Though at the moment removing the check valve has fixed my tranny problems in my 2500 4x4 V10 ext. cab long bed (47RE-HD trans) I may order these parts and install them as a preventative measure.

    My only complaint at the moment is that my converter lockup won't enguage until I am going at least 53-55 mph, but as far as shifting the transmission shifts fine for now and I want to keep it that way. I would like to get the converter to lock up at around 40 mph though. My truck has the 3.55 gears -not the normal 4.10's that come in these 2500's though which may be why my converter doesn't lock up until I hit 53-55 mph. At that speed when it does lock up though engine rpms go down to around 1300-1400, and at 65 mph rpm's are still only just above 1500 at around 1600 to 1650, and 1700 at 70 mph. I have to go above 80 mph to about 83 or so for rpm's to reach 2000. Could the higher gears in my truck be the reason my converter won't lock up until I get close to 55 mph?

    In any case again, thanks for the info and part numbers. :)
  • johnny2scarsjohnny2scars Member Posts: 1
    Did you ever get your trany problem figured out. I ran into a similar problem and audible clunk then nothing, but no whining...trany pan is clean, fluid does not smell burnt...

    Any thoughts...thanks
  • winni517winni517 Member Posts: 2
    hi, i've been reading a lot of the posts on this issue and it seems like it could be a relatively simple fix. however, haven't seen a post exactly like my issues and would like to know if we should throw in the towel or not due to the potential cost of repairs. we have a 1996 ram sport 1500, 2wd, 5.9, 4-speed hd auto trans, it has never been used to tow. back in 1999, while still under warranty, the overdrive would have a delay jerk shift between 35 & 40 mph, dealer said front clutches burned and they r&r trans, disassemble & inspect, replaced all discs, plates, low reverse band, torque converter, seals, gaskets, o-rings & lip seals: reconditioned valve body, flushed case & overdrive housing, flushed cooler & flow test. not too long after all that, but AFTER warranty expired, the overdrive started going out again. due to frustration and shop expense we still haven't fixed it yet since it hasn't been our daily driver. in 2009 had it tested for codes but it didn't have any. currently, all gears shift fine, overdrive will work for about 20-30 miles as long as the engine is cold then shuts off. fuel mpg has continuously declined without overdrive working to maybe 5 mpg at best, ergggg. also i think the torq converter is whining, not sure if that is related to the overdrive or not. so, since it has been messed up for so long do you think it's worth trying to fix and if so what would you suggest we do??
  • parker68parker68 Member Posts: 2
    After being in the auto repair shop for 5 weeks now, I am just a little frustrated to say the least. First it would drop out of overdrive and that is all. I parked it for 2 days and when I came back and tried to drive, it would not shift out of 1st gear. Would go in reverse and 1st but nothing else. So took it to the shop, of course they said needed an new transmission, I thought it was electrical but anyway it had 122,000 miles on it. So put new transmisson in it. I can shift but still drops out of overdrive and now trans temp comes on after about 15 miles of straight driving.. We have replaced about everything. Today after replacing the govenor plate and speed and overdrive soleniod again, still does it. At wits end, got any suggestions?

    :mad:
  • darth_venomdarth_venom Member Posts: 43
    Get underneath and trace your transmission coolant lines from the transmission to the radiator, then through an external cooler if you have one then back to the transmission. What you are looking for is a check valve that looks a little like a cannister thingy. It will be wider than the normal coolant lined and easy to spot. Once you've located this, Remove it and replace it with a piece of hose double clamped on both ends. Do not use cheap hose -make sure it is high quality fuel or high pressure hose. You'll only need about a foot or so of it anyway.

    Once you've obtained the hose cut it to the right length to avoid kinks. Install the hose after removing the check valve. This will help correct some low pressure issues.

    Hope it helps

    Allyda
  • parker68parker68 Member Posts: 2
    So is the check valve just gets hot and shuts down? Learning as I go.
  • darth_venomdarth_venom Member Posts: 43
    What this thing does is cause fluid pressure los resulting in erratic shifting and in many cases loss of overdrive. Even the tech bullitin from Crysler says to remove it and replace it with a hose. The type of hose is important though. Make sure it's a high pressure hose that can stand tyransmission fluid. You will also need 4 clamps -the screw tightning kind as you will want to double clamp both ends. For mine I just bought a hose barb that fit my transmission and came off of that (it goes in the same place as the quick disconnect for the check valve does. Your check valve may be in a differenyt place though. You won't miss it as is looks like a little cannister.
  • winni517winni517 Member Posts: 2
    i really want to see if this truck is fixable since we can't afford a new one. it would be a shame not to try if it can be something fairly simple. i think we will try the suggestions in posts #62 and #1871. it doesn't appear that any of those things were done during the warranty fix and maybe that's what caused it to go out again so soon. also considering the governor solenoid as well. i've also heard that there are sensors in the trans that controls the overdrive as well as fuel consumption, any idea what that is? anyone have any other thoughts or ideas???? thanks
  • guythunderguythunder Member Posts: 19
    I had the same problem and this is what I did. It now shifts like a new trasmission. I odered these parts on line at www.CascadeTransmissionParts,com.....................

    Product Information
    Product Name Part No. Quantity Item Price Total Price
    Governor Housing Base Gasket 12328B 1 $6.88 $6.88
    47RE Governor Solenoid Borg 12432AB 1 $56.88 $56.88
    47RE Pressure Sensor 96-99 12415B 1 $59.88 $59.88
    Universal Drain Plug Kit 3020S 1 $14.88 $14.88
    47RH / RE Filter Kit (R) 88-97 22011GR 1 $16.88 $16.88

    Subtotal: $155.40
    I have had three other people do this to there Transmission and it worked for them to. Good Luck..
  • glenm33glenm33 Member Posts: 1
    My 07 has developed a pesky problem, sometimes it will seemingly go into limp mode by decreasing speed down to 25mph even though the pedal is full open. If you turn key off, then on it will work fine for a day or two then back to 25-35 mph when it glitches. Dodge dealers (2) havent been able to find ANY problem....No Codes, cannot Repeat Problem etc etc. Any thoughts or suggestions?
  • harrisracing07harrisracing07 Member Posts: 1
    hello I have a 1998 dodge ram 3500 truck with 238000 miles on it my truck has shifting problems it wont's to shift from 1st to 2nd back to 1st then some times it will shift fine then going down high way it will shift in and out of over drive then it will stay in 3rd then it will drop down to 1st and shift back to 2nd then shift from 2nd to 3rd back and forth.now let me tell you what I have replaced the alternator checked all the ground wires replaced the speed sensor on trans and just replaced the throttle position sensor I use to unplug the wire going in the trans the one by the shifter go down the road shifting manually stop and plug it back up and cut the key off and crank truck back up and it will shift right but now it still does the same as what I just said I like my truck but it gets very expensive on buying things and trying them I can do any thing to the truck just need to know what's making it do that trans shifts fine when it shifts right done changed filter and fluid still didn't fixe the problem please help ;thanks;
  • leiyasmomleiyasmom Member Posts: 2
    I have a 96 1500 5.2. We dropped this tranny last night and put a rebuilt one in. Drove it around the block, it ran perfect. We put in park to double check tranny fluid and the engine shut itself off and now won't start! Any ideas???
  • leiyasmomleiyasmom Member Posts: 2
    I have a 96 1500 5.2. We dropped this tranny last night and put a rebuilt one in. Drove it around the block, it ran perfect. We put in park to double check tranny fluid and the engine shut itself off and now won't start! Any ideas???
  • p_0_dp_0_d Member Posts: 1
    Hey Thumper,

    Do u by chance know the part numbers for the Gov solenoid and sensor...or could u send me a link for those parts. Having the same problem with my 99 Ram. By the way did the problem ever come back ?

    Thanks
    Doug
  • lumberjack777lumberjack777 Member Posts: 4
    Hey bud,
    I am having the same exact problem as you were having. The transmission is working well in all gears except for reverse. When I give it gas it slowly reverses but not as it should...spudders almost.

    What did you end up doing to correct that problem?

    I would appreciate any feedback!

    Thanks
  • lumberjack777lumberjack777 Member Posts: 4
    Hey guys,

    I have a 2002 dodge ram 2WD 5.9L

    I was driving the other day and the rear seal of my transmission went out. I was unaware of this until I got home and so naturally I replace the rear seal and dropped the pan to replace the filter and pan seal. Proceeded to put new ATF+4 in and now the reverse is sputtering and very un-responsive when i give it gas. The other gears work fine but reverse is just out for some reason.

    Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

    Thank you!!
  • lumberjack777lumberjack777 Member Posts: 4
    Hey man I am having the same problem right now. Curious to see what you found out? Thanks
  • dann1989dann1989 Member Posts: 2
  • dann1989dann1989 Member Posts: 2
    I had to redo the tranny 3rd was out.
  • circuitrydercircuitryder Member Posts: 30
    Sounds like a broken snap ring in the overdrive unit. Check for pieces of the ring in the trans oil pan.
  • lumberjack777lumberjack777 Member Posts: 4
    Thanks man I just finished pulling that apart and sure enough there were two small pieces of a ring that were being held by the magnet. What do I need to order and replace now?
  • bcranfieldbcranfield Member Posts: 1
    I've been having problems with the transmission. When I'm in third gear and let off the gas, I start hearing a knock at my feet like something is loose. Can anyone help me out here?
  • pmowpmow Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2013
    Hi i have a 2002 dodge ram 1500 sport 5.9L 4x4 46re tranny. I have put 2 trannies in the truck. The first one, the check ball valve on the line set that goes from the tranny to the cooler got stuck and my overdrive went out and blew tranny fluid out of the torque converter. Got codes for torque converter, governor senser. Bought new tranny with 3 yr unlimited miles for 1500 bucks. Took out the check ball valve, put new tranny cooler, put inline tranny filter. Tranny worked awesome, shifted nicely, drove awesome. Let it sit for 3-4 weeks, now, when taking off, truck will go from first to 3rd then 4th at like 20mph, skips second gear. When i come to a stop sign, tranny won't down shift properly, gets stuck in what ever gear. Almost kills the engine, truck shakes like crazy, then right before i come to a complete stop, it down shifts to first. Got no codes coming up. If i put it in 2nd, before i come to a stop, tranny down shifts perfect. Over drive off not working. When im taking off i hear a winding noise. when i put it reverse, hear a grinding winding noise. I put new tps, cause when i had the pedal all the way to the floor, tranny didn't want to down shift. Put new and now it down shift when im at 40 and going up a hill. I called the tranny people for warranty, there sending me a new tranny. What might caused this? The tranny only had 3000 miles. I don't want this to happen to the next one. getting tired of taking out and putting new..
  • dmill120dmill120 Member Posts: 1

    Gents, I have a 1997 Ram 1500 Laramie with a 5.9L. My transmission works fine when it is cold, but when it warms up, the RPMs sky rocket and i lose power. I am not sure what the issue is, but if i can get it fixed by myself without taking it to a shop it would be great. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

  • lenfracklenfrack Member Posts: 2

    @the7t1merc said:
    yes,because the trans gets no fluid until you either put it in gear or Neutral..the front pump doesnt activate in Park.best thing to do is to put it in neutral Before you put it in any gear..let it flow some fluid Then put it in gear....there is a way to redo the trans with a special valve to cure this/no fluid pumping in park/,but it is a rather expensive fix.G/L,rob

  • lenfracklenfrack Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2014

    I have had the same problem in my 1997 2500 cummins for years. I did notice that if I shifted into neutral and then reverse or drive it would work fine, thanks. Now here is another question, ever since 2001 I will have intermittent problems of shifting between 2nd and 3rd along with in and out of overdrive. I had the transmission totally rebuilt including all electronics in 2002. The day I picked it up I had the same problem. But this comes and goes. I took it to another transmission shop last year and they assured me the problem was NOT internal. He asked several techs around the country and they knew of others who replaced every part and still had the same problem.

  • trucksr4chickstrucksr4chicks Member Posts: 1

    I have a 98 Dodge Ram 1500. I just had the automatic transmission replaced along with torque converter and transfer case. No slipping. New fluid full doesn't smell burnt. But driving down the highway it just quit. No reverse drive 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Nothing. What could be causing this issue. I've tried shutting it down and restarting then running through the gears and it's still will not budge. The engine will rev up but my track won't move. Help!!!! 

  • corky21corky21 Member Posts: 1
    i have a 02 Dodge Ram 1500 5.9 V8 with 150,000. When I drive it goes into limp mode and gets stuck in 3rd gear. It does not do it all the time. I can drive it for a day or two before it will throw the engine light and go into limp mood. Other times it will do it wright away. It is trowing code P0748 witch is governer solenoid. Took it to a Transmission shop and said the trany looks good and that it is something electrical. I then took it to a garadge. He replaced the solenoid that was bad and it still throws the light and goes into limp mode. Had a small hole in the trany cooler and replaced. Still comes on and goes in limp mode. Also checked all the wires to and from the trany and they all looked good. Was not sure if it is the pcm or something else?
  • ace8929ace8929 Member Posts: 1
    Ok guys i have a 95 ram 1500, 360 gasser, not sure on tranny but it has 3 gears plus overdrive. My problem is it doesn't have overdrive at all, all other gears are fine. Truck has 212xxx thousand miles
  • leetaylor1leetaylor1 Member Posts: 2
    Hey all. I was wondering if u could help w some info... I have a 97 dodge ram 1500 5.2 L ... Just had transmission work done. The mechanic got arrested n I have to finish it.. the light for the od button stays on and turns on and off by itself. We rebuilt it tigether and replaced the valve body w solenoids. and the trouble code is now high voltage transmission temperature sensor p0713 ... what could cause this the od governor? ??
  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,742
    Measure the voltage at the module pin for the transmission temperature sensor. If you measure 5v then the circuit is open between there and ground through the transmission fluid temperature sensor circuit.

    The way the circuit works is the TCM sends out a 5v signal that has already passed through one resistor inside the module. When you have a complete circuit to ground, which includes the temperature sensor inside the transmission the current flow causes the voltage to drop. As the transmission fluid get's hotter, the resistance of the temperature sensor inside the transmission decreases, and that causes the voltage drop across it to also decrease.

    So 5V at the module and you know the circuit s open. 5V at the transmission pin, and the circuit is open inside the transmission or its ground. You'll be dropping the pan to continue the testing. If you have a 2000 ohm resistor (approx.) you can connect it to the circuit to see the voltage change and that can help you confirm that the circuit will work correctly.
  • jmckinseyjmckinsey Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2015
    I had to remove my transmission to replace the freeze plugs that were leaking. After installing the tranny and replacing the filter and fluids the transmission will not shift out of 1st gear. It has reverse , neutral, park and 1st but will not shift whats wrong? It's a 1998 Dodge 1500 5.9L Magnum 2WD
  • squiggy5175squiggy5175 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2012 Ram 1500 4x4 Hemi. 65k miles. Today while driving 70MPH on the interstate the truck shifted from auto to manual and was stuck in 4th gear. I slowed the truck down and tried to down shift manually with no luck. Had to turn truck off completly retart and put back in drive. Got up to speed and the same thing happened again. Has anyone had this issue before, and if so what can i do to fix it. The check engine light did come on the first time this happened. The truck seems to shift fine when i start in manual and go through the gears, it also seems to shift fine when i restart and it actually stays in auto until i hit a certian speed then changes to manual.
  • dansmith92dansmith92 Member Posts: 2
    Ok so I need some help please. I have an 01 dodge ram 2500 I bought it off a guy and he said reverse was gone. He said the tranny lines were bad so he had a local tranny shop but new lines on it. He said he picked it up and on his way home he heard a loud noise. And that he pulled over and thought it was the transfer case. Thats all fine he said it  didnt have reverse. I drove the truck probably 25-30 miles home. I was driving with cruise on 65 went up a little hill, it downshifted and up shifted fine the first time. Then it started to make noise while shifting and the overdrive light wouldnt come on anymore. so I shut cuise off and drove the rest of the way home fine just hearing minor howling sound. I got ready to get off my exit and it acted like it wanted to stallout I got ready to turn on to the main road I live on it made a grinding sou d and then slammed into gear. I got home which was like 2.5 miles from the exit. I let it sit and cool down for about fifteen minutes and now I have reverse. I havent tried to diagnose it yet or anything.  I was gonna start with a fluid and filler chang first but some people tell me it could be the overdrive lock ring.  Or a broken spring behind one of the servos.  Or even bad sensors. Any help would be greatly appreciated.  I just don't feel like spending money on a rebuild if I didn't have to. Any help?
  • w8ktw8kt Member Posts: 3
    Just purchased a 2002 Ram 1500 with the 5.9 4x4 and SLT package. Only 75000 miles. Truck had most service records but nothing for tranny service. When driving at highway speed especially with the cruise on the truck begins "hunting" and will shift out of overdrive for less than a second then right back in. Might stay awhile or do it several times in a row. Worse on uphill. Can someone tell me in most likely order the probable or possible cause of this? Truck was well maintained by a Dodge employee. I plan on a fluid and filter change anything else I should be on the lookout for?
  • jeauxweejeauxwee Member Posts: 1
    I had this exact same problem on my 2007 Big Horn 5.7 Hemi 1500 with 70k. Hunting and shifting at around 70 miles per hour. It bugged the heck out of me and I knew it was hurting my gas mileage. But I couldn't figure it out so I chalked it up to 'a Dodge thing' and left it at that. Then I installed a performance chip in an attempt to improve my gas mileage and, lo and behold, it fixed the problem with the shifting. The entire shifting range is smoother too. I can run 70 mph at around 1950 RPM with no shifting or hunting at all. Gas mileage is only slightly improved (about 2 mpg), but wear and tear on my transmission has to be greatly improved. Using the chip programmer, I applied the 'gas saver' chip and removed / increased the RPM and speed governor limits, which, I believe changed the shift points of the transmission. I used the Superchips Flashpaq, but there may be others out there that are cheaper and can possibly do the same job.
  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,742
    w8kt said:

    When driving at highway speed especially with the cruise on the truck begins "hunting" and will shift out of overdrive for less than a second then right back in. Might stay awhile or do it several times in a row. Worse on uphill. Can someone tell me in most likely order the probable or possible cause of this? blockquote>

    Input or output speed sensor signals that are erratic are common. A snapshot of the data while the problem is occurring would likely reveal what is causing the shift.

  • brucec4brucec4 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2001 Ram 5.9 with a 46re trans, have reverse but to move forward it needs throttle revs, then appears to be in limp mode and slips, the day prior all was fine, slight slippage on take off. Bands have been adjusted fluid and filter changed. Any ideas?
  • brucec4brucec4 Member Posts: 3
    Hoping someone can help 2001 4x4 ram 1500 5.9 46re 83000 mi. Lost forward gears, reverse is fine. revving the engine it will move but in limp mode and slips. No manual shifting in forward gears at all. All was fine the day prior, just slight slippage on take off in low on hill. fluid and filter have been changed, bands adjusted. It backed up in the driveway, put it into drive, slipped then went into first and all was well until I returned home and parked it. No forward movement. After the fluid change revved the engine and it appears to be in limp mode, taking off in a higher gear. There are no codes. I'm 70 so a little help would be great. Thanks All.
  • Ka0sKontrolKa0sKontrol Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with the Laramie SLT package and a 5.9L 360 that's having shifting issues. It shifts from first to second without much of a problem...but then I have trouble getting it to shift to 3rd and it will randomly shift back and forth. I have to run it at 4500 RPMs just to keep it at around 45 MPH. I crawled up under the truck and found some lines that had rusted clean off as well as a couple of wires that didn't seem to be connected to anything. This is the first Dodge that I've ever owned and I'm not sure what the lines were for or if that's even the cause of my problem. I'm guessing that they're the oil cooling lines but I'm not sure. The truck doesn't seem to be leaking anything and the fluids seem to be in good order (both level and color seem ok). Any thoughts on this to give me a clue as to what I'm looking at here? Any help would be appreciated greatly. Thx
  • billmabebillmabe Member Posts: 1
    got a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 slt, 5.9l 4x4 with a 46re tranny. no OD, no 3/4 shift. did a master solenoid kit replacement on tranny and TCC replaced. still no 3/4 shift ?? any ideas, before i pull it to rebuild ?
  • rjracingincrjracinginc Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1997 Dodge Ram 3500 XLT Larite V10 with 96000 miles. I let it sit for the last 9 months, battery went dead (5 years old), replaced the battery with new. Drove the truck, started going in and out of overdrive. Replaced the filter, cleaned the pan, now I have every gear except overdrive. Any inputs?
  • Snuff1978Snuff1978 Member Posts: 3
    I just overhauled a 518 46 RH tranny,installed basic kit,and shift kit in valve body,also replaced the overrun drum sprag.I have reverse and no forward gears,anyone know what's up with this,thanks
  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,742
    The forward clutch isn't applying. There are several common reasons for that ranging from missing/damaged seals on the input shaft to incorrectly installed or damaged piston seals, and even occasions where the piston is installed backwards.

    Did you air check this before you installed the valve body and confirm that each clutch was operating correctly?
  • Snuff1978Snuff1978 Member Posts: 3
    I did not not air check,what would happen if the sprag was installed backwards?
  • jamjonjamjon Member Posts: 6
    I have a 96 ram 318 2wd single cab with 150,000 miles. The truck was bought used 3 years ago, and I am not sure if tranny has been serviced since.It started the overdrive off yesterday.
    I put 1/2 quart of ATF-4 as it appeared slightly low. We took it for a drive and all was fine for about 10 minutes, then the overdive off came on. Limped it to AutoZone where it showed no codes. Limped it home stopping every 200 feet to turn key off and starting engine again so truck would move. All gears are disengaged before restarting.
    After reading here, I suspect check valve in line, ans solenoid and sensor. Hopefully)
    Advice?
    Sincerely, Jamjon
  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,742
    Snuff1978 said:

    I did not not air check,what would happen if the sprag was installed backwards?

    The sprag should freeweel in reverse, if you installed it backwards, it would lock up and you would not be able to go backwards.

  • thecardoc3thecardoc3 Member Posts: 5,742
    jamjon said:

    I have a 96 ram 318 2wd single cab with 150,000 miles. The truck was bought used 3 years ago, and I am not sure if tranny has been serviced since.It started the overdrive off yesterday.
    I put 1/2 quart of ATF-4 as it appeared slightly low. We took it for a drive and all was fine for about 10

    Start by pulling codes, list them here.

  • Snuff1978Snuff1978 Member Posts: 3
    Ok thanks cardoc3  I appreciate your response  I will be disassembling  this unit 
Sign In or Register to comment.