- Joined
- Oct 26, 2015
- Posts
- 534
- Reaction score
- 505
- Location
- Larkspur, CO
- Ram Year
- 2016
- Engine
- 6.4L Hemi
Hey All,
This is rather lengthy and I do apologize but I thank those who take the time to give it a read. I have a couple questions at the end, input on one or all or others not asked is most welcome.
Oct 27th, 2018: with 61,600 miles on the clock my trans had dropped into Safety Mode during a 70mph, 6th gear, WOT downshift that occurred simultaneously as the truck experienced a rough road surface; several rather sharp but not too deep surface irregularities with associated vibration. The truck downshifted to 5th gear and did not shift back into 6th the rest of the drive. Soon after, she downed into 4th and stayed there until I got home.
Oct 29th, - I took my truck into the Col Springs dealership service dept for two items; tailgate recall and trans in safety mode. During this 28 mi drop off to the dealership the truck and trans drove fine, no safety mode, no codes, no high temps.
After 1hr inspection, Service Advisor “J” calls to tell me my trans is 'burnt', needs to be replaced and my MaxCare warranty will not cover the repair. Reason being “spin on transmission filter was loose causing the transmission to fail”. He said he'd call me back with a cost.
Six hours later J called me with a $5,700 cost for a new full-assembly w/ torque converter including install. Turn-time 4 days.
Oh yes, it would come with a warranty, he told me.
Transmission History:
In July 2018, after several instances of delayed engagement I did a transmission fluid and filter change (F&F). My first, but I made every effort to be meticulous! I came with a set of instructions (from posts here, and I'd do it again), I looked at everything five times, I wore gloves, all done in an indoor environment.
The F&F helped the trans but I stisssssll encountered delayed engagement, not nearly as high rpm reengagement but it was still happening, still ugly.
July 9th, I wanted the service crew to evaluate the trans and help determine a root cause and solution. The Colorado Spring Dodge service dept could not find anything wrong with the transmission during this July visit. This service visit is well documented, my description of the issue, what I had done in order to address the delayed engagement (F&F), and the fact they did nothing to address the delayed engagement.
Back to Oct 29th, I tried to present this timeline of events to my service advisor but he barely let me speak, told me the dept's mind was made up, the single reason this tranny failed was the spin on filter being too loose.
Ok, I can accept the fact that I did not crank that filter down. I remember putting that filter on and I treated it like I treat my oil filter, 1 full turn after gasket contact, that’s all. In no way was I peeling a canister filter out my gearbox.
But if this filter was the only cause, then there should be a readily available torque spec for this filter so all the techs in the world who do this don't come up short on filter torque, did I miss it?
I don't know what kind of pressure we are talking about inside the trans but I for sure did not over-tighten the spin on filter, with that being said I’ll guarantee it was well seated and just as snug as the one I took off by hand. A well gripped filter, even a grunt but I removed the original by hand.
I only did the F&F because there was a problem. Delayed engagement. The trans seems to be on it’s way to failure well before I did the F&F. Engine rpms we're as high as 1500 to re engage.
They will not acknowledge the problem started before the F&F or their missed prognosis only 5K miles before failure.
I watch trans temp and I log, I have never seen a temp above 190F (only once at 190F) most often 169F to 171F.
I check the trans fluid at least once a week usually more. I checked the trans fluid during the safety mode incident on Oct 27th, I checked the level and I smelled it. Level was perfect with no detectable burnt smell, by me. Yet Service advisor claimed he could smell the burn 10ft away.
I asked for fluid sample and he said it was drained it into the waste container. I asked for the pan, gear assembly, anything with this burnt smell and they never produced anything.
The truck never threw a code during any episode, and only one trans code in 62,000 miles - "5th gear ratio is not correct" approximately 1000mi before failure. Thats it.
They never asked me what happened when it went into safety mode. There was an event, a WOT downshift from sixth gear. they didn’t even want to hear it. I’ve read its been known to cause a problem.
Never a high temp, never a code, no smell and fluid level perfect, and fluid visually perfect.
I believe the facts are documented, the only thing I don’t have is a fluid sample from Oct 27 where I say the fluid did not smell burned.
I have paid them and my truck is back home.
I don’t expect to gain anything by reliving this, I would like any input or experience that others have with something similar with their trans.
Is the dealership correct in their prognosis?
Is this type of prolonged failure possible without high temp indicators, burned fluid and no error codes displayed?
Are the pressures that high in the transmission that a firmly seated filter was not enough to maintain fluid flow?
Is there a torque spec for the spin on filter in the transmission?
The new trans came in at $5350, FYI
2016 RAM 2500 Puthie Wagon | 392ci w 6spd | CAI w ARH long tubes & MF | T2 w HF tune | 5.13 AAM w 35" Mickey MTs | Custom Graphics w illegal tint | Dodge Off-Road
This is rather lengthy and I do apologize but I thank those who take the time to give it a read. I have a couple questions at the end, input on one or all or others not asked is most welcome.
Oct 27th, 2018: with 61,600 miles on the clock my trans had dropped into Safety Mode during a 70mph, 6th gear, WOT downshift that occurred simultaneously as the truck experienced a rough road surface; several rather sharp but not too deep surface irregularities with associated vibration. The truck downshifted to 5th gear and did not shift back into 6th the rest of the drive. Soon after, she downed into 4th and stayed there until I got home.
Oct 29th, - I took my truck into the Col Springs dealership service dept for two items; tailgate recall and trans in safety mode. During this 28 mi drop off to the dealership the truck and trans drove fine, no safety mode, no codes, no high temps.
After 1hr inspection, Service Advisor “J” calls to tell me my trans is 'burnt', needs to be replaced and my MaxCare warranty will not cover the repair. Reason being “spin on transmission filter was loose causing the transmission to fail”. He said he'd call me back with a cost.
Six hours later J called me with a $5,700 cost for a new full-assembly w/ torque converter including install. Turn-time 4 days.
Oh yes, it would come with a warranty, he told me.
Transmission History:
In July 2018, after several instances of delayed engagement I did a transmission fluid and filter change (F&F). My first, but I made every effort to be meticulous! I came with a set of instructions (from posts here, and I'd do it again), I looked at everything five times, I wore gloves, all done in an indoor environment.
The F&F helped the trans but I stisssssll encountered delayed engagement, not nearly as high rpm reengagement but it was still happening, still ugly.
July 9th, I wanted the service crew to evaluate the trans and help determine a root cause and solution. The Colorado Spring Dodge service dept could not find anything wrong with the transmission during this July visit. This service visit is well documented, my description of the issue, what I had done in order to address the delayed engagement (F&F), and the fact they did nothing to address the delayed engagement.
Back to Oct 29th, I tried to present this timeline of events to my service advisor but he barely let me speak, told me the dept's mind was made up, the single reason this tranny failed was the spin on filter being too loose.
Ok, I can accept the fact that I did not crank that filter down. I remember putting that filter on and I treated it like I treat my oil filter, 1 full turn after gasket contact, that’s all. In no way was I peeling a canister filter out my gearbox.
But if this filter was the only cause, then there should be a readily available torque spec for this filter so all the techs in the world who do this don't come up short on filter torque, did I miss it?
I don't know what kind of pressure we are talking about inside the trans but I for sure did not over-tighten the spin on filter, with that being said I’ll guarantee it was well seated and just as snug as the one I took off by hand. A well gripped filter, even a grunt but I removed the original by hand.
I only did the F&F because there was a problem. Delayed engagement. The trans seems to be on it’s way to failure well before I did the F&F. Engine rpms we're as high as 1500 to re engage.
They will not acknowledge the problem started before the F&F or their missed prognosis only 5K miles before failure.
I watch trans temp and I log, I have never seen a temp above 190F (only once at 190F) most often 169F to 171F.
I check the trans fluid at least once a week usually more. I checked the trans fluid during the safety mode incident on Oct 27th, I checked the level and I smelled it. Level was perfect with no detectable burnt smell, by me. Yet Service advisor claimed he could smell the burn 10ft away.
I asked for fluid sample and he said it was drained it into the waste container. I asked for the pan, gear assembly, anything with this burnt smell and they never produced anything.
The truck never threw a code during any episode, and only one trans code in 62,000 miles - "5th gear ratio is not correct" approximately 1000mi before failure. Thats it.
They never asked me what happened when it went into safety mode. There was an event, a WOT downshift from sixth gear. they didn’t even want to hear it. I’ve read its been known to cause a problem.
Never a high temp, never a code, no smell and fluid level perfect, and fluid visually perfect.
I believe the facts are documented, the only thing I don’t have is a fluid sample from Oct 27 where I say the fluid did not smell burned.
I have paid them and my truck is back home.
I don’t expect to gain anything by reliving this, I would like any input or experience that others have with something similar with their trans.
Is the dealership correct in their prognosis?
Is this type of prolonged failure possible without high temp indicators, burned fluid and no error codes displayed?
Are the pressures that high in the transmission that a firmly seated filter was not enough to maintain fluid flow?
Is there a torque spec for the spin on filter in the transmission?
The new trans came in at $5350, FYI
2016 RAM 2500 Puthie Wagon | 392ci w 6spd | CAI w ARH long tubes & MF | T2 w HF tune | 5.13 AAM w 35" Mickey MTs | Custom Graphics w illegal tint | Dodge Off-Road
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I take excellent care of it, plan on keeping it forever (or at least until fuel hits $6/g) and it is in near perfect condition. BUT I understand they don't know this, and can't possible warranty trucks that have been modified. I have had several vehicles, always wanted to make em mine or even fix what I didn't like, I never could but I can now. I probably should have been a little more patient with several of the mods because the mods were implemented between the July maintenance visit and the Oct trans failure. I guess in my head I had the initial trans problem had occurred and been reported before any performance mod was implemented and so then the warranty would still cover. Delusional thinking I know, I see that now.
