Hi everyone, just stumbled across this forum late last week and have found it to be quite helpful.

I just got my 1st diesel a 2007 Dodge 2500 CTD (5.9 auto) so everything is still stock. Well we've had a couple of issues and I decided since the dealer said it was just normal I'd come here first.

Ok, the problem. Sometimes the truck feels like it is hopping and/or spinning the back tires. Not sure exactly how to describe it, I guess hopping would be a bit more accurate. It does this on occasion. Well, this morning on the way into work the "check gages light" came on again for the second time (1st time dealer said everything checked out fine, no problems). I didn't think to much of it the 1st time, but now thinking back the truck had been doing the "hopping" when it came on as well. A little more information, I also notice that when this happens engine seems to be reving much higher than normal and not shifting normally (this happens in normal mode and tow/haul).

So, with that little bit of information can anyone point me in the right direction to help me help the dealer fix the issue?

Thanks!

Edit: Truck: 2007 Short Box, Quad Cab, 5.9 auto, 4x4, bright silver, no mods

 

No one has any ideas or comments?

 

Were you making a hard right or left turn when you felt the hopping?

 

Only making a mild turns, although it has happened on a straight-away as well.

I've read alot about the U-Joints and thought that might be the problem, but the fact that the check gages light came on at the same time leads me to think of something else...what I have no clue.

 

does the truck have limited slip in the rear???

 

Drop the truck off at my house for a couple months and I'll get you a diagnoses and fix the problem free of charge.

 

How many miles? My 06 did this for the first couple months i had it. i think the rear end loosened up and is never does it anymore.

 

Thanks all for the help so far!

Unsure about the limited slip, I'll check after work.

As for dropping it off PourinDiesel, I'm all for it provided I have something that will pull my 31 foot trailer like that diesel will, and that the problem gets fixed :P

I only have 550 miles on it, so perhaps things will indeed loosen up.

I'll be taking it into the dealership today folks, I'll keep you posted with what they say abou the hopping and the check gages light. Any more ideas or questions are welcome so that I can help point them in the right direction.

 

The LS is was I was leaning towards but the fact that it does it going straight is strange. I know my dually bounces around a lot in the rear. The suspension is just too tight......

 

What does the tach do when you have the hopping problem?

 

RPM's seemed to be mid to high 2000, maybe low 3's. As a note, I was not "getting onto it" or really doing much more than trying to accelerate with traffic. Shifting did seem a little "rough" compared to normal, but I've only had this truck a couple of weeks, so normal is hard to define.

 

Those RPM's are pretty much maxing out the engine, and you probably have somewhat higher standards of "getting into it" than most other poeple. You're making peak TQ and peak HP at those RPMs, and your wheels will hop in turns as your limited slip diff tries to distribute the torque evenly between them. Even on flats you could get some wheel hop as your tires try to spin out under that power.

 

Well I guess it's possible that maybe I'm putting the gas down harder than I thought, but most of the time cars are passing me off of the line (I'm usually not in a big hurry anyway). However, what you're saying does make sense. Though if that's the case, would that possibly cause some problems within the engine (unable to fully distribute thus causing mis-fires or something of the like) that could throw out a check engine light?

 

He's now discovering the torque monster!!!! On my 06 standard, I always had to be careful not to spin the wheels & it was DWD. Those other people that are beating you off the line are jack rabbit starts & those are the ones you see a little puff of blue smoke come out of when they say rabbit.

 

Ok, so I picked my truck up yesterday, and here's what they found...

After a complete rundown, they found that the check gages light was from a solenoid sensor for bad performance. With the information I gave them about the hopping, they eventually checked the transmission fluid level and found that it wasn't where it was "supposed" to be. They filled that up and tested, cleared the logs and gave me back my truck.

I guess with level being lower than normal it was causing the transmission to not want to shift the correct way, which caused poor performance and thus the check gages light.

So being me...I asked, isn't that all standard prep work for a sale...boy the looks that I got. Anyway, so far the truck seems to be running great. Will find out this weekend when I take it from Illinois to Ohio.

Thanks all for the help!