Extremely loud clunk when shifting into drive/reverse

[ericd]

Hey guys. Whenever I shift into drive or reverse from park, there is an extremely loud clunk/bang when the gear engages. Should this be a completely silent process? Any ideas on what the issue may be? I feel like there’s been a lot of random clunking and banging in various locations in these trucks. I can’t remember if this one has been diagnosed yet. I attached a video with the sound. It's much louder than what the video portrays.
Thanks

 

[Sultanobaidan]

Hey guys. Whenever I shift into drive or reverse from park, there is an extremely loud clunk/bang when the gear engages. Should this be a completely silent process? Any ideas on what the issue may be? I feel like there’s been a lot of random clunking and banging in various locations in these trucks. I can’t remember if this one has been diagnosed yet. I attached a video with the sound. It's much louder than what the video portrays.
Thanks

Many people had issues with the automatic transmission. I luckily didn't have much of a problem. I think its a problem with the ECU programming. You might have to take it in. Maybe it would help if you get a pulsar Diablo. Increase your performance and might get rid of the problem but don't take my word for it. I'm not a mechanic and I dont want to void your warranty. Hopefully you will find a solution. Please let us know when you find a solution.

Sent from my SM-G986B using Tapatalk

 

[SD Rebel]

I wonder if it's the driveline instead of the transmission itself, maybe some play between the two-piece driveshaft, rear end and it's connection to the transmission. Makes sense it would make the noise between the two most far away gears instead of park to drive or park to reverse for example?

 

[RamCares]

Hey guys. Whenever I shift into drive or reverse from park, there is an extremely loud clunk/bang when the gear engages. Should this be a completely silent process? Any ideas on what the issue may be? I feel like there’s been a lot of random clunking and banging in various locations in these trucks. I can’t remember if this one has been diagnosed yet. I attached a video with the sound. It's much louder than what the video portrays.
Thanks

Hi @ericd - We certainly understand why this would be concerning. If you are not able to determine a solution based on suggestions from fellow forum members and you decide to address this with your Ram dealer, please be sure to follow up with us via private message. We would be more than happy to provide you with an additional layer of support for the dealer process.

Mark
RamCares

 

[ericd]

I wonder if it's the driveline instead of the transmission itself, maybe some play between the two-piece driveshaft, rear end and it's connection to the transmission. Makes sense it would make the noise between the two most far away gears instead of park to drive or park to reverse for example?

actually its happening when it IS park to drive & park to reverse

 

[Wreckm]

I have the same issue on my 20 etoque rebel.
Its just like parking on a hill without putting the e brake on and you get that clunk shifting out of park.
Its just happening on a flat surface.

 

[popcenator]

I think it's in the programming. I got the latest TCM update a couple weeks ago and the shift was pretty seemless at first, but now there's a clunk again. The shifting was also pretty smooth but has since become less smooth.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Dookie]

Weird, and not normal, should be silent. See here,------> https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/directory-of-service-bulletins-recalls-ram-1500.775/
may be a TSB for it, but regardless, you need to take it in.

 

[ericd]

Weird, and not normal, should be silent. See here,------> https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/directory-of-service-bulletins-recalls-ram-1500.775/
may be a TSB so it, but regardless, you need to take it in.

thanks. thats what I was mostly wondering. What the actual amount of noise should be

 

[ericd]

I have the same issue on my 20 etoque rebel.
Its just like parking on a hill without putting the e brake on and you get that clunk shifting out of park.
Its just happening on a flat surface.

yea that could be it. I notice it more when im on my slightly hilly driveway in the morning

 

[TruckDriver]

yea that could be it. I notice it more when im on my slightly hilly driveway in the morning

Try engaging your ebrake before going from D>P when you pull into your driveway - then when you shift from P>D w/ebrake engaged (or try the auto engage), it'll help confirm if it's noise from the parking pawl disengaging. I have a decent slope to my driveway and park in reverse, I use auto-park brake to save the hassle of remembering to engage/disengage it

 

[ericd]

Try engaging your ebrake before going from D>P when you pull into your driveway - then when you shift from P>D w/ebrake engaged (or try the auto engage), it'll help confirm if it's noise from the parking pawl disengaging. I have a decent slope to my driveway and park in reverse, I use auto-park brake to save the hassle of remembering to engage/disengage it

So if it goes away using the e brake, it would point to the pawl? Also I’m not familiar with the automatic e brake. Does that just engage if it detects it’s on a hill or just anytime you park it kicks on

 

[TruckDriver]

So if it goes away using the e brake, it would point to the pawl? Also I’m not familiar with the automatic e brake. Does that just engage if it detects it’s on a hill or just anytime you park it kicks on

It's a good indication if you use the ebrake and it doesn't clunk when shifting off Park - that the pawl has weight resting on it - all my auto's do this on the slope of my driveway, so I'm in the habit of pulling the ebrake on those vehicles before shifting from Reverse or Drive (if i nosed in our out when parking), then when leaving, shift to my drive gear, and then undo the ebrake... which is what the auto-parking brake does in any condition (it doesn't look for slope).

ebrake isn't a bad thing to always engage, it's actually called a 'parking brake' in the manual

 

[ericd]

It's a good indication if you use the ebrake and it doesn't clunk when shifting off Park - that the pawl has weight resting on it - all my auto's do this on the slope of my driveway, so I'm in the habit of pulling the ebrake on those vehicles before shifting from Reverse or Drive (if i nosed in our out when parking), then when leaving, shift to my drive gear, and then undo the ebrake... which is what the auto-parking brake does in any condition (it doesn't look for slope).

ebrake isn't a bad thing to always engage, it's actually called a 'parking brake' in the manual

ok thanks. ill give it a shot. So if its determined its the pawl, should it still be making that clunk or would I want to get it looked at still?

 

[TruckDriver]

I listened to your video a few times with headphones and it's hard to tell how much of that is a thump vs metallic clunk, plus the video shake when it happens makes it look very rough. So that said - I'd compare w/ and w/o ebrake on flats and on incline - if the ebrake solves it, then it could be pawl clearance, but I'd like someone to check me on that - if ebrake doesn't make it disappear (mine does not do that ever since I used the ebrake), then I'd def visit a dealer

 

[ericd]

I listened to your video a few times with headphones and it's hard to tell how much of that is a thump vs metallic clunk, plus the video shake when it happens makes it look very rough. So that said - I'd compare w/ and w/o ebrake on flats and on incline - if the ebrake solves it, then it could be pawl clearance, but I'd like someone to check me on that - if ebrake doesn't make it disappear (mine does not do that ever since I used the ebrake), then I'd def visit a dealer

Ok cool. I’ll test it out. I guess my question is what is the proper functioning of the pawl supposed to be? When it’s used is it supposed to make that type of noise? It’s really really loud? Should a pawl engage silently?

 

[ericd]

I listened to your video a few times with headphones and it's hard to tell how much of that is a thump vs metallic clunk, plus the video shake when it happens makes it look very rough. So that said - I'd compare w/ and w/o ebrake on flats and on incline - if the ebrake solves it, then it could be pawl clearance, but I'd like someone to check me on that - if ebrake doesn't make it disappear (mine does not do that ever since I used the ebrake), then I'd def visit a dealer

And on a side note. When the video shakes that’s actually the clunk shaking the truck. It’s that rough

 

[silver billet]

That brings back bad memories. Mine did that occasionally months ago. I've since gotten in the habit of preventing it, by enabling auto-park, and then following this process:

- come to a complete stop, keep foot on brake
- shift to neutral, wait a second+, slightly lift off brake (truck might just inch forward or backward with brake lightly applied in neutral)
- shift to park, wait for parking brake to auto engage
- let go of brake

Then when hopping in truck to take off, just put on brake, drop it in drive and park brake disables and ready to roll. No clunk.

I don't know why that works, just that that series of steps prevents it. There may be a better/quicker way of doing it, that works for me 100%.

 

[TruckDriver]

Ok cool. I’ll test it out. I guess my question is what is the proper functioning of the pawl supposed to be? When it’s used is it supposed to make that type of noise? It’s really really loud? Should a pawl engage silently?

Well the pawl makes sound when it's resting on the trans' output shaft to lock rotation (wikipedia) - that said, if there's any weight on it, you may hear a clunk if there's sustained weight during disengagement.. so overall, silent yes, unless there's weight on it which will happen depending on slope

And on a side note. When the video shakes that’s actually the clunk shaking the truck. It’s that rough

oof - that's a lot of weight on the pawl, again, the 'best shot' of testing if it's weight on the pawl is D>N>engage ebrake>release footbrake slighly to allow any rocking to be taken up by the ebrake >P. That's what I use in my MDX on a slope because there's so much slop in the eBrake and even when I go from D>ebrake>P.

Now obviously that's not what you want to have to do every time - just a way to test the hypothesis. If that results in no sound, then it's def weight on the pawl.

If you go D>ebrake>P and get a slight clunk, then ebrake might be slipping a bit. if you get a lot of clunk, then either ebrake isn't holding or pawl is misaligned or more....

I was raised on the scientific method, so I'm all about methodical testing to get to the root of the cause; very interested to know what all goes on just out of curiosity now

 

[Dookie]

When I select the auto parking brake feature in settings and place the gear selector in P(ark) the parking brake engages like it should, but I have to manually disengage it. I thought it would auto disengage when shifting out of P(ark) to D(rive) or R(everse). Is mine working correctly or incorrectly?

Edit: Found my flaw. The seatbelt wasn't buckled. I looked in the manual to find my answer.
From manual:
The park brake will release automatically when the ignition
is ON, the transmission is in DRIVE or REVERSE, the driver
seat belt is buckled, and an attempt is made to drive away.