Check Engine Light-"Service Trans"

[alacombe]

So while driving yesterday my check engine light came on and the dashboard said "Service Trans." My truck is at the dealership once again and I am at approx 2700 miles.

Any one have any knowledge about this?

@ramcares ??

 

[alacombe]

Got my truck back today. They said the check engine light was caused by snow getting frozen around the transfer case. My dealership said they has been a common problem for the past 2yrs with Rams. My dealership said FCA is aware of this and yet made a fix for it.


My dealer said the skid plates I got with the Off Road Package is compacting the snow and not helping this issue. So anyone that lives in a state that has snow and has the off road package right have this issue.


My dealer also said they had 3 other rams in the past 48hrs for the same issue.

They told me the skid plates are like shovels and the snow freezes in them

 

[guyc66]

I don't know if it's related, but I had something similar happen to my 2016 RAM 1500 about 2 winters ago in Colorado Springs. I had run through a fairly deep snow bank on my way to work and when I arrived the transmission would not go into park and kept giving me a dashboard message about transmission service. I drove it around a bumpy area hoping to loosen any snow pack under the truck and after about 30 minutes it eventually went in to park. Later that day after work everything was back to normal with no more dashboard messages.

 

[alacombe]

I don't know if it's related, but I had something similar happen to my 2016 RAM 1500 about 2 winters ago in Colorado Springs. I had run through a fairly deep snow bank on my way to work and when I arrived the transmission would not go into park and kept giving me a dashboard message about transmission service. I drove it around a bumpy area hoping to loosen any snow pack under the truck and after about 30 minutes it eventually went in to park. Later that day after work everything was back to normal with no more dashboard messages.

sounds exactly like my issue

 

[guyc66]

sounds exactly like my issue

Also, the PITA thing about this situation is that I could turn the truck off but couldn't take the key fob out of the ignition. That is why I ended up driving around trying to loosen everything up because there was no way in hell I was leaving my new truck sitting in the parking lot for 8 hours with the key in the ignition. Way too tempting for car thieves....LOL.

 

[alacombe]

Also, the PITA thing about this situation is that I could turn the truck off but couldn't take the key fob out of the ignition. That is why I ended up driving around trying to loosen everything up because there was no way in hell I was leaving my new truck sitting in the parking lot for 8 hours with the key in the ignition. Way too tempting for car thieves....LOL.

yep dealership also stated people complained about that too

 

[crash68]

If you have to leave the key fob in the ignition, pull the starter solenoid relay and fuel pump fuse. To lock the doors, use the power lock button before you open the driver's door, the door will open when you pull the handle. Push the lock stem down manually. Don't forget to door lock key with you.

 

[guyc66]

If you have to leave the key fob in the ignition, pull the starter solenoid relay and fuel pump fuse. To lock the doors, use the power lock button before you open the driver's door, the door will open when you pull the handle. Push the lock stem down manually. Don't forget to door lock key with you.

Thanks for the tip. I'll store this for future use in the event it happens again....

 

[alacombe]

p0850 & p1b13 These are the code codes stored in the DTC that my dealership told me that caused the check engine light.

p1b13 = "Park-By-Wire unintended out of park position"
p0850 = "Park/neutral position (PNP) switch -input circuit malfunction"

If I am wrong please someone correct me because I am also curious on these above codes meanings.

 

[crash68]

p1b13 = "Park-By-Wire unintended out of park position"
p0850 = "Park/neutral position (PNP) switch -input circuit malfunction"

Being the transmission is shift by wire, the codes suggest that the transmission parking pawl didn't set or the sensor for it malfunctioned.

 

[alacombe]

Being the transmission is shift by wire, the codes suggest that the transmission parking pawl didn't set or the sensor for it malfunctioned.

Well according to my dealer the skid plates collected a ton of snow which then froze around the transfer case causing this issue. They stated the skid plates with the off road package is like shovel. They also stated this can occur even if you don't have skid plates and they stated this has been occurring the past 2yrs with other ram models which FCA has yet a fix for it but is aware of it.

Are you stating my dealership is wrong?