Unable to select alternate gear while using ERS

[HighDesertRam]

This past week I towed my 10,000 pound travel trailer up the mountain from 5300 feet where I live to 10,000 feet. My Ram is a 2500 Diesel 4X4 equipped with the tow package and the 6 speed transmission. Going up the hill was great, and on a previous trip, coming down the hill was fine, too. On this trip down, I had the console set to "tow/haul mode," the air brake was set to automatic and prior to coming down the hill I set the ERS (electronic range selector) to no higher than 4th gear, since the speed limit is 45 most of the way down the hill. About halfway down the mountain there is an "S" turn where the speed limit drops to 25 mph, so I shifted the system down to gear 2. After I went through the turn, I attempted to shift back to gear 4 as the top gear and the ERS would not respond. I finally got to a spot where I could shift over to the normal "Drive" mode and continued down the hill without a problem.

I am one of those people who read the manual cover to cover when I got the truck, and have checked it again to see if I did something wrong. I can't find anything that indicates I should not have done what I did. The truck ran normally following this incident.

Has anyone else experienced this type of issue or have a solution? I attribute this to a software issue, but perhaps its something else. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[JayLeonard]

I have a 2021 2500 4x4 diesel also with the 6 speed (68rfe) and have not had any issues like you describe. Been towing up and down the mountains in CO and WY the past few weeks and the truck has performed flawlessly so far.

 

[HighDesertRam]

I have a 2021 2500 4x4 diesel also with the 6 speed (68rfe) and have not had any issues like you describe. Been towing up and down the mountains in CO and WY the past few weeks and the truck has performed flawlessly so far.

I am hoping this is a one time thing....

 

[06 Dodge]

Did you have Alf OBD or other type reader to there is a code?

 

[HighDesertRam]

Did you have Alf OBD or other type reader to there is a code?

No, I don't own one of those.

 

[John Jensen]

Can you duplicate the problem? If so, you may have a problem. If not, it was probably a glitch. Seems like we experience a host of glitches in today's trucks vs the trucks of the past. Too many sensors and electrical components.

 

[HighDesertRam]

Can you duplicate the problem? If so, you may have a problem. If not, it was probably a glitch. Seems like we experience a host of glitches in today's trucks vs the trucks of the past. Too many sensors and electrical components.

I will have to try it on the next trip down the mountain. I agree, I suspect it's one of those "random lines of code."

 

[Billydean]

2018 3500 with 68RFE. My range select worked fine until this last trip pulling my 15000# 5th wheel. It won’t turn on now at all. No codes on the reader.
????????????????

 

[HighDesertRam]

2018 3500 with 68RFE. My range select worked fine until this last trip pulling my 15000# 5th wheel. It won’t turn on now at all. No codes on the reader.
????????????????

That's not good news.

 

[Billydean]

Follow up. Dealer said codes indicated a continuity problem. Went home and checked the wiring. There was a harness retainer that had been pulled WAY too tight so there was no room for slipping when steering wheel was adjusted. The wire was actually stress-hardened so that when I touched it ,it broke all the way.
added about 3” of wire and made sure there was room to let it move - works again!

 

[HighDesertRam]

Follow up. Dealer said codes indicated a continuity problem. Went home and checked the wiring. There was a harness retainer that had been pulled WAY too tight so there was no room for slipping when steering wheel was adjusted. The wire was actually stress-hardened so that when I touched it ,it broke all the way.
added about 3” of wire and made sure there was room to let it move - works again!

Glad you solved the problem and it worked out for you!

 

[RAM2500LGT]

This past week I towed my 10,000 pound travel trailer up the mountain from 5300 feet where I live to 10,000 feet. My Ram is a 2500 Diesel 4X4 equipped with the tow package and the 6 speed transmission. Going up the hill was great, and on a previous trip, coming down the hill was fine, too. On this trip down, I had the console set to "tow/haul mode," the air brake was set to automatic and prior to coming down the hill I set the ERS (electronic range selector) to no higher than 4th gear, since the speed limit is 45 most of the way down the hill. About halfway down the mountain there is an "S" turn where the speed limit drops to 25 mph, so I shifted the system down to gear 2. After I went through the turn, I attempted to shift back to gear 4 as the top gear and the ERS would not respond. I finally got to a spot where I could shift over to the normal "Drive" mode and continued down the hill without a problem.

I am one of those people who read the manual cover to cover when I got the truck, and have checked it again to see if I did something wrong. I can't find anything that indicates I should not have done what I did. The truck ran normally following this incident.

Has anyone else experienced this type of issue or have a solution? I attribute this to a software issue, but perhaps its something else. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

I have experienced almost the exact thing. See my post.

 

[HighDesertRam]

I have experienced almost the exact thing. See my post.

I just came down from the mountain this past Saturday. I towed with the ERS set to gear 3 and the air brake set to full. I did not have to shift gears at all and barely had to touch the brakes. Whether the issue still exists, I don't know.