Offroad9

I recently purchased a 2005 Dodge 3500 4X4 equiped with the Cummins diesel and 4 speed automatic 48re. I tow a 15,000 lb fifth wheel and the transmission will not allow me to lock out the overdrive. The tow/haul button is automaticly overridden by the computer. Dodge has informed me this is a new mod to this transmission for 2005. Has anyone found a way to override this feature to allow the overdrive to be locked out?

Dan_K

I have the same complaint, this feature is a PITA.
Complain to the dealer when you take it in for service.
DK

Offroad9

What does PITA stand for?
Did your dealer fix the problem?

Smkndzl

LOL pita = pain in the a#@

LOL= laughing out loud

bluepp

We been discussing this problem on several diferent diesel sites ,on several different threads.
The dealers all act dumb about it. Star( reserch and development for Dodge) claimes the computer is so smart it'll be in the right gear at all times!!! HAHA When tow haul is activated the shift points are raised up the RPM range, for better acceleration under load. The best and easiest fix for this would be to reflash the computer,( while in tow haul ) so the 3rd to 4th shift point would be at 70 mph . That way you could cruise at anything under 70 and it would stay in 3rd. If you wanted overdrive at a slower speed you just push the tow haul button OUT and the unit would go back to stock shift point.

Thats the fix but it aint going to happen unless enough guys ***** at the dealers.
Personally I backed away from buying a 2005 just because of this .

white Lightning

All the tow haul button is supposed to do is lock up the torque converter.....When you are cruising and let off the fuel the truck usually returns to an idle....when you are in tow haul it keeps the torque converter locked in that gear so that you don't have slippage.....If you want to stay in 3rd gear just keep on the fuel...it will hold you there....I had this complaint when i frist bought the truck....it has begun to grow on me....let me know what you think...it helps slow down too

John Rodriguez

White Lightning, the previous year trucks, including the 04.5, lock out od and lockup the tc. The 05's don't have this feature.

Offroad9

Thanks for the replies. I ended up having the dealer unwind my deal

thejeepdude

FWIW, I've towed 10K through the mountains on several ocassions, and I LOVE the way the new tow/haul feature works. When I'm coming up to a long uphill grade that I know it won't pull in OD, I just double-tap the switch and it will go to 3rd locked. It will stay there until I crest the next hill, at which point it will go back into OD with no interaction. If I need compression braking on the way down the other side, I just double-tap again (turn tow/haul off then on) and it'll hit 3rd locked and stay there as long as my speed is over the cruise control set speed. If I REALLY want to slow down, I shift into 2nd. It will keep it in 3rd locked until the speed is slow enough and then it'll stay in 2nd locked. I just can't wait until the exhaust brake approval is complete... the new flash should be even better!

pecandude1

bump

one tonne

So if I set the cruise at say 25mph and double bump the t/h button it will stay locked up in third??? even if I have to use the throttle at times going down grades.

ASHNBAK

No. Anytime you engage the T/H feature and your rpm's are in a safe range, the transmission will downshift into 3rd gear from OD. You can use this feature to simulate the OD lockout feature, but the trans will shift back into OD if you apply too light of a throttle. It's not perfect, but doing this does help a little. When towing in hills I keep the T/H off and engage it when I need the downshift. It'll hold the gear as long as I need it, most of the time.

one tonne

This cant be that hard to figure out, I don't want to lock up in every gear; I just don't want it to go into o/d while in tow/Haul mode, maybeJohn Rodrigues can help us out here; from the post I read on figuring out how to lock even in first gear, I think this also can be done,I,m thinking that we find a wire that when in the t/h mode is activated the trans will not shift into o/d. then when we want o/d we simply go back to regular drive.Maybe the wire we pick when in tow/haul could somehow trick the speed or rpm sensor so it simply thinks I'm not going fast enough to shift into o/d. this way I don't think were hurting the trans.at all, were not forcing it to stay locked up just telling it thats as far as you go.This is one were going to have to figure out D.C. sure isn't going to.

J BODY

You're barking up the wrong tree if you think B'n & M'n at the dealer level is going to change the 05 shift stradegy. We can't do a thing for it other than put you in a 06. Personally I haven't run into many complaints over the ability to lockout od. We don't design trucks or shift strategy at the dealer so I'm not sure who the "dumb" one is here......and STAR is a TECH center, not a R&D for DC. They have to put up with ill designs just as much as the rest of us.

bigdav160

Right-On J Body. What do ya'll think the tech's at the dealer can write custom programs for your truck? Good Luck.

The dealers can update the software in the computer with what DC gives them.

Just for clarification, that is not correct. The "tow/haul" function increases line pressure, modifies shift points, and brings on additional components (bands) in the transmission that provide engine braking.