Is it safe to disable MDS on a regular basis?

[GMcD]

Recently joined the ram family and traded my 2014 Silverado for a 2016 ram 1500 with 17k and some change. I have the hemi and immediately noticed that i do not like the feel of the MDS. My Chevy had this and i hated it as well. Luckily, its easy to disable via the manual shifter on the wheel but im wondering what are the long term effects of this, if any? Im really hoping there isn’t because I pretty much disable it as soon as i get into the truck.

 

[Firebird]

No issue doing that

 

[huntergreen]

No long term effects far as I know.

 

[MADDOG]

None that I know of. I ran my 2014 with it off all the time.

 

[Fitz-0518]

None that has been reported or we know of. I believe, disabling the MDS extends the life of the engine.

 

[ExpressRules]

Install a catch can to stay on the safe side.

 

[Banjo]

I own a 2017 Longhorn Hemi and have never felt or noticed the MDS cutting in or out. That being said how do you disable it via the manual shifter on the steering wheel?

 

[Bird]

I own a 2017 Longhorn Hemi and have never felt or noticed the MDS cutting in or out. That being said how do you disable it via the manual shifter on the steering wheel?

When you shift the truck manually, or when you enable the tow/haul mode it disables MDS.

 

[Banjo]

When you shift the truck manually, or when you enable the tow/haul mode it disables MDS.

Well I like to hit the downshift button and then immediately sequence the upshift button to 8 so I can then see what gear I an in. The transmission seems to normally upshift and downshift but I can see what gear I am in by the number on the dash indicator. By doing this have I disabled the MDS?

 

[Bird]

Well I like to hit the downshift button and then immediately sequence the upshift button to 8 so I can then see what gear I an in. The transmission seems to normally upshift and downshift but I can see what gear I am in by the number on the dash indicator. By doing this have I disabled the MDS?

Yes

 

[1500canoe]

I will agree that depending on how you drive, you can theoretically not tell much of a difference between MDS on or off. In reality for me, it's when I'm driving most economically (slower accelerations, less braking) that I notice MDS kicking on or off and being a pig. Try a slow acceleration out of 2nd or 3rd and see how long the engine lugs along until MDS shuts off and it stops feeling like driving through tar.

If there was a way to disable MDS permanently below 40mph I'd love it.

 

[ram1500rsm]

I don’t even remember what MDS was, mine runs in 8 cyl all the time as I just toggled the switch to off in the tune long time ago, no issues at all because of it.

 

[tantore]

get yourself a diablo tuner or bully dog you can permanetly disable the mds i turn mine off 3 years ago no problems at all

 

[8675309]

Those of you with MDS permanently turned off, does your truck still say 'eco on' or however your specific truck shows that?

 

[Burla]

I've driven in tow haul mode every day since 2011, truck has never ran better.

 

[ram1500rsm]

Those of you with MDS permanently turned off, does your truck still say 'eco on' or however your specific truck shows that?

Yes.

 

[tsielski]

For what it's worth, I religiously turn the MDS off every time I get in the truck using the toggles. Have been doing that for just about all of the 28K miles on the truck so far. No issues, and no "ECO" light. The very few times I've forgotten to turn the MDS off, I'm quickly reminded that I didn't as the "ECO" light will come on the very first time I let off the throttle. During easy throttle cruising on the back roads around here, when I have forgotten to turn the MDS off and for some reason haven't noticed that "ECO" light, I can certainly feel the sluggish response as the throttle is slowly depressed until the MDS kicks off and the engine is back running on 8 cylinders. On my untuned truck it sure seems that functioning MDS and that "ECO" light are related. From the posts above it appears that on tuned trucks, whatever linkage exists between those two (Eco light and MDS) is severed.

I know the illumination of the "ECO" light can be disabled via the EVIC settings, but I leave mine enabled to serve as a reminder whenever I may forget to turn the MDS off before heading out.

 

[Ramm5.7]

Same here! The minute it goes into drive the manual shifter gets manipulated to 8 to NEVER feel/hear mds. I have been doing this for over a year and 30k miles with NO issues so far. I added a catch can so gained at least 5 hp too...lmao just kidding on hp.
I also try to remember to hit tow haul and leave it engaged when I drive

 

[HammerHead]

I don't use MDS, when it kicks in on my 6.4 it seems to bog down to much, much more than my 5.7. I just put it in manual mode and forget about it. Between the two trucks I got 75-80k miles and never an issue.
Forum member H395 proved MDS is a hoax, monitored fuel when MDS kicked in. 4 cylinders shut off and the other 4 cylinders that keep running receive Double the fuel per the onboard computer programming. So the fuel doubles in the 4 active cylinders saving you no gas to speak of, twice the fuel means twice the combustion pressure in those cylinders. And more stress on those active internal engine components. MDS is a hoax imo.

 

[RLJ10X]

I think it's the other way around; I think it's "unhealthy" (so to speak) to have a V8 running on 4 cylinders. That whole idea, just never sounded right to me.

For me to try and squeeze an extra mpg or 2 out of my truck is an excersize in futility. That MPG-O -Meter is as big of a joke as the Eco Light, calling a glorified 4 speed a six speed, grill shutters, MDS, and 3.21 gears. I love my truck, but can we cut the BS?