8-Speed Sucks!

[AdirondackRam]

So today started off bad with our 2014 Ram 1500 CC Sport 4x4 8-Speed, first we stopped at Dunkin' Donuts and there was a slight incline as we were parked in front of store, but as we were getting back into truck it slipped out of park and rolled backwards, and it wasn't even running.. Thank god I hit the parking brake or it could've rolled right into traffic, so I took a mental note as we went about our day, but 20 minutes later as I was stopping at a stoplight in a huge intersection the 5.7 hemi bogged right down below 1000 rpm until it STALLED so I switched it into into Park and tried to start it, it took a little longer than usual turning over until it fired and then raced up to 3500-4000 rpm then back too normal, all while in the middle of an intersection with cars honking their horns, so I threw it in gear and started driving off but then I noticed it wasn't shifting out of 1rst gear, so I put on my Hazards and pulled into a nearby comfort inn. I called chrysler roadside and they said they would send a text to my phone when they had an arrival time for tow truck.. So I sat In the truck waiting for a text on this 80° day with air conditioner on, it idled fine. This was 11:30 am, I then received a text, it said est time to arrival was 2:45.. Right then I lost it, LOL I called chrysler and asked why 3 hours and they said the reason why was because they called a tow truck from another state that was 3 hours away... Are you kidding me? There are dozens of towing companies in town that could have towed my truck a couple miles to a dealer.. So during the three hours the truck shut off randomly 4 times.. Hmmm but then tow truck finally arrived and took us to dealer, they updated the Radio Frequency Recall and said that that's what probably caused it and I could drive home fine, which home was 1hr and a half away so I decided to go, and it was acting normal until I came up behind this idiot Hyundai that was going 40 in a 55 so I went to pass him and as I stepped on gas to accelerate it wouldn't shift, it just revved to its limit, now here I am, half way passed him in the other lane not being able to accelerate because it won't shift so then finally it shifts 4 gears at once, so I baby the truck home until I start slowing down to pull in my driveway it downshifts from 3rd or 4th to 1rst and revved up real high.. I never touched the gear + or - buttons either.. Really crazy today. No 2 month old truck should be doing this with only 3,115 miles... Now it's just sitting in my driveway until Monday when I can take it too dealer. I was worried about this 8-Speed and of course I have issues with it! LOL or so I think it's the transmission.. Could be something else.. Has anybody else had issues like this??? Lol!


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[AdirondackRam]

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[Batt4Christ]

That ZF tranny "should" be one of the best ever put in a MOPAR vehicle. But I suspect sometimes one gets through bad. Theoretically, it could also be a computer issue.

Hope they get you fixed up quickly.

Maybe wait in dealership service dept with the little Lemon Law booklet for reading material?

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[Andy578]

that really sucks. i'm loving my 8 speed tho

 

[tjfdesmo]

Did the speedo do anything weird when it was acting up? Stalling aside, I had a 4-Runner start making all kinds of wacky shifts and it turned out to be the speed sensor. Your symptoms sound different, but it's not necessarily something catastrophic.

 

[AdirondackRam]

Come to think of it, it felt like we were going only 50 but the speedo said 65 on the way to shopping.. Hmmm good point, I'll have to tell the dealer to check that..


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[xXAvroArrowXx]

Its not the ZF8 transmission. IDK what it is, but I definitely dont think even if one trans here and there comes out of the factory half baked, it doesn't mean the ZF as a whole is junk.

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[BlownGP]

Guess your truck was made on Friday before a long weekend.. hahah

That sucks..
Hopefully it's just a programming issue.

 

[VectorZ]

My 8 speed has been perfect! If that were my truck though, I'd tell the dealer to keep it and give me a new one.

 

[Buddy]

Make sure you tell the service twice about it rolling on you at Dunkins, and remind them how dangerous that could have been... and liable.

 

[jub jub]

My truck would stall at times when coming to a stop. Had the TSB performed and it's been fine ever since.

Good luck with yours.

 

[AdirondackRam]

Yea, If we weren't in the truck it would've rolled right back into a four lane highway.. Now just think somebody In a compact car going 40mph and hitting a pick up truck.. It would have been awful.. The dealer we took it to on the first time said that if the rotary knob is not switched all the way to the left, it may slip out of park, then he followed that statement by saying that if you shut the truck off too quick after you shift it into park it won't fully engage.. I highly doubt that that's true, what do you guys think?


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[jeepguy_1980]

In your radio settings, there is a menu option for hill start assist. Make sure that's enabled. That should stop it from rolling on you.

 

[AdirondackRam]

Yes, I know, it is enabled, it's just the vehicle was off.. Lol.. And in park! But I'm now concerned on how it keeps stalling.. It will be idling fine and then the rpms dip a couple hundred and it stalls in a parking lot.. Very very weird... With a full tank of gas.. Just strange.


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[AdirondackRam]

Can't pass anybody because it won't shift, it will go high revved for a few seconds then shift 4 gears super fast.. It's really screwed up


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[Buddy]

think that dealer told you a croc, there is no way in this day and age of law suites and high profile recall cases (hello GM) that Chrysler would build and release a truck that could "slip out of park" if the new knob on the dash is not turned a certain way or speed. sheesh, I mean, car makers have to basically child proof any product today to avoid any legal issues. Every person is different, and moves, drives, etc different, car makers cover this. Just look how years ago every vehicle it became standard to have to push the brake to move from gear to gear, obviously a measure of safety. Can't see in 2014 a vehicle being this way as that dealer told you. If you know it was in park while the truck was off and it rolled, I would demand that be looked at or you will start to look into lemon law. If you get it back and it ever does it again, ... that is a potential accident waiting to happen.

 

[Fullmetal]

That's just downright scary to have the truck roll back while in park. So far my 8 speed has been good but it sounds like a computer issue relaying with the transmission.

 

[Z77Z77Z]

The truck not "all the way in park" is BS the rotary knob is just a electronic switch no physical mechanism, on my truck if you shut it off without putting it in park it automatically places it in park and will not let you remove the key until you turn it back on and place it in park.

Your problem screams bad inputs to the computer. Like others said speed sensors, throttle position etc.

Mine has been a great transmission no missed shifting or hunting, always great a picking the right gear.

 

[VectorZ]

Make sure and file a complaint with NHTSA about the issues. If there are enough of them they can make them recall the vehicles with potential issues.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/index.xhtml

So I was just poking around that site and looked at Ram complaints. There are zero for 2014 models but 13 for 2013 models.

THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME IN THE TWO WEEKS I OWNED THIS RAM 1500 TRUCK AFTER PURCHASING IT NEW THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCE A FAILURE OF THE TORQUEFLITE 8 SPD TRANSMISSION AND/OR ELECTRONIC ROTARY SHIFTER. A WEEK EARLIER I REPORTED TO RAM AND TO NHTSA A REPEATED FAILURE OF THIS TRUCK ON A BOAT RAMP TO ENGAGE IN PARK EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AS THE TRUCK WAS "SLOW ROLLING" DOWN THE RAMP. THIS TIME I WAS ABLE TO DOCUMENT THE FAILURE BY VIDEO ON MY CELL PHONE. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 30 MPH ON A SIDE STREET IN 2 WHEEL DRIVE. I SLOWED THE TRUCK TO A ROUTINE STOP AT A STOP SIGN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN I THEN TRIED TO PULL ONTO THE INTERSECTING HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED AS EXPECTED WHEN I TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE TRUCK WOULD NOT MOVE, ACTING AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, EVEN THOUGH I HAD NOT TOUCHED THE ROTARY SHIFTER ON THE DASH NOR ANY OF THE 2WD/4WD OPTION BUTTONS. THERE WAS NOT ANY PERCEPTIBLE SOUND OR FEEL INDICATING THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD "POPPED" OUT OF GEAR. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE "D" LIGHT ON THE SHIFTER WAS ODDLY FLASHING ON/OFF WHILE THE 2WD LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED SOLID AS EXPECTED. I TRIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TWO MORE TIMES WITH NO CHANGE. AFTER WHIPPING OUT MY CELL PHONE TO VIDEO THIS FAILURE I WAS ABLE TO RESET THE DRIVE ENGAGEMENT BY MOVING THE SHIFTER TO PARK FOR 2 OR 3 SECONDS AND THEN BACK TO "D". THE TRUCK THEN RESPONDED NORMALLY AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY. *J

 

[WhiteExpress]

This isn't good, but it does seem to be a fairly isolated occurance (meaning only a few vehicles) I really hope Ram / your dealer steps up and gets this resolved for you.