2017 RAM 1500 Shifted Out of Park. This is my story.

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Demon-HeMi

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i personally dislike the knob on the dash, I agree with some that it should be a different shape than the other knobs on the dash....

I personally have shut my truck off a few times without switching it to park (never left the truck without it being in park), but my other daily driver is a manual and has been for years, other than my 4th gens ive always had a mechanical lever, but my manual truck i drive 80% of the time and in that thing there is no park to put it in so to speak, so occasionally out of reflex i shut the key off before i turn the dial in the 4th gen, but ill add that i instantly realize what ive done...

thanks to a forum member here he made me a 3d printed knob that really gives you back that feeling of a shift lever of sort, it aint much but makes a big difference...

3376a2d555eef68edb9c39afcec59bae.jpg
 

clay282

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If you read the original post I mentioned what happened in detail. Dealer nor FCA has said anything about the diagnostics. From what I was told due to the nature of the incident the dealer was not allowed to touch the truck. Still haven’t seen any results from both diagnostics. Thank you

I think the terminology is different. Diagnostics would be used to find a problem. The data recorder is like the black box in a jet and that wouldn't be diagnosing anything... just pulling a record of the events. It can tell how long it ran, how much throttle you gave it to move it, braking, did it come to a stop and the gear was changed to park or reverse or not at all, it'll record it all.

Now, this part is a hunch... A lot of our trucks have a data connection running, even if your not paying for the hot spot. In the deep depths of the fine print, the truck IS reporting information back. The actual information it's sending is unknown. I can't find it listed anywhere but I have always been aware it's sending info. From the 1st day I activated that trial for that assist service thingy, I knew it was reporting back to the mother ship. Even the mobile app runs diagnostics no matter where the truck is and we all agreed to it when we activated it. This is common practice and Verizon, AT&T and others have all caught flack for collecting information we weren't aware of but agreed to in the fine print.

With that said... the truck was technically IN an accident and not an incident, it ran into the garage. They probably aren't touching it because it's an insurance issue. I think you have 2 things happening at the same time 1 - trying to get a buy back 2- insurance claim. Your insurance company would also apply pressure when you file the claim. Your home owners or renters will want the auto insurance to pay and the auto insurance won't want to pay if you've told them the truck was defective. Regardless, folks will be hunting and answer once you file everything.
 

smiley

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^^^ This is the FIRST thing I do when parking. I will never understand people not using it.

It freezes on up here so we don’t use them. The cables fail and won’t release or ice and snow will freeze in and mess up. I don’t know anyone who uses them except hills or at boat launch here.
 

Demon-HeMi

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It freezes on up here so we don’t use them. The cables fail and won’t release or ice and snow will freeze in and mess up. I don’t know anyone who uses them except hills or at boat launch here.

Im down in texas and i had my e-brake fail 3 times this year
 

smiley

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Im down in texas and i had my e-brake fail 3 times this year

What part do you end up having to replace? The rear cables? Mine ended up catching and staying on enough to wear down the shoes. I doubt I’ll replace.
 

anthony2558

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I don’t get how there can be so many people who say they have forgotten to put it in Park when getting out of their vehicles. Regardless of what type of shifter is in a truck you always need to do something to put it in Park, whether it be move a column shifter, or console shifter, or dial shifter. There is always something that needs to be done. How people just all of a sudden forget they need to do something to put it in Park with the dial shifter is beyond me.
For me it's not forgetting to put it in park. It's the fact that after reverse "R" on a column shifter you use the upward motion to put the vehicle into park "P". Or with a console shifter you go forward to put it into park P". Where as here with the knob, an upward motion, a forward motion, or flick of the wrist and your putting it back in drive "D".

Column shifter "up" = Park
Column shifter "Down" = Drive
Radio dial "up" = volume up
Radio dial "Down" = volume down



Rotary dial "up" = Drive in the Ram. When it should = Park.

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hoe...

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I have never noticed a delay long enough to cause an issue like this.

And almost all auto transmissions now even with a column or console shifter are still electronic, very few have a mechanical connection like the old ones.
All Chrysler transmissions still use a cable and 'rooster tail' detent system...
100% mechanical, if not the traditional linkage setup.
Modern transmissions like the zf autos are indeed electronic.

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Demon-HeMi

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What part do you end up having to replace? The rear cables? Mine ended up catching and staying on enough to wear down the shoes. I doubt I’ll replace.


my truck that it went on is manual so i use it when i park and its required here to work for inspections, i had the rear cable snap, and then the actual brake lock up engaged twice
 

Pttrader

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I had one of the first Ram 1500's with the rotary dial. I miss how it drove like a sports car and rode like a Caddy. I personally on two different occasions had caught myself turning the wrong knob, being in a hurry. Once I quickly stopped on my drive (Which immediately goes uphill) to get my mail and when I got in the truck I noticed it was already in drive!! The other time I was backing the camper into a tight spot and had to move it over a little, so I was going from reverse to forward a few times and when I hit the gas to backup the truck moved forward!! Both times I had grabbed the wrong dial (4WD Dial).
I believe Chrysler should do a recall and change the shape of the rotary dial (Previously mentioned) to avoid someone from grabbing the wrong dial like me!
Now, I have the 2500 with the column shifter. It definitely has the issue where you can shift it from park to reverse, or drive without 1st putting your foot on the brake. I am older, so it is no different than driving an older classic car (For example!). I'm going in for service today, hopefully they can update the computer then. I am not so worried about it.
 

BTD07

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Column shifter "up" = Park
Column shifter "Down" = Drive
Radio dial "up" = volume up
Radio dial "Down" = volume down



Rotary dial "up" = Drive in the Ram. When it should = Park.

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I think of it being more a clockwise/counter clockwise motion. Shifter going 'up' is counter clockwise putting it in park. The dial works the same way. Turn it counter clockwise and it goes into park. Same for drive. Pull 'down' clockwise, turn dial clockwise.
 

bigred90gt

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I think of it being more a clockwise/counter clockwise motion. Shifter going 'up' is counter clockwise putting it in park. The dial works the same way. Turn it counter clockwise and it goes into park. Same for drive. Pull 'down' clockwise, turn dial clockwise.

I just look at it as the gear indicator shows “P R N D” left to right. Rotate it right (clockwise) to move to the right (or to drive), rotate it left (counterclockwise) to move to the left (to park). It ain’t rocket science.

Truth is, we’re driving massive vehicles that can cause a lot of damage if we’re not paying attention. Just pay attention to what you are doing. Nothing needs to change in the design or the function, you can’t blame others for you own lack of attention to detail. The truck functioned a certain way when you bought it, and you still bought it. Quit looking for a way to blame others, act responsibly and pay attention to what you are doing. If you’re turning the radio volume up or the AC fan up, you aren’t paying attention, plain and simple.


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Black W900

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I just look at it as the gear indicator shows “P R N D” left to right. Rotate it right (clockwise) to move to the right (or to drive), rotate it left (counterclockwise) to move to the left (to park). It ain’t rocket science.

Truth is, we’re driving massive vehicles that can cause a lot of damage if we’re not paying attention. Just pay attention to what you are doing. Nothing needs to change in the design or the function, you can’t blame others for you own lack of attention to detail. The truck functioned a certain way when you bought it, and you still bought it. Quit looking for a way to blame others, act responsibly and pay attention to what you are doing. If you’re turning the radio volume up or the AC fam up, you aren’t paying attention, plain and simple.


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BAM!!!
There it is.
 

clay282

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Truth is, we’re driving massive vehicles that can cause a lot of damage if we’re not paying attention. Just pay attention to what you are doing. Nothing needs to change in the design or the function, you can’t blame others for you own lack of attention to detail. The truck functioned a certain way when you bought it, and you still bought it. Quit looking for a way to blame others, act responsibly and pay attention to what you are doing. If you’re turning the radio volume up or the AC fan up, you aren’t paying attention, plain and simple.

BIGRED90GT FOR PRESIDENT! The world seems filled with people who can't take responsibility for anything anymore.
 

patchelect

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This thread is getting off track, but to add to that departure~

I agree that I was put off the rotary dial at first but now I find myself actually THINKING about my actions when I am changing gears. Not such a bad thing I don't think. And even after about 9 months and 8K miles I occasionally find myself in the wrong gear, although I have come to realize that it's generally when I have something else on my mind, like trying to back into a spot that has snow all around it and wanting to fit between the previous tracks! (Yesterday!!)
 

pmaru77

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After reading all this crap about the new technology, I'm keeping my Ram 2012 for at least another 5 or 10 years. Yes it has some recalls, but I know how to drive it. I hate auto trannys except in these larger vehicles. Love shifting my Wrangler.
 

SitKneelBend

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Look into the case that occurred with Jeeps utilizing the same transmission/shifter. A highly publicized case was the actor who played Chekhov in the Star Trek reboot dying after his jeep pinned him to a fence. Sad stuff...possibly a known issue.

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