Recommendations for disabling MDS?

[Smigeons]

Recently got my first RAM truck, coming from a chevy. Had problems with the chevy 5.3 and their AFM system. Saw that Dodge's MDS also has its problems and want a good reliable way to disable it

 

[Jarodm06]

Do you have the gear limit buttons on the steering wheel?

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

 

[vincentw56]

You can also get a Pulsar. Pressing the gear button like mentioned above is free.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Recently got my first RAM truck, coming from a chevy. Had problems with the chevy 5.3 and their AFM system. Saw that Dodge's MDS also has its problems and want a good reliable way to disable it

Did you buy brand new, or used ? What problems have you seen? I can't say I've seen many issues posted here directly related to MDS.

 

[Smigeons]

Did you buy brand new, or used ? What problems have you seen? I can't say I've seen many issues posted here directly related to MDS.

Bought used, 40k miles 2020. heard and read that MDS has been known to cause lifter problems.

 

[Redz72]

From my understanding, the lifters were re-engineered and made beefier. There is a video on it somewhere out there…

 

[vincentw56]

Bought used, 40k miles 2020. heard and read that MDS has been known to cause lifter problems.

That's false.

 

[silver billet]

Bought used, 40k miles 2020. heard and read that MDS has been known to cause lifter problems.

When it comes to lifter failures, the first thing I'd do is ignore everything you've read about what causes it. Nobody knows, it's all speculation. There are theories, but no definite truths. So "has been known to cause lifter problems" is not true. It's a theory. And a bad one since hemis without MDS still get lifter failures.

But I hate MDS simply due to how it operates, the easiest/cheapest way to disable it is to use the gear limiter buttons on your steering wheel. Everytime you shift to drive, use the "-" button to enter gear limit mode, then use the "+" until you see 8th gear. What happens is you end up with all 8 gears available but MDS is disabled.

You can also use tow haul which has the side effect of disabling MDS, but that is not as transparent since it changes the shift points for towing.

 

[theblet]

I've also heard that not letting MDS work will cause lifter problems.

 

[silver billet]

I've also heard that not letting MDS work will cause lifter problems.

Again, complete speculation. My truck has 92,000 KMs on it, and about 91,000 were put on without MDS. MDS just comes on for me when I happen to forget to turn it off. She's still alive and sounds buttery smooth, UOA's come back with excellent results etc etc.

FCA has completely botched this whole issue as far as I'm concerned. Instead of taking ownership and releasing a memo explaining what's going on, everybody and their uncle has an opinion on what is a problem and what isn't and the legend grows grotesquely out of proportion. Frankly I'm surprised anyone still buys a hemi, not because it's a bad engine but because everyone seems to talk about how it blow if you don't tuck it into bed safely everynight.

 

[theblet]

Again, complete speculation. My truck has 92,000 KMs on it, and about 91,000 were put on without MDS. MDS just comes on for me when I happen to forget to turn it off. She's still alive and sounds buttery smooth, UOA's come back with excellent results etc etc.

FCA has completely botched this whole issue as far as I'm concerned. Instead of taking ownership and releasing a memo explaining what's going on, everybody and their uncle has an opinion on what is a problem and what isn't and the legend grows grotesquely out of proportion. Frankly I'm surprised anyone still buys a hemi, not because it's a bad engine but because everyone seems to talk about how it blow if you don't tuck it into bed safely everynight.

Exactly. I've heard all kinds of different stories.