Shuddering from somewhere at the back of the truck when turning- 2018 ram 1500

[corneileous]

Warranty is only good until the repair is more than the value of your truck. Value of the truck is determined by galves (sp?). Not bluebook.

Oh, I know. This is why I treat my truck like it doesn’t have a warranty and bash the crap out of it. This is also why I don’t put just cheap Mopar or pennzoil semi synthetic oil in it and change it every eight, 9000 miles when that little gauge on the dash tells me to. It gets premium fluids. Well, here in the next couple weeks when I go to change the fluid in the transfer case, I’m probably gonna use whatever the Mopar stuff is only because it’s the auto transfer case and to my knowledge, I don’t know if any other company out there makes anything exactly like what’s already in there so on that one, they might get picky if I use something else.

 

[EdGs]

Warranty doesn’t cover fluid changes on the differentials and such so why would I take it to them? Now, if changing the fluid in my rear differential doesn’t make the shudder go away then yes, I’ll be taking it in to get it checked out.

Front diff fluid change, IDK.

Rear diff, definately doable.

So is the fluid check on the 8 speed. A bit time-consuming, yes. But doable.

Lift and secure the rear end so the transmission pan rail is level.

Your fill plug WILL BE TIGHT. Crack it loose, but DO NOT REMOVE IT.

Have a quart or two of 8+9 speed fluid and a garden sprayer setup or transfer pump ready.

Start the truck and go through the procedure on the green sheet, and while it's idling, remove the fill plug and see if trans fluid runs out.

If fluid runs out, you're good. If not, add til it does run out.

Install the fill plug. If you did this before the trans temp on the EVIC hits 122°, you're good.

FWIW, when I did my 8 speed at 108k miles, I only got about 4-1/2 qts. out, but the fill and recheck took about 5-1/2 qts. So, mine was about 3/4 qt. LOW from the factory.

Good luck on a smooth service.

 

[Wild one]

You keep proving my point, man. Nobody said I can’t check the level; I said I won’t because I’m not risking a denied claim over a $4,000+ transmission. There’s a difference between being ignorant and being smart enough to follow the paper trail tied to your warranty.

You don’t have a MaxCare lifetime plan on my truck, I do and Mopar’s policy language is clear: follow manufacturer intervals, use approved procedures, or risk coverage denial. I didn’t write that; I just read what I paid for.

So yeah, you can keep “shaking your head,” but I’ll keep my warranty intact and my truck covered. Common sense isn’t ignoring your own contract — it’s using it to your advantage.

Please explain to me how they would know you'd checked the fluid level and topped it up if it is low.
If your transmission does happen to be low on fluid,and craps the bed because of it,guess what you're warrenty company is gonna deny your claim,as you should have properly maintained it,and if it needed fluid it should have been added. No differant then if you ran the engine out of oil because you never checked the oil,they aren't gonna honor the warrenty when you haven't properly maintained the vehicle.
I'll wait for you to explain how a warrenty company will know you've checked the fluid level in your transmission,as this outta be funny as $h!t,and i'm always up for laughing at somebody,who doesn't know their ^$$hole from a hole in the ground

 

[corneileous]

Please explain to me how they would know you'd checked the fluid level and topped it up if it is low.
If your transmission does happen to be low on fluid,and craps the bed because of it,guess what you're warrenty company is gonna deny your claim,as you should have properly maintained it,and if it needed fluid it should have been added. No differant then if you ran the engine out of oil because you never checked the oil,they aren't gonna honor the warrenty when you haven't properly maintained the vehicle.
I'll wait for you to explain how a warrenty company will know you've checked the fluid level in your transmission,as this outta be funny as $h!t,and i'm always up for laughing at somebody,who doesn't know their ^$$hole from a hole in the ground

You’re missing the point completely; it’s not about whether they’d catch it, it’s about not giving them the excuse. Warranty inspectors don’t have to prove I caused it; they just need a plausible reason to deny the claim. You hand them evidence that the trans was opened, they stamp ‘customer tampering’ on the report and walk away. End of story.

I didn’t drop four grand on a MaxCare lifetime plan just to gamble it away over a half-quart of fluid. If the owners manual doesn’t list a service interval for the ZF8HP, that’s my paper trail. I’ll let Mopar eat the bill when it fails….because I stayed in spec. That’s how grown-ups handle warranty work.

But you’re confusing scheduled maintenance with breaking factory procedure. My engine, diffs, cooling system, brakes, and t-case all have published service intervals; my ZF8HP does not. That’s the distinction you keep missing. Mopar’s warranty wording doesn’t say ‘go digging into sealed components just to make yourself feel handy’; it says ‘follow manufacturer recommendations.’

When you have this kind of warranty, the fluid level on this transmission isn’t routine service. You leave it sealed, you’re in compliance. You screw with it and if they do find out, you’re the one footing the bill. And when the day comes that transmission quits, Mopar’s gonna pay for it…. because I didn’t touch it.

Why is that such a hard concept for you to understand? My guess is, you don’t have this kind of a warranty so you’re speaking about stuff you have no idea about. This is also why I still continue to use 5W-20 engine oil but I don’t use the cheap crap that Mopar calls for because I have that ability as long as it’s the same weight and it meets the Chrysler MS 6395 compliance, I can use whatever I want. Same with oil filters; as long as it meets and/or exceeds Chrysler spec, I’m good. And the gear oil that I ordered is what the spec calls for as well. I’m not saying you guys are wrong about using the 75W140 in my rear differential, but because it is limited slip, and whenever something happens to that, I don’t need them giving me a bunch of grief because I used too heavy of an oil.

Bottom line, if you don’t know how this Mopar max care lifetime warranty works that they don’t even offer anymore, don’t go telling somebody what to do.

 

[Wild one]

You’re missing the point completely; it’s not about whether they’d catch it, it’s about not giving them the excuse. Warranty inspectors don’t have to prove I caused it; they just need a plausible reason to deny the claim. You hand them evidence that the trans was opened, they stamp ‘customer tampering’ on the report and walk away. End of story.

I didn’t drop four grand on a MaxCare lifetime plan just to gamble it away over a half-quart of fluid. If the owners manual doesn’t list a service interval for the ZF8HP, that’s my paper trail. I’ll let Mopar eat the bill when it fails….because I stayed in spec. That’s how grown-ups handle warranty work.

But you’re confusing scheduled maintenance with breaking factory procedure. My engine, diffs, cooling system, brakes, and t-case all have published service intervals; my ZF8HP does not. That’s the distinction you keep missing. Mopar’s warranty wording doesn’t say ‘go digging into sealed components just to make yourself feel handy’; it says ‘follow manufacturer recommendations.’

When you have this kind of warranty, the fluid level on this transmission isn’t routine service. You leave it sealed, you’re in compliance. You screw with it and if they do find out, you’re the one footing the bill. And when the day comes that transmission quits, Mopar’s gonna pay for it…. because I didn’t touch it.

Why is that such a hard concept for you to understand? My guess is, you don’t have this kind of a warranty so you’re speaking about stuff you have no idea about. This is also why I still continue to use 5W-20 engine oil but I don’t use the cheap crap that Mopar calls for because I have that ability as long as it’s the same weight and it meets the Chrysler MS 6395 compliance, I can use whatever I want. Same with oil filters; as long as it meets and/or exceeds Chrysler spec, I’m good. And the gear oil that I ordered is what the spec calls for as well. I’m not saying you guys are wrong about using the 75W140 in my rear differential, but because it is limited slip, and whenever something happens to that, I don’t need them giving me a bunch of grief because I used too heavy of an oil.

Bottom line, if you don’t know how this Mopar max care lifetime warranty works that they don’t even offer anymore, don’t go telling somebody what to do.

I'm waiting for you to explain how they'd know you'd removed the fill plug to check the level.
The plug isn't staked into place,it just screws in and out,so please explain how anybody would know it's been removed to check the level.
BTW show us where it states in your warrenty contract ,that you can't check the fluid levels in your transfer case / diffs or transmission.
What i find really funny is the fact you're willing to change your diff fluid with-out a care in the world about your warrenty,but you're not willing to check the fluid level in your transmission,that seems to be a bit out there if you want my opinion
You're just scratching around trying to justify your lack of common sense,by using every unjustified excuse you can come up with now.
Yes they are excuses,with absolutely no basis in fact

 

[corneileous]

I'm waiting for you to explain how they'd know you'd removed the fill plug to check the level.
The plug isn't staked into place,it just screws in and out,so please explain how anybody would know it's been removed to check the level.
BTW show us where it states in your warrenty contract ,that you can't check the fluid levels in your transfer case / diffs or transmission.
What i find really funny is the fact you're willing to change your diff fluid with-out a care in the world about your warrenty,but you're not willing to check the fluid level in your transmission,that seems to be a bit out there if you want my opinion
You're just scratching around trying to justify your lack of common sense,by using every unjustified excuse you can come up with now.
Yes they are excuses,with absolutely no basis in fact

I’ve already told you once; I don’t know how they’d know, and I don’t care to find out. I paid for this warranty and signed the contract, not you, and I’m not gambling a transmission to satisfy some wannabe forum expert’s ego.

Why should I have to prove what I already know? I’ve spoken directly with my warranty provider, and they said exactly what I’m doing — follow. what. the. book. says.

And again, this isn’t about the engine, diffs, or anything else, so maybe stick to the topic instead of barking random nonsense.

But sure, keep typing if it makes you feel better — at this point, you’re just entertainment for the rest of us- or well, for me, anyways.

 

[Wild one]

I’ve already told you once; I don’t know how they’d know, and I don’t care to find out. I paid for this warranty and signed the contract, not you, and I’m not gambling a transmission to satisfy some wannabe forum expert’s ego.

Why should I have to prove what I already know? I’ve spoken directly with my warranty provider, and they said exactly what I’m doing — follow. what. the. book. says.

And again, this isn’t about the engine, diffs, or anything else, so maybe stick to the topic instead of barking random nonsense.

But sure, keep typing if it makes you feel better — at this point, you’re just entertainment for the rest of us- or well, for me, anyways.

Well you've just confirmed it,you're not the sharpest pencil on the desk are you
Good thing the book doesn't tell you to jump off a cliff as i'm firmly convinced you'd jump off a cliff if it told you to jump off a cliff
What i find funny is the fact you're gonna open up the diff and change fluid in it,with not a care in the world about your warrenty,but you won't remove the fill plug on the transmission to check the fluid level,that there is some funny $h!t Dude,and i don't care who you are,it's gotta make you laugh

 

[nlambert182]

Oh, I know. This is why I treat my truck like it doesn’t have a warranty and bash the crap out of it.

Makes zero sense to me.... you're worried about warranty coverage denial for maintenance, but then you say this. Which is it? You DO know that it's not that difficult to tell if someone's flogged the truck, right?

 

[corneileous]

Well you've just confirmed it,you're not the sharpest pencil on the desk are you
Good thing the book doesn't tell you to jump off a cliff as i'm firmly convinced you'd jump off a cliff if it told you to jump off a cliff
What i find funny is the fact you're gonna open up the diff and change fluid in it,with not a care in the world about your warrenty,but you won't remove the fill plug on the transmission to check the fluid level,that there is some funny $h!t Dude,and i don't care who you are,it's gotta make you laugh

LOL, what the heck is wrong with you? How is it funny that I’m following what I’m supposed to do by servicing my differential but leaving my transmission alone that I’m not supposed to touch???

Again, you have no idea what you’re talking about so just leave it alone. And keep saying whatever you want because if I go doing what you’re telling me to do and if something happens, and if they sense that I screwed with this transmission, I highly doubt you’re gonna pick up the tab. Will you pick up the tab if something happens? If you say yes, I’ll happily jack this thing up, pop that plug out of there, and I’ll check the fluid level… as long as I have your sincere promise that you’ll cover the cost of my new transmission when it fails. Deal? But what part do you not understand that leaving it alone is what they want me to do since that is what the book says,and when it eventually fails due to lack of maintenance, they will pay for it? Do you not understand plain English?

 

[corneileous]

Makes zero sense to me.... you're worried about warranty coverage denial for maintenance, but then you say this. Which is it? You DO know that it's not that difficult to tell if someone's flogged the truck, right?

Well, let me break it down for you like I just did with the other person umpteen times; my lifetime warranty says I have to follow what the book says. Magnusson Moss act does not apply here because this is a service contract that I signed. Yes, they want me to maintain everything else like the book says. But since Chrysler put in that little white book that there is no maintenance schedule on the eight speed transmission, they expect me to respect that if I expect them to carry the bill when it needs to be replaced. Make sense? I don’t know how to make it any more clear than that.

And just driving the truck a little fast is not the same thing as “flogging” it and there’s nothing in the contract that says I have to drive this truck like an 80-year-old man just to ensure that they’ll pay for specific things when they break. It’s not like I’m out here driving this truck on extreme, non-maintained Jeep trails up in the mountains of Colorado or taking this truck every weekend to the dragstrip. It’s not lifted 5 inches taller than what it was stock. I don’t have huge tires on it. I’m not out here hitching 13,000 pound trailers to the back of it, nor am I throwing 2000 pounds of dirt in the truck bed on a regular basis.

 

[mdc1990zr1]

LOL, what the heck is wrong with you? How is it funny that I’m following what I’m supposed to do by servicing my differential but leaving my transmission alone that I’m not supposed to touch???

Again, you have no idea what you’re talking about so just leave it alone. And keep saying whatever you want because if I go doing what you’re telling me to do and if something happens, and if they sense that I screwed with this transmission, I highly doubt you’re gonna pick up the tab. Will you pick up the tab if something happens? If you say yes, I’ll happily jack this thing up, pop that plug out of there, and I’ll check the fluid level… as long as I have your sincere promise that you’ll cover the cost of my new transmission when it fails. Deal? But what part do you not understand that leaving it alone is what they want me to do since that is what the book says,and when it eventually fails due to lack of maintenance, they will pay for it? Do you not understand plain English?

Leaving it alone is sure death. If the value of the truck falls below the price of transmission repair or replacement, you loose. I can see your concern, but if trouble free longevity is what you want, you have to change the fluid at least. I would drop the fluid from the pan drain bolt and refill with fresh fluid. That way about 5 1/2 fresh quarts will refresh the old fluid. You haven’t disturbed the pan that way, and if you’re really concerned about witness marks, replace the fill plug. Nobody will catch that and you’ll be better off.

 

[Hagar1]

Yeah, I think it’s time no matter what because even though I don’t do a lot of trailer towing or even heavy trailer towing, or even that much off-road at all but I do drive it hard. You think I’d be all right to just use an oil pump to suck all the oil out or actually pull the differential cover?

Pull the cover! It isn't all that difficult to do. 10 bolts, maybe 12.......

 

[Wild one]

I give up as this guy is to smart for his own good.
Plus his excuses are just that excuses and make no sense what so ever to a normal person.
Guys i'm starting to think we'll all end up with a head-ache from beating our heads against a wall with this guy,as he has no common sense

 

[corneileous]

Leaving it alone is sure death. If the value of the truck falls below the price of transmission repair or replacement, you loose. I can see your concern, but if trouble free longevity is what you want, you have to change the fluid at least. I would drop the fluid from the pan drain bolt and refill with fresh fluid. That way about 5 1/2 fresh quarts will refresh the old fluid. You haven’t disturbed the pan that way, and if you’re really concerned about witness marks, replace the fill plug. Nobody will catch that and you’ll be better off.

Just like others, you’re still talking like this is a maintenance debate. It isn’t; it’s a contract compliance issue.

ZF’s engineering advice and Mopar’s warranty terms aren’t the same document. Mopar pays the bill, not ZF, and Mopar’s rulebook says: follow the owner’s manual.

The second I ‘refresh’ the fluid, I’ve done an unapproved service on what Chrysler calls a sealed system. If it ever fails, that’s all the excuse a warranty inspector needs to tag the claim ‘customer tampering.’ I’m not risking lifetime coverage to sneak five quarts of fluid in just to feel proactive even though I do agree with you if it wasn’t for this warranty.

If I didn’t have lifetime coverage, I’d absolutely follow ZF’s schedule. But since I do, the only smart move is to follow the book that keeps the contract iron-clad and that means leaving it alone, unfortunately. But, I don’t know what service they’re really gonna use to determine actual cash value, but according to Carfax, my truck is still worth a little over $25,000 so I’d say I’ve got some room.

 

[corneileous]

Pull the cover! It isn't all that difficult to do. 10 bolts, maybe 12.......

I know it’s not difficult, but it’s also kinda hard to ignore that little drain plug on the bottom of the differential. As far as the front differential, since I’ve had my truck I’ve only used four-wheel-drive maybe 6, 7 times so I’ll just rely on the pump I bought the pump that out of the fill hole and refill it. Besides, that’s the one that should require taking the cover off since there is no drain plug but with that steering rack right in the way, I’d rather not have to pull that one off.

 

[corneileous]

I give up as this guy is to smart for his own good.
Plus his excuses are just that excuses and make no sense what so ever to a normal person.
Guys i'm starting to think we'll all end up with a head-ache from beating our heads against a wall with this guy,as he has no common sense

You can call it excuses if it helps you sleep, but Mopar’s warranty department calls it policy. I’m following the contract that pays the bills; you’re following your feelings about what’s ‘normal.’ I’ll stick with the one that comes with a checkbook.

 

[Wild one]

You can call it excuses if it helps you sleep, but Mopar’s warranty department calls it policy. I’m following the contract that pays the bills; you’re following your feelings about what’s ‘normal.’ I’ll stick with the one that comes with a checkbook.

If their policy states you're not supposed to check the fluid level in the transmission,which i highly doubt it does,it'll also tell you not to touch the diffs either,as they're also sealed just like the transmission is sealed

 

[corneileous]

If their policy states you're not supposed to check the fluid level in the transmission,which i highly doubt it does,it'll also tell you not to touch the diffs either,as they're also sealed just like the transmission is sealed

Nope. You’re mixing apples and transmissions again. My diffs and transfer case have published service intervals right there in the maintenance chart of the owner’s manual. The ZF8HP does not. Yes, I know, Chrysler is full of crap, but when you have a warranty that says you have to do things a certain way, that’s what matters. I don’t make the rules.

But yes, thatmeans one is scheduled maintenance, the other is a sealed component unless diagnosed by a tech using a scan tool and ATF temp table. That’s not opinion — that’s FCA procedure. And again, I know it’s bogus, but when you have a warranty like I do, it all matters about who’s paying for the bill.

So you can ‘highly doubt’ it all you want, but page numbers beat opinions. The book spells it out, and the warranty backs the book; not what ZF says, and certainly not what some guy on the internet thinks should make sense even though yes, surprisingly, I do agree with most of what you’re saying even though you’re being so dense and not comprehending what I’m trying to tell you.

 

[Wild one]

Nope. You’re mixing apples and transmissions again. My diffs and transfer case have published service intervals right there in the maintenance chart of the owner’s manual. The ZF8HP does not. Yes, I know, Chrysler is full of crap, but when you have a warranty that says you have to do things a certain way, that’s what matters. I don’t make the rules.

But yes, thatmeans one is scheduled maintenance, the other is a sealed component unless diagnosed by a tech using a scan tool and ATF temp table. That’s not opinion — that’s FCA procedure. And again, I know it’s bogus, but when you have a warranty like I do, it all matters about who’s paying for the bill.

So you can ‘highly doubt’ it all you want, but page numbers beat opinions. The book spells it out, and the warranty backs the book; not what ZF says, and certainly not what some guy on the internet thinks should make sense even though yes, surprisingly, I do agree with most of what you’re saying even though you’re being so dense and not comprehending what I’m trying to tell you.

Okay dig out your warrenty contract and point out exactly where it says you can't check the fluid level in the transmission.You're not servicing it,you're checking the fluid level,so find us the specific paragraph that states you can't check the level.
I can see it telling you it doesn't need servicing,but i highly doubt it states you can't check the fluid level,but if you find us a paragraph that specifically states you can't check the fluid level,i'll digress and say you're right,but i want you to circle the paragraph specifically saying you can't check the fluid level in the transmission when you post the picture of your contract

 

[Docwagon1776]

Well, let me break it down for you like I just did with the other person umpteen times; my lifetime warranty says I have to follow what the book says.

I hate myself a little for wading in to this, but that's a one way street. It means you have to maintain to *the minimum standard* set forth in the guide, not that you can't exceed it.

If you change your motor oil every 2k miles, would that void your contract?

There's no interval for brake fluid set forth in the manual, would it void the warranty to change brake fluid?

(I worked in the extended warranty world for 3 years, it's a scammy business even with "legit", but I've never seen or even heard of a contract questioned based on too much preventative maintenance)