I have a 2013 DRW with the maximum tow package and th Aisin transmission. On my last trip I was hauling my race trailer which is less that 10K pounds. The truck seemed to struggle going up hills and would actually seem to shake and groan on long hills. The truck just seemed to struggle with the load. Well I parked the truck and didn't drive it for a couple weeks. It didn't not want to move when I drove it next. Made an appointment with the dealer a couple weeks later and had to push the gas pedal four or five times before the truck would move. The diagnosis is a bad torque converter. Has anyone else had this issue or heard of this? The service manager tells me he has seen this several times. Surprised me to have problems with the Aisin especially seeing how the truck barely has 9K miles and I have not tows over 10K pounds.

 

This is the first I have heard of any issues at all like this. Personally since its a new truck under warranty I wouldn't have waited so long to take it in and if it was having issues like you say I wouldn't have kept towing. Engine, mods, what have you done or is it stock? Very odd for a torque converter issue and no warning lights. These trucks will warn you if it detects an issue and tells you to stop if an overheat condition arises. I have rarely seen a torque converter go like that unless being abused. Were you running tow/haul mode, not sure if you have a diesel or gasser as you said "gas" pedal. If it wouldn't go and took so many pushes of the pedal to make it go I definitely wouldn't have driven it. Not trying to be a jerk or anything, just from experience and your lack of detail I usually find operator error in these cases, don't get me wrong, not saying anything against you, just need more info. What speeds were you towing at?
Sorry to hear of the bad luck. Hate to hear of any issues at all when you already have so much money invested in something.
On the opposite hand how good is your dealer, do you trust what they are saying or is it possible there is an actual transmission problem and they are just blowing smoke? I question the manager claiming he has seen this many times or deems it a common problem.
I personally saw something similar to this a couple years ago and it turned out the guy was towing heavy, running overdrive on a lot of hills and kept his foot resting right against the brake pedal constantly bumping it causing the brake pedal switch to click on and off, consequently causing the TC lockup solenoid to keep going on and off and eventually burned his converter.

 

No worries, I do not take offense to the questions. The truck was parked immediately after the trip and I didn't tow with it after returning from my trip. The truck is completely stock and I did not tow in excess of 75 mph going down hill but usually keep my speed around 68 which is where I seem to get the best gas milage plus I am in no hurry. I speed when I get to the track. I always use the tow haul mode and the exhaust brake. When I first noticed the delay in moving I though it might be my imagination and the truck performed fine though I wasn't towing. There were no warning lights or anything to indicate an issue. The more I thought about it the more it bothered me which is why I met with the service manager. When I took the truck to the dealership it really didn't want to move but it finally did. Once it did it ran fine and performed normally. The service manager is the only person I feel I can trust at this dealership, which is a story for another day. He indicated he had seen this before and said that some converters were leaking down which is why the truck was slow to respond after sitting. When I took it to the dealership the tuck had been sitting for a little over 2 weeks. If I drove it every day I doubt I would have had time to leak down. The service manager indicated when testing it didn't have as bad of a stall as I told him about but did notice a drop in line pressure when testing. He also said the truck was sluggish while road testing.

I searched and didn't find anyone posting and issue with the Aisin trans which is why I opted for the upgrade.

 

I like you already and never met in person, thanks. Sometimes it's hard to read someone and people will take things the wrong way. I'm not easily offended but have had some take immediate offense to typed words, I dunno why. Glad you trust your service manager, trust me I understand. It definitely is hard to find someone who doesn't just want money or what's best for them and screw the customer. The leakdown of the converter makes perfect sense, explains the problem to a T. Not enough fluid, not enough pressure = auto tranny paper weight.... must have been a bad couple of converters I'm guessing? Other than this I have found, seen and experienced nothing but good things of the aisin and everyone wants it. Now I am wondering about mine..... just bought a brand new 14 fully loaded Laramie limited crew, 6.7, 4x4, aisin, 3.42's and only got barely under 1000 miles on it. 2 tanks of fuel, not quite thru the second, no regens and no DEF used..... only a few hundred miles towing. Question for you if you can remember, once in a while I will accelerate, let off and it will kinda shudder as it goes to torque lockup if I'm not on the throttle. Did yours happen to start out like that?
Let me know how everything goes, hope they fix it and get you Rollin again soon.

 

The only time my truck shuddered was on long steep hills through the mountains. I would let off a bit and it would go away and I would not push the truck over the hill. The service manager tells me the torque converter is on national back order but they are supposed to get one on Thursday. I am hopeful this fixes me up!

 

Scarlet HO:

Man, I am sorry to hear about the TC in your Aisin failing with such low mileage! Your post is one of the first I have heard of a TC failing in an
Aisin Transmission! But apparently since your service manager said "has seen it before" it is not an isolated problem.

I have been driving Dodge CTD Pickups since 1992 and looked hard at the new 4th Gen Dodge CTD CR 6.7 2500 Pickups. But one of the reasons I didn't buy one is because of the numerous problems many of my friends have had with their 68RFE transmissions! Now, with your report of the TC failure on an Aisin, that is definitely NOT good news.

Good luck with your repair!

--------
John_P

 

Well hopefully it comes in on time and you get it back on the road quick and no more issues. Glad I got the add on warranty now.

 

Update:

Still waiting on parts. Service department told me to come get the truck for my trip this weekend. My response was give it to me in writing that I will not be held liable should it totally crater my trans. Amazingly the dodge rep approved a heavy duty rental. Earliest the part will be here is 9/3.

 

Update:

Just spoke with the service department about my truck. The part was supposed to be here this week but was just told no part with no end in site as to when the part will come in. Very frustrating in that they have had my truck for over 30 days now and no end in site.

 

I believe in many places you'd qualify for a new one under the Lemon Law. At least start calling Chrysler everyday.

 

You know there is no reason ram can't get you a simple tq overnight!! This makes me mad just hearing about it

 

One would think it wouldn't be that difficult to get a part. I have considered the lemon law if things rock on much longer. Like I told them yesterday, it would be nice to see the truck I am paying for and be able to use it. Unsettling to hear there isn't projected time where my truck will be fixed and they have had it since the first of August.

 

I went by the dealership for a face-2-face this morning. They are showing the part should be here on the 9th. Told them if it was not here by then my expectations were to put me in a new truck. Service manager told me that the help line tried to tell him it was normal to take up to 10 minutes to get a truck to move that sits a lot. Further went on to tell him that I needed to change how I tow my race truck. He said he gave them a good piece of his mind and that was the dumbest thing he has ever heard. So I now at least have a date. If the date is missed then we take a more serious step with Dodge. The other tidbit of info was Chrysler is about to go public with their stock so they are sitting on the reserves until after that, or so they tell me. We shall see next week.

 

hhmmm... OP, did the groaning shudder come in when towing and the converter went to lockup?

 

Yes that is when it happened. Pulling long hills trans would down shift noise and shudder.