I've owned my 2005 Ram Quad Cab 4X4 CTD 48RE since new (12000 miles) and am more than pleased with the mileage and power. I do have an annoying problem that's getting worse and not acknowledged by the dealer.

Whenever I start from a stop at light to moderate throttle, the truck will sometimes shift very hard from first to third gear, then shift to second after a few seconds. It's annoying and my passengers are starting to notice the bucking too. Sometimes the tranny will act confused and shift back and forth a few times before holding a gear.

I've had it to a dealer and they couldn't duplicate the problem and treated me like I'm nuts. Anyone else have a strange shifting automatic at part throttle?

Thanks,
Vance

 

I would say there may be a problem. However using moderate power from a stop does make it shift very firm and hard and that is normal. The shifting to 3rd and then back to second isnt normal at all and they should address that problem.

I dont think there are any electronics hooked to the tranny at all I could be wrong but it sounds like something inside like the valve body itself.

 

I have an 2004 I brought it to the dealer when i first got it for the same prob you have.

The mechanic rode with me with his coputer hooked up to my truck. {Since i can duplicate the prob anytime i want} I did just that he looked at me and said that is normal it is the wast gate opening up letting the turbo blow by then shutting the gate it is a safety feature for the tranny. I then went to the sales department and test drove 2 brand new cummins and they both did the same thing. It takes some getting use to.

 

I have the cure are you ready for it .......................................... Just do what I do Hold it to the floor!!!! Then it shifts fine...

 

does the wastegate opening make much noise?? I have the hard shift occasionally, but have just started to get a clunk when shifting to overdrive while towing about 10k. Boost is around 18-20 then drops abruptly to 10-12 when this clunk happens....

 

Mine does the same thing. I don't think the 2003s have electronic wastegate control, so when my torque converter locks in overdrive I get the clunk and an immediate drop in boost. I believe the drop in boost is the result of the sudden drop in RPMs when the converter locks and then it takes a while to build RPMs and boost again.

Mine also can't figure out if it wants to be in 2nd or 3rd either, but I haven't been back to the dealer yet. I'm almost to 30K miles so I'll take it then.

 

I figured it may be the wastegate because it sounds like it comes from the engine area. It is very intermittent and has only happened while I have been on this towing trip for the last week. Sorta unnerving the first time...thought we hit something. I may stop into the next dealership I come across just to be sure.

 

I have had it happen 2 times. I noticed if it is really hot outside, 98 degrees, Idle in the drive way. without the Air condition on, it sometime will shift very hard from first to second. then hard from second to thrid sometimes it will down shift hard as well. I noticed the gas pedal gets harder to press as well. Could it be my wastgate?

 

My 2003 did the same thing and at first the dealer thought I was nuts too since they could not duplicate it. Keep going back to complain and at last the mechanic was able to duplicate it. At first they said it was a software problem, but that that didn't fix it. All pressure readings were good, now this is where a good mechanic comes into play, he believed that shims on the converter was incorrect, Dodge HQ said no and to just change the transmission, after much arguing he won out and sure enough he was right. After he corrected this problem, still involves removing tranny, everything worked great.

 

i bought the powerpup downloader in feb. and installed it when i got home the first week in march(i work out of town)
the trans was doing fine
in may i stacked and had a torque converter and vb put in
since the install, when i try to baby the truck every now and then it will do some funny shifting. it acts like it upshifts to fast and then downshifts.
when i get on it hard it shifts fine, and when i am barely putting it does fine also
it is only when i accellerate light to moderate
does anyone have any input on this???

 

My '03 47RE did that too. The program in the TCM for the '03 47RE is like 48RE. Very unlike the 47RE that was in my '01.5. They should have stayed with the '01.5 program for all of them in my humble opinion. It was like tow/haul mode all the time and it never stumbled like the '03 did. Like you, I could make it do it. And like you, they said it was normal. It did it for the 44k miles I had it. I don't think it's a tranny problem but a program glitch in the TCM. Probalby won't hurt anything but it sure was annoying.

 

Greyrig - I'm having the same problem. Shifting was fine while stock. Then I had a TC & VB installed. Now I'm dealing with a lot of hunting between 2 & 3 and 3 to 4 is more of a jolt than a shift. Under light throttle and heavy throttle all shifts are fine. But with light to moderate throttle (towing or empty) usually between 25 & 35 mph this transmission is totally confused. The tranny shop that I'm working with is trying to get it right but it's frustrating as hell.

 

I have similar occurances. Slow, it shifts fine. Hard, it shifts fine. But it's when I'm cruising in a parking lot or block to block it will knock when it shifts into 2nd. Does anyone think that since so many people have this that it's either a mass defect or just normal?? Heh until it breaks I'm not stressin. I've only had it for 5 weeks and I'm still smoldering over the fact that I could have gotten a new one for 2k more... DAM EMPLOYEE DISCOUNT! I also hear now that HP computer is offering the same. What's the world coming too

 

I just had to replace the direct drive drum because it was cracked, thus not holding pressure. The lack of pressure resulted in burning up the bands. I hope the hunting didn't cause the crack.

 

goggleyed- please let me know what the deal is when you find something out
it only does it every now and then
it really bothers me alot
the guy i bought the stuff from told me that alot of dodges are having the same prob. he said it was some thing to do with the computer