Dodge 2500 tranny issues

[dognvenus]

I have a 02' Dodge 2500 2x4 Cummins....this weekend my wife and I were out doing our errends and the tranny started acting goofy. At 55-65mph it would try to downshift and would jump back and forth between OD and drive. If I took it out of OD it would stay in gear and not jump around.
Fluid level is full....doesn't smell burnt and doesn't look nasty.

I have done some research and have read about RF interference from the alternator or wires coming from it, bad grounds on batteries... interfering with the tourqe convertor lock-up switch. I quess, from what I have read that is a problem in 99-05 Dodge trucks.

Has anyone else had this problem? What was your fix?

Dog

 

[fusionfool]

I do not have experience with the Dodge Ram, however just a suggestion. When is the last time you had the trans fluid flushed, and new filter? This would be the first step, and the cheapest if it has been longer than 50,000 miles.
Now below is what I found from the files on just such a topic. Was a bit older vehicle, butthought worth sharing.
Actual service notes:
DODGE 2500 1998 Safety Review #705214DODGE 2500 1998 car safety problem was reported on Mar 28, 1999.DODGE 2500 1998, manufactured by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION had a problem with vehicle speed control AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION JUMPS IN AND OUT OF OVERDRIVE, THE SPEED CONTROL DOES NOT FUCTION PROPERLY AS WELL. WHEN THE TRUCK HAD 2,987 MILES ON IT THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION DESTORTED BY ITSELF, A NEW ONE WAS INSTALLED AND 2 RECALLS PERFORMED (788 AND 799). EVER SINCE THAT TIME THE TRUCK HAS BEEN TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER TWICE FOR REPAIRS AND TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIRS. AS OF LAST WEEK CHRYSLER MOTOR CORP. BELIEVES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER THAT IS CAUSING BOTH PROBLEMS, BUT WILL NOT GIVE ME A TIME FRAME WHEN THE PROGRAM FIX WILL BE AVAILABLE. IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO DRIVE THE TRUCK BECAUSE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND IF THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD DESTORY ITSELF AGAIN THE CORP. WILL REPLACE IT. I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK TO PULL A HORSE TRAILER AND I CANNOT USE IT FOR THE PURPOSE IN WHICH WAS INTENDED FOR. *AK.0 person(s) were injured. 0 person(s) died.Vehicle Identification Number (VIN):1B7KC2365WJ. DODGE 2500 1998 problem was reported in SPOTSYLVANIA, VA. Original Owner. Vehicle was purchased on 19981101. Vehicle was using ANTI-LOCK BRAKES.Vehicle was using Cruise Control.DODGE 2500 1998 drive type:RWD. FUEL SYSTEM:N/A. FUEL TYPE: DIESEL. DODGE 2500 1998 TRANSMISSION TYPE: AUTO. VEHICLE SPEED: 55 mph.

 

[srt20]

It could be a couple things. But here is a freebie. Unhook the ground cables of off the batteries. Let sit for at least 30 mins, all day if you can. Hook em back up and go for a drive. Make sure you drive normal to even hard. The ecu will relearn your driving style. The harder you drive, the less shifting the ecu will have the trans do under normal driving. I learned this trick when I had my last truck. Worked great.

Also make sure the battery terminals are good and clean. This could affect it to. The other option involves opening up the trans. I cannot recall how extensive the fix was because I never had to do it to mine. Unhooking the batteries always worked for me.

p.s. this works for all 47re and 48re dodge trannys.

 

[racerx]

VERY typical problem the problem is definitely RF noise in the system and pretty well documented. I know this is annoying, had it happen on a trip up north and freaked the crap out of me. Typically it would happen after I stop for a break and when back on the highway it would act up.

I have done the following:
1.added the RF filter, beleive it was the one from BD Power
2. wrap up the line with aluminum foil from the alternator to the pass.side bat.
3.ditched the old bats 2 years ago as they were from 2000 and people have said that helps.
4.routine cleaning of the bat grounds

Mine is a 01.5' bought in 2000 and with the changes above I have pretty much eliminated the issue for the first 2 years it was gone but I can feel it come back now and again but definitely not like it was, it is now more like a very quick and hardly noticeable to anyone but me.

My next step was going to remove the charging line from the harness but luckily have not had to do that yet...{knock on wood}

Learn a lot about my truck as a TDR member as long as I have owned my truck.