New to RAM, 8 Speed Auto Seems to Engine Brake a Lot. Normal?

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MyRAMatDunkinDonuts

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Hi,

First time Ram owner, but not really new to trucks. My subdivision has a lot of hills and valleys. It SEEMS like when going slow and on a downhill slope, it doesn't really want to upshift. RPM's go to like low 3's doing around 20-25mph. It seems "sticky" but my gut tells me it's just the way Ram is. Is that pretty much right?

I've tried using the "gear up" button, but it doesn't seem to work, although "gear down" seems to work, and then you can, I think, gear up (have to read the manual more on that function)...

It's a 2015 Laramie with the 5.7 and 8 speed trans.

Thanks!

Edit: if I go a bit faster down the slopes it will upshift, but I don't want to be doing 35-40 in a 25mph neighborhood with a fair amount of kids around.
 

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GsRAM

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Consider that a blessing. The 15 Silverado i just traded in couldn't wait to get into the highest gear possible. Then I'd be doing 30mph in like 5th our 4th gear, lugging the engine at like 1000 rpm and I'd get a driveline vibration.

Not good at all. I hated how that truck shifted
 

crash68

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I've tried using the "gear up" button, but it doesn't seem to work, although "gear down" seems to work, and then you can, I think, gear up (have to read the manual more on that function)...

The gear up and down buttons are for limiting the highest gear your truck will shift into. The gear up button will not force an up shift beyond what the trans controller seems is the correct gear for the truck to be in.
 

SyN

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It's kind of a neat thing if you think about it. But I'm not one that drives 75 & waits till at least 10 feet from the stop sign or stop light and slams on the brakes. (like most females)

Most of the time I let the transmission slow me down. Saves a lot of brake life.

But most of my driving is highway and interstate not a whole lot of city / stop and go driving.
 

JIMBOX

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:) 18 Wheelers have been using ENGINE BRAKING for a thousand years, however they didn't have a computer controlled fuel supply-

"Engine braking" is to your benefit--no gas is used and it saves your brakes--it works great in CRUISE CONTROL TO--

It helps maintain the CRUISE CONTROL SPEED that you set--

It improves gas mileage and saves brakes--leave that 8-spd alone it's a trooper !

Whatever

:crazy: JIMBO
 

sammon287

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It's normal. I have managed to never own a primary vehicle with an auto trans until I bought my '16 Outdoorsman. Almost all the reviews of this ZF 8sp in the many vehicles it's used in are positive. Aside from a slightly rough 1-2 shift at low speed, I have been nothing but impressed with this trans. The engine braking you mention, especially with my 3.92 gears, reminds me of a manual trans since I like to go easy on the brakes. I came close to buying a lower spec CRD 2500 just to get the manual, even though I rarely tow anything beside a small yard trailer. I'm glad I didn't do that. My 79 Fiesta, 84 E150 van, 91 Wrangler, 98 Tacoma, 00 Dakota, 06 Xterra, and 07 Mustang were all manuals. Luckily, I still have the Jeep and the Mustang.
 

Sir John

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It's kind of a neat thing if you think about it. But I'm not one that drives 75 & waits till at least 10 feet from the stop sign or stop light and slams on the brakes. (like most females)

yeah, this is how my wife drives....aggravates the **** out of me! And she doesn't understand why my 5k lb V8 truck gets better mpg than her lighter V6 minivan.


--She's driving the minivan and I'm the passenger...

Me: "you know there's stop sign coming up right there, right?" (as she's still doing 65 mph with less than a 100 feet to go)

Her: "yeah, what's your point?" (as the seat belts lock up) :argue:
 

freefallin

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After owning a god-awful 68rfe - equipped vehicle, I love the ZF.
The grade-downshifting is what I am mostly impressed with, although the snappy and crisp heavy footed upshifts are nice also.

IMO it's the Allison of the 1/2 ton segment.
 

Dubstep Shep

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The gear up and down buttons are for limiting the highest gear your truck will shift into. The gear up button will not force an up shift beyond what the trans controller seems is the correct gear for the truck to be in.

Not technically true.

There's a "gray area" where hitting the button will actually cause the truck to upshift whereas otherwise it would just sit in 7th. I've had it happen several times when towing up a low incline after a medium one. The truck won't upshift on its own until it's more or less on a flat surface, but if I hit the button it will go to 8th and just lug the motor.
 

crash68

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Not technically true.

There's a "gray area" where hitting the button will actually cause the truck to upshift whereas otherwise it would just sit in 7th. I've had it happen several times when towing up a low incline after a medium one. The truck won't upshift on its own until it's more or less on a flat surface, but if I hit the button it will go to 8th and just lug the motor.
Either one of two things is happening, the TCM is allowing your transmission to upshift to 8 gear when you tap the Gear + button based on rpm and torque demand or there is something wrong with your transmission.

In case I explained it wrong:
(due note I didn't mention to engine over speed will force an upshift past the selected highest gear)
b356c5480167d17c9746b5f79852db5c.png
 

Dubstep Shep

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Either one of two things is happening, the TCM is allowing your transmission to upshift to 8 gear when you tap the Gear + button based on rpm and torque demand or there is something wrong with your transmission.

In case I explained it wrong:
(due note I didn't mention to engine over speed will force an upshift past the selected highest gear)
b356c5480167d17c9746b5f79852db5c.png

I understand, but if you read carefully you'll notice the language in that picture doesn't exclude what I'm talking about.
 

7777xm

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The downshifting sounds great when you have a delete!

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk
 

JIMBOX

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:) I don't know about a DELETE, but

The downshifting sounds great when you have a delete!

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

Mine sounds PRIMO/w the Flowmaster SUPER 10 CATBACK !

:crazy: JIMBO
 
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