Question for V6 8-speed owners

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

homeyclaus

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Posts
10
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
just shopping
Engine
perhaps
So we're looking at ordering a Hemi with the 8 speed and a bench seat. The concern is that if we theoretically have our three year old with the child seat in the middle position and he works the dials and switches his feet, he could work the transmission knob.

So my question: When the vehicle is in motion, is the knob function locked out? Is there a setting to do so in the EVIC?

Also, what do you think of the manual gear selector on the steering wheel? I know some in the press didn't like it, but what's it like to live with?

(Note: this a "just in case we have to" question, and not something we'd be doing all the time.)
 

Trupiano

Registered User
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Posts
10,981
Reaction score
725
Location
Hometown : Puyallup,WA Stationed : Little Rock,
Ram Year
2010 Ram 2500 6.7L CTD Crew Cab
Engine
6.7L CTD
Is there a possibility of getting a crew cab, or even a quad cab? As this would completely solve your problem. Not sure about the original question as I don't own one. Just throwing that out there.
 
OP
OP
H

homeyclaus

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Posts
10
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
just shopping
Engine
perhaps
Is there a possibility of getting a crew cab, or even a quad cab? As this would completely solve your problem. Not sure about the original question as I don't own one. Just throwing that out there.

We're getting a crew cab. But we need seating for 6, and putting the kids in the middle front and rear, while least safe, is most comfortable, and legal in most states.
 

Black Cloud

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Posts
215
Reaction score
17
Location
Oxford, PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Just my opinion - if you care at all about your kids, put them in the back. It is not only the safest, you can't shut off the front airbags and that is just dangerous.
 

hunter99

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Posts
284
Reaction score
35
Ram Year
2018
Engine
5.7
I have to agree. To be honest, if you need seating for six then a truck is probably not teh best choice. For the price you could get a nice Durango. Not trying to put you off but it's not worth using safety as a compromise.
 
OP
OP
H

homeyclaus

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Posts
10
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
just shopping
Engine
perhaps
Just my opinion - if you care at all about your kids, put them in the back. It is not only the safest, you can't shut off the front airbags and that is just dangerous.

It's your opinion.

You're aware that most vehicles have occupant classifying airbags that shut off automatically when there isn't an adult in the front seat, and have had them for years? Google it.

Besides, there aren't any airbags for the front center position.

Anyways, thanks for your (lack of) help.
 

endorphine44

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2013
Posts
5
Reaction score
1
Location
Conway, AR
Ram Year
2009
Engine
5.4L
Since it's electronically controlled and these newer vehicles are hell bent on protecting themselves from the driver with all of the power and traction control systems, I could only assume that the transmission has the same type of protections built in with the shift knob. I can't imagine that the electronic systems would force the truck out of a forward drive gear while it's moving down the road...worst I could see is it forcing a downshift.
 
OP
OP
H

homeyclaus

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Posts
10
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
just shopping
Engine
perhaps
Since it's electronically controlled and these newer vehicles are hell bent on protecting themselves from the driver with all of the power and traction control systems, I could only assume that the transmission has the same type of protections built in with the shift knob. I can't imagine that the electronic systems would force the truck out of a forward drive gear while it's moving down the road...worst I could see is it forcing a downshift.

That is my hope. Shift to neutral while in motion is sometimes necessary though (say on snow/ice), and that happening by accident could also have an undesirable outcome. Of course, column shifters aren't necessarily better in this regard, and I am sure kids, dogs and flying sandwiches have knocked those into neutral too.
 

2serious

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Posts
189
Reaction score
13
Location
long island
Ram Year
2012
Engine
5.7
I would tend to think there has to be a safety of some sort so that while driving if you did hit the knob it wouldn't go into park.
 

Chewy

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2012
Posts
2,366
Reaction score
455
Location
Bettendorf IA
Ram Year
2013
Engine
V8
I would suggest you call RAM and ask. I've called them and they are MORE than happy to answer your questions. Don't email them. It takes them a couple of days to respond.
 

endorphine44

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2013
Posts
5
Reaction score
1
Location
Conway, AR
Ram Year
2009
Engine
5.4L
That is my hope. Shift to neutral while in motion is sometimes necessary though (say on snow/ice), and that happening by accident could also have an undesirable outcome. Of course, column shifters aren't necessarily better in this regard, and I am sure kids, dogs and flying sandwiches have knocked those into neutral too.

I've bumped my column shifter a time or two while driving my 2009 F150 and it's never allowed it to shift anywhere that would damage the engine or transmission.
 

Stangshcky12

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Posts
9,047
Reaction score
941
Location
Oshkosh, WI
Ram Year
2007
Engine
5.9 Cummins
We're getting a crew cab. But we need seating for 6, and putting the kids in the middle front and rear, while least safe, is most comfortable, and legal in most states.

I personally would sacrifice my comfort for a child's safety.
 

smiley

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2011
Posts
6,622
Reaction score
2,955
Location
Minot, ND
Ram Year
2014 Ram 2500 Crew
Engine
6.7L Cummins
Just test drive one and tell him your doing it and won't buy unless safe.


$miley
 
OP
OP
H

homeyclaus

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Posts
10
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
just shopping
Engine
perhaps
I personally would sacrifice my comfort for a child's safety.

You make it sound like we're keeping the kids in the front seat the whole time, which is quite the assumption to make. Given the crash ratings it would take a Ram truck off the list to consider.

NHTSA has given the 2013 Ram crew cab warning flags, see 2011 & Newer - Search Results | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

The ratings flag on the Rams is:
Safety Concern : These are safety issues that occur during NCAP tests and that are not reflected in the measurements used to calculate star ratings. Safety concerns are placed in the appropriate rating category positioned as a superscript to the right of the right-most star in the rating category. Examples of a safety concern may include (but are not limited to) structural failure or non-intended performance of vehicle components. They can include such things as fuel leakages and door openings.

But thanks for your help.
 

Black Cloud

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Posts
215
Reaction score
17
Location
Oxford, PA
Ram Year
2012
Engine
Hemi 5.7
It's your opinion.

You're aware that most vehicles have occupant classifying airbags that shut off automatically when there isn't an adult in the front seat, and have had them for years? Google it.

Besides, there aren't any airbags for the front center position.

Anyways, thanks for your (lack of) help.

For your information - I was involved in a crash with my first 2012 Ram back in August. A woman ran a red light in front of me and I t-boned her drivers door. There was no one in the truck with me and both airbags went off. Although it saved me, I'd hate to see what would have happened to my son if his seat was in the front and he was in it with that passenger airbag going off. :badidea:
 

garner

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2010
Posts
3,979
Reaction score
85
Location
Harker Heights, TX
Ram Year
2012
Engine
Hemi 5.7
You make it sound like we're keeping the kids in the front seat the whole time, which is quite the assumption to make. Given the crash ratings it would take a Ram truck off the list to consider.

NHTSA has given the 2013 Ram crew cab warning flags, see 2011 & Newer - Search Results | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

The ratings flag on the Rams is:


But thanks for your help.

The ram has a flag for a pole test because the door panel hit the driver
 
OP
OP
H

homeyclaus

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Posts
10
Reaction score
0
Ram Year
just shopping
Engine
perhaps
For your information - I was involved in a crash with my first 2012 Ram back in August. A woman ran a red light in front of me and I t-boned her drivers door. There was no one in the truck with me and both airbags went off. Although it saved me, I'd hate to see what would have happened to my son if his seat was in the front and he was in it with that passenger airbag going off. :badidea:

So no occupant classification sensor? You're right, that's bad.

Well folks, this has been enlightening, thanks for clarifying all that. Looks like I'll get that Tundra.
 
Top