Automatic Transmission Questions

Hi. First post. I just bought a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 (Magnum Series); 5.9l, 2WD, 8cyl. After 2 months the transmission went out. I bought a used tranny and had a shop install it. When I picked it up (10-3-14) the mechanic pointed out the shifter is one notch off (ie. in R position its in Park, in N pos its in Reverse, etc). In addition it no longer has D1 nor D2 (putting the shift in D-D2 pos results in Drive only, no power gears). The mech said it was something in the steering column causing the shift display to be off and had no explanation to why there were no power gears.

To make matters worse, the ignition switch no longer reverts to the Off position; the key can be removed but the switch stays On, warning alarm for key being in ignition comes On etc. I admit the ignition switch was old and the switch would sometimes not turn over before the tranny was replaced. He blamed something in the column again.

So, Q1-Is the mech correct there is something wrong in the column and not a misalignment he caused when he installed the replacement tranny causing the shifter to be misaligned?

Q2-Why doesn't the truck have D1-D2 gears? Do some transmissions not have these or am I missing something?

Q3-Is the most likely problem to the ignition the ignition switch or solenoid? Or could he have damaged something during the tranny installation? (I ask the latter because he took a panel off under the steering column while installing the replacement tranny.)

Thanks for any help!

Sounds to me like the person doing the work forgot to disconnect the shift linkage to the tranny and bent/broke it all to ****.

Take it back to the shop and MAKE them fix it on their dime not yours.

100% of all your problems is shift linkage related from the tech's mistake.

Agree with Merc, take it back to them. It wasn't like that when you brought it to them and shouldn't have been like that when you left... Shift linkage levers might be bent. Or they didn't hook it back up right.