Transmission failure in my 2018 2500

[Mountaineer Ram]

On July 17th took my 2018 Ram 2500, which has 78,000 miles, for an oil change and told the mechanic to check a noise underneath that I had noticed the day before and thought it sounded like a loose exhaust shield. He called me that afternoon to inform me that the transmission pump was going bad and I was going to need a new tranmission. The next day I babied it to a very reputable (30+ years in business) transmission shop 11 miles from my home. Mind you I had never received any indicator or warning lights of any kind and was caught completely off-gaurd. On July 25th the shop contacted me and was indeed going to have to replace the transmission and were having extreme difficulty finding a remanufactured one and it was probably going to cost around $5000 to $6000 dollars to replace. They even contacted Ram about a factory transmission and were told it would be around $10000 and they already had 1100 on backorder ahead of me!! The shop finally located one from a supplier that they were familiar with and they would probably have it in 2 weeks for a price of $7500 plus another $2000 for labor and taxes!!!! The shop contacted me today, August 17th, to tell me that they had hoped they would be able to use the original cooler but that it was bad and would have to be replaced along with 2 new transmission lines that were on backorder and would be another month wait! By the time all is said and done I'm going to have around $10000 in the frigging transmission!! My 5 year warranty expired last October. Fortunately for me I'm retired and my daughter and her husband have a car I can borrow until I finally get my truck back sometime in September!! Totally fed UP!!!!

 

[Sixtime43]

Yep, it's like that with all manufacturers right now in the auto industry. For whatever reason they cannot seem to recover from the Covid garbage like most other business have been able to do. My bet is, they are throwing way to many resources and money at electrifying their vehicles, and letting stuff like parts manufacturing, etc.. slip. The Union is probably adding fuel to that fire too... they suck!

 

[18CrewDually]

If Delaware isn't too far for you I'd contact Muldoons. They have these transmissions dialed and has parts usually in stock. In your case you'd schedule with them directly to have one installed.

Stage 1 68RFE - 500 WHP

In House Installs Only - Contact Us to check scheduled installation lead time before ordering. To schedule an installation date, a non refundable deposit of $500.00 is required. Prior to purchasing, please review our 68RFE Pre-Purchase Instructions / Criteria Please note, installed cost $7935.00...

www.muldoonsdiesel.com

 

[Burla]

Well, in the future dont let anyone tell you need something of it aint showing signs, more then something sounded like a heat shield. Just say'n.

Look into thermo bypass with that rfe.

 

[Akp60]

I too have just spent just shy of 8,000 bucks on a new transmission for my 2018 2500 Ram. I bought it two years ago from a dealer with about 80,000 miles on it. I felt it shifted hard, intermittently in low gears. It also had a hard reverse shift. Dealer assured me all was well. It’s just a big engine. …..ok?. I guess.. I’m no mechanic. So Just over the 100K mark my check engine light pops on. Repair facility ( NOT A DEALERSHIP) told me I needed a new transmission. It would go 6 months or six days. But eventually, it’s got to be addressed. Problems not going away. So logically I’ve dropped the money for the repair.

I’m supremely disappointed in this truck, the dealerships I used for maintenance, and the warranty division that wouldn’t accept an extended warranty application for the year of the truck. I now understand why.

I used it lightly to tow a camper in some elevation and on freeways. Nothing outlandish at all.
my 2010 Silverado has 235000 on it and is as strong as ever. I never thought I would buy a Ram and wish I had not. however, I now have this beast and wish to understand what could have happened and why this year and make of truck, with such a good reputation, bit the dust when it seems like it should have a ton of life left.

 

[mtofell]

The tranny in my 2014 has failed twice (38K and 90K miles) and the engine went at 120K. Too bad Honda and Toyota never got into the HD truck market.

 

[Burla]

The time to come here is before you pay the dealer to fix it. There are weaknesses you could have addressed without replacing the transmission, especially since you have the rfe my guess.

Learn about those weaknesses here, plug and play valve body you dont even need to drop the trans, just the pan.

Product Overview: ATS 68RFE Valve Body and ATS Co-Pilot

Clint Cannon, President of ATS, describes the inherent weaknesses of the 68RFE (545RFE, too) valve body. This is a comprehensive overview of the numerous pro...

youtu.be

 

[Akp60]

Wow. Not a surprise. Manufacturers using subpar aluminum which warps. Appreciate the heads up. realistically, not many of the motoring public has the knowledge, or tools, or facility to tackle a job like that. And quite frankly, why would we. For the cost of these vehicles, the consumer should be sold a unit that last for many years and miles. The throw away society we operate in isn’t acceptable. But the manufacturers make money on parts and lending. No longer is the original product the bead and butter of the auto industry. Shameful corporate greed.

 

[jejb]

I too have just spent just shy of 8,000 bucks on a new transmission for my 2018 2500 Ram. I bought it two years ago from a dealer with about 80,000 miles on it. I felt it shifted hard, intermittently in low gears. It also had a hard reverse shift. Dealer assured me all was well. It’s just a big engine. …..ok?. I guess.. I’m no mechanic. So Just over the 100K mark my check engine light pops on. Repair facility ( NOT A DEALERSHIP) told me I needed a new transmission. It would go 6 months or six days. But eventually, it’s got to be addressed. Problems not going away. So logically I’ve dropped the money for the repair.

I’m supremely disappointed in this truck, the dealerships I used for maintenance, and the warranty division that wouldn’t accept an extended warranty application for the year of the truck. I now understand why.

I used it lightly to tow a camper in some elevation and on freeways. Nothing outlandish at all.
my 2010 Silverado has 235000 on it and is as strong as ever. I never thought I would buy a Ram and wish I had not. however, I now have this beast and wish to understand what could have happened and why this year and make of truck, with such a good reputation, bit the dust when it seems like it should have a ton of life left.

The information under your avatar says you have a 6.7l gas hemi. That's a little confusing because the Cummins in the 2500 is the 6.7l motor, the hemi is 6.4l. So which do you have?

At any rate, you bought a truck with 80K on it that already had a noticeable tranny problem. I don't really see how you can blame Ram for this. Someone was unloading their problem on a dealer and you took it off the dealers hands. Could have been owned by a street light to street light street racer type originally. Not trying to be harsh, but who knows how the truck was used/abused before you ended up with it.

 

[jws123]

I too have just spent just shy of 8,000 bucks on a new transmission for my 2018 2500 Ram. I bought it two years ago from a dealer with about 80,000 miles on it. I felt it shifted hard, intermittently in low gears. It also had a hard reverse shift. Dealer assured me all was well. It’s just a big engine. …..ok?. I guess.. I’m no mechanic. So Just over the 100K mark my check engine light pops on. Repair facility ( NOT A DEALERSHIP) told me I needed a new transmission. It would go 6 months or six days. But eventually, it’s got to be addressed. Problems not going away. So logically I’ve dropped the money for the repair.

I’m supremely disappointed in this truck, the dealerships I used for maintenance, and the warranty division that wouldn’t accept an extended warranty application for the year of the truck. I now understand why.

I used it lightly to tow a camper in some elevation and on freeways. Nothing outlandish at all.
my 2010 Silverado has 235000 on it and is as strong as ever. I never thought I would buy a Ram and wish I had not. however, I now have this beast and wish to understand what could have happened and why this year and make of truck, with such a good reputation, bit the dust when it seems like it should have a ton of life left.

Someone must of towed alot/beat the crap out of it before you bought it from that dealer most people only trade vehicles in because they are trying to hide something you would be suprised at some of the crap we get in. Alot of the time a dealer will detail it have a mechanic look it over real quick and thats it unless its being sold as a certified pre owned was yours?

 

[Akp60]

My bad. Typo. 6.4L. Truck has so much power and ride is good. strongest truck I’ve owned until it pooped out. Like I’ve said. I’m not a mechanic. I go with advice from others who are much more knowledgeable about vehicle. I’ve always been a Chevy owner other than a short stint with a Tundra (pretty truck but was not impressed)

 

[Akp60]

Thank you for your reply. I was thinking that had to be the problem, or I got a lemon and then I saw several posts on transmissions pooping out. The repairman where I’m getting my truck fixed, paused when I told him where I purchased my truck. Just sickening to throw so much money into a vehicle. I’m retired and was hoping to have a reliable,affordable truck for the duration

 

[Akp60]

In answer to the certified preowned :yes it was. I also bought a warranty. One for the exterior pain, which is not worth the money because the dealership no longer uses that company and I have not found one who know a thing about ExoGloss. I have rust stating on my wheel wells and some bubbling on the rear quarter panels.

 

[Akp60]

Ya I’m feeling like I got duped. And you’re probably right. How one chooses to take care of their vehicles (or anything) really makes a difference. I’m pretty **** about how I take care of everything. I expected anyone would take care of their vehicle if only for the amount of money it costs to buy one.

I got a new transmission with a three year warranty/ 100k mlies. I want to make sure it lasts as with everything else on my truck.

 

[06 Dodge]

In answer to the certified preowned :yes it was. I also bought a warranty. One for the exterior pain, which is not worth the money because the dealership no longer uses that company and I have not found one who know a thing about ExoGloss. I have rust stating on my wheel wells and some bubbling on the rear quarter panels.

You said it was a certified preowned so I would have thought it had a warranty and if so who was the machinal warranty company and why did they not cover at least some of the transmission repair cost? The last time I traded in a Dodge vehicle to a dealer in 2017 for the dealer to sell our trade as a certified Dodge vehicle and carry a certified Mopar warranty the OD had to read under 40K, so I was surprised to read yours was listed a certified preowned at 80K...

 

[18CrewDually]

You said it was a certified preowned so I would have thought it had a warranty and if so who was the machinal warranty company and why did they not cover at least some of the transmission repair cost? The last time I traded in a Dodge vehicle to a dealer in 2017 for the dealer to sell our trade as a certified Dodge vehicle and carry a certified Mopar warranty the OD had to read under 40K, so I was surprised to read yours was listed a certified preowned at 80K...

He did state just over 100k is when the MIL came on and was told he needed a trans. He would be out of the warranty anyways.

 

[06 Dodge]

He did state just over 100k is when the MIL came on and was told he needed a trans. He would be out of the warranty anyways.

But he could of had an extended 125K warranty so its why I asked