Anyone with a 6spd auto lemon law their truck?

[syonxwf]

The transmission in this truck is absolute garbage. This is our second time in the shop for the same transmission issues (we are at 14k miles), and the dealer keeps telling us it's "normal", but all the sales guys are telling me how many 6 spds are getting traded in because of all the issues with the tranny...

Truck is doing all the following:

Shift points are terrible. It's downshifting and upshifting sometimes when you barely touch the gas, other times my foot is almost to the floor before it'll downshift.

It almost sounds like a slipping clutch at times, where you'll hear the engine kick up but the truck doesn't go anywhere, and then it finally "catches" and goes.

It shifts hard, like really hard. I got in, was going around 20mph, and then punched it; it threw me back in my seat, but not in a "wow this is fast" way, more like, ****** you back because it shifted so hard into gear that you flung back and now need to see a massage therapist, if you catch my drift.
My wife said she got on it the other day while she was just cruising at maybe 15-20 mph (lane opened up, wanted to pass the bus next to her) and when it shifted into gear, she said she heard a nasty metal/grinding/doesn't want to go into gear type sound; scared her and made her think the transmission crapped on her right there...

I drove the 8 speed today for comparison, and the throttle was so much more responsive, the gear shifts felt smooth and precise, it was unbelievably better in every way. If you let it shift into a higher gear while you're cruising, and then punch it, it doesn't think about it and try to decide if you're really actually wanting to go or not, it just goes.
My only gripe is the shift knob, which is weird, but definitely not enough to keep me away from that truck based on all the issues we've been having.

Aside from all that, has anyone lemon lawed their 4th gen due to issues with the 6 speed transmission, similar to what we're experiencing? I realize that we aren't quite to lemon law status yet (WA state requires 4 visits for the same issue), but we're only 2 visits from that point, and I'm sure when I get the call from Dodge today it'll be that the truck is "shifting normal", whatever the **** that means, since their normal appears to be delusional.

Sorry for the long and somewhat ranty post...just irritated to spend $35k+ on a truck, only to have a ****** transmission :/

 

[Casper]

I'm at 21K on a 6 spd. No runs, no drips, no errors.
True, I typically auto shift out of MDS in traffic, but rarely had any clutch chatter
and have never had a whiplash downshift. Maybe you got a stinker from Detroit.

 

[BlownGP]

Truck is doing all the following:



It almost sounds like a slipping clutch at times, where you'll hear the engine kick up but the truck doesn't go anywhere, and then it finally "catches" and goes.

That sounds more like the TQ converter

I will the say my 5/6 speed is far from perfect also. I really hate the way it revs up a little when it downshifts slowing to a stop. I'm used to it now, but rather annoying.

There has been a few times where it will shutter and/or shift hard from 2nd to 3rd. It's totally random though and has only done it a few times.

Other than that it's fine. I'm used to crappy transmissions though. I've had this GM 4T65E for over 15 years. Blown it up once. I do think the pcm controls it better than my rams trans though.

 

[hunter99]

Mine is starting to do that. My thought has been the torque converter beginning to fail. I know some of the factory ones are not so great. Need to get it in and have it taken care of. Only started doing it in the last 3 to 4k and I have almost 14k on it now.

 

[RamRodRic]

mine has had a few hard/rough shifts in the lower gears also. it seems to happen during the first drive of the day when the tranny temps are low. once it warms up, smooth as butter. i'm starting to let the truck warm up longer than usual to get the tranny temp to ~85*...seems to help some.
the seemingly laggy throttle response is another issue. i think its more the mds than the tranny though. its irritating as hell. in town (speed limits of 40 or less) i'm starting to locked out of 5th and 6th. it helps a lot.
good luck with our lemon law

 

[swanny297]

If you have a defective transmission it wouldn't matter if it is a 6spd or an 8spd - the 6spd has been a staple in the ram for a long time. Plenty of 6spds with no issues and your issues don't sound normal I would go to a different dealer or drive a new 6spd on the lot with the service manager and than drive yours so they can feel and see the issues u are having.

 

[syonxwf]

If you have a defective transmission it wouldn't matter if it is a 6spd or an 8spd - the 6spd has been a staple in the ram for a long time. Plenty of 6spds with no issues and your issues don't sound normal I would go to a different dealer or drive a new 6spd on the lot with the service manager and than drive yours so they can feel and see the issues u are having.

I went and test drove an 8 speed the same day I posted this, and the difference was night and day. The sales guy there told me they are getting lots of 6 speeds being traded in, and said that it's a pretty common complaint with people trading them in. I also went with my wife to another dealer, sales guy there said the same thing, and then when we went and picked up her truck, the service adviser also told us the same thing.
Good idea to drive back to back with another 6 speed though, that's something we may consider doing. She's got her heart set on a new truck now though, so I'm not sure what we're going to do at this point. She test drove an Outdoorsman and a Big Horn, and now she can't get over how much better they look inside lol.

On to our truck, I told them specifically that I did not want an ECU relearn until they rode with me in case they couldn't tell what we were talking about; they didn't seem to want to give me the time of day, and the adviser gave me every excuse he could think of to get the truck back to me same day. In the interim I had found a TSB about the transmission in her truck that supposedly fixes drivability concerns, so I told them about that, and they goffed at me and said they'd never heard of it, and that they didn't think it was for my truck because they didn't have it coming up on their end. I said whatever, it's fine, just do what you must.
Well, we get there, and low and behold, they applied the TSB I told them about...and the truck shifts MUCH better now.
Still not 100% what I would expect, but I don't think it gets any better than what it is now, so as long as it holds up, I'm happy with it.

Regardless of how it's running, we will still probably end up looking at upgrading to an 8 speed that I mentioned earlier.

 

[smiley]

Have any of you with issues tried replacing your throttle body which includes throttle position sensor. I have the 5 speed which is really the same thing with different programming and I was having weird up and down shifts. Mine seems to shift back to like new after I did replace mine. It very well could be torque converter or trans too but with mine it was something with the TPS.


$miley

 

[smiley]

Oh and by the way I by no means think the 5 or 6 is as good just pointing out in case you can't or do not want to switch to a new ride. 8 speed is amazing very impressed by it and it deserves a lot of props.


$miley

 

[Andrew09HEMI]

Have any of you with issues tried replacing your throttle body which includes throttle position sensor. I have the 5 speed which is really the same thing with different programming and I was having weird up and down shifts. Mine seems to shift back to like new after I did replace mine. It very well could be torque converter or trans too but with mine it was something with the TPS.





$miley

Ive given this a lot of thought as well.. Mine seems to lag or slip going into second under normal acceleration, I dont believe its the trans though more the a TPS or something. If Im careful and keep throttle consistent it shifts fine but any difference or letting out or in, 1-2 shift is horrendous

 

[Grassman]

Heading to the dealership tomorrow... Check engine light came on and wont downshift or go into 5 or 6 gear. The cruise control wont work either. Im hoping warranty will cover it. Its a 2012 with 56k...

 

[smiley]

Good luck!


$miley

 

[BlownGP]

Sucks man...

Interested in seeing what happens.

 

[WarrenRam]

Point of note... If you go to a dealer and tell them your 6-speed is junk and you're thinking of trading it in, I'd expect the salesman to agree with you and even say that's happening often, too. After all, they are salesmen, and anything they can do to convince you to make a purchase is going to be done. So they tell you 'yeah, that's common, everyone's trading them in', then you figure if everyone is doing it, you should too. Honestly I wouldn't take the word of any salesman at face value. They're shaking your hand and loosening your watch strap at the same time...

Point is, I've been here for a while now and I haven't heard of chronic recurring issues with any of the transmissions. I'd think if there was a clear common defect, we'd all know about it by now. I'm sure your case is quite rare compared to the overall ownership experience owners have had with the 6 speed. It's unfortunate, and I hate to hear of your problems, but I don't think you should panic and get rid of it. Maybe your unit is just defective from the factory? Your post doesn't seem to indicate that it was replaced or had anything done yet, just that you've had it in twice for this issue and were told it was normal. Try another dealer's service center and see how that goes. As for lemon laws, heck, they haven't even made an attempt to fix it yet so you have a ways to go before you get there, I'd bet.

 

[NYCruiser]

14K miles on my 6-speed and I'm happy with it. It did take several thousand miles before it broke in, learned my driving, or whatever it does. But I like it now. I like it better than the 8 speed they lent me while working on my truck last time. Maybe I'm just used to it now. Or maybe I just don't want a sealed transmission with no way to even check the fluid.

 

[ExpressRules]

I went and test drove an 8 speed the same day I posted this, and the difference was night and day. The sales guy there told me they are getting lots of 6 speeds being traded in, and said that it's a pretty common complaint with people trading them in. I

Of course the salesman told you that, he wants to sell you a new truck based on your fears of 6 speed transmissions.

While years ago Chrysler got a bad reputation for transmission problems. Over time improvements came about, but like anything else that gets a bad reputation, it takes a long time for people to forget.

Over the last 20 years I've owned 5 "Chrysler" vehicles and the worst transmission issue I ever had was a 5 speed that had a input sensor fail. It was $250 to replace and never had another issue with it.

I've never driven the new 8 speed and I'm sure it is very nice, but with that said only time will tell the long term reliability in a Ram.

 

[Burla]

syonxwf I have had problems with my shift points ever since I had the 6 speed, however ever since I drive around in tow haul mode literally every time I start my truck, it has been great. Every time I start my truck I hit TH before I go into gear, changes the shift points to my liking 100%. worth a shot partner...

 

[ExpressRules]

syonxwf I have had problems with my shift points ever since I had the 6 speed, however ever since I drive around in tow haul mode literally every time I start my truck, it has been great. Every time I start my truck I hit TH before I go into gear, changes the shift points to my liking 100%. worth a shot partner...

Do you turn it off when driving highway so you get better mileage?

 

[Burla]

If I go over 60mph or I'm going on a long trip, but for me that is rare. On long trips we take the SUV that gets 29mpg. I do mostly local runs in the Ram, but yeah the TH isn't a great answer if there is a lot of freeway miles, but you can try it and if you like the way it shifts, get a tuner and change the shift points that way. Anything except driving around with the stock shift points is a good idea.