Rough Downshifting Coming to a Stop

[My1stHemi]

So I took my truck in for an exhaust leak and told the dealer that the transmission is still clunking after RAM replaced the valve body this summer..... I just got a text from my SA who said that the transmission is toast @ 29,xxx miles. I may look into lemon laws now. I really love my truck but it is has been a rocky 1.5 year relationship.

 

[securityguy]

So I took my truck in for an exhaust leak and told the dealer that the transmission is still clunking after RAM replaced the valve body this summer..... I just got a text from my SA who said that the transmission is toast @ 29,xxx miles. I may look into lemon laws now. I really love my truck but it is has been a rocky 1.5 year relationship.

Why Lemon Law? Let them replace the tranny with a shiny new one. May be too late for LL anyway if it happened last summer.

 

[My1stHemi]

Why Lemon Law? Let them replace the tranny with a shiny new one. May be too late for LL anyway if it happened last summer.

Because I no longer trust this vehicle in terms of reliability. 1.5 years and about a dozen times to the dealership for various issues. Lemon, buyback, whatever. I’m tired of the problems. If the transmission were the only fault, no worries. But it’s a laundry list of issues I have had.
I also am afraid of long term ownership costs especially out of warranty. I keep vehicles for 10 years on average and can’t afford to replace them every two years or so. This was my first new vehicle and I had high hopes but at this point I am sadly disappointed in this experience.
This truck is a complicated mechanical symphony which occasionally gets a song right but can’t repeat the solid performance every time.
One of my coworkers bought a Tundra not long after I bought my truck. The only time his truck goes in a shop is for oil changes. Many Ram owners share his experience. Not me.

 

[securityguy]

Because I no longer trust this vehicle in terms of reliability. 1.5 years and about a dozen times to the dealership for various issues. Lemon, buyback, whatever. I’m tired of the problems. If the transmission were the only fault, no worries. But it’s a laundry list of issues I have had.
I also am afraid of long term ownership costs especially out of warranty. I keep vehicles for 10 years on average and can’t afford to replace them every two years or so. This was my first new vehicle and I had high hopes but at this point I am sadly disappointed in this experience.
This truck is a complicated mechanical symphony which occasionally gets a song right but can’t repeat the solid performance every time.

Understood. Unfortunately, in today's world, you will not fair much better with a Ford or GM product. It is the luck of the draw. Fortunately, most all are very happy with their trucks. It's a shame you got a problem child as they are great trucks

 

[My1stHemi]

Understood. Unfortunately, in today's world, you will not fair much better with a Ford or GM product. It is the luck of the draw. Fortunately, most all are very happy with their trucks. It's a shame you got a problem child as they are great trucks

It’s an amazing truck, the best, and it’s totally a numbers game. Most people beat the odds. I’d chose Ram again over GM and Ford.

 

[mcat79]

I've been having this issue from the beginning (now at 10,500 mi). I just assumed it was from my eTorque system/regenerative braking. I will ask about this TSB during my next service visit. Wish I would have searched for this sooner, but had other issues that were more important, like the dreaded vibration. It's so frustrating because you can't come to a nice smooth stop, like I can in every other vehicle I've owned.

@jassim did you ever find a resolution here? I have similar concerns on my 2022 and I'm considering having them look into it.

 

[MannymanX]

Me stopping at a light: ................................

My truck:

 

[GMetal]

I thought someone rear ended me driving in the Home Depot parking lot. Driving slow with traffic and the truck surged. I guess it downshifted and had some hook to it. Gave me a fright. First time it has done this. Just over 1500 miles.

 

[Ducky5]

My '22 Limited No E Torque 3.92 has been doing this for a few weeks now. I have a 1600 mile road trip planned in a few days so no time to take it to the dealer. Fingers crossed it'll be fine.

 

[2020GraniteBH]

Did anyone have any luck with this?!

 

[hermes]

I have the same rough downshifting coming to a stop from the day one.

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[Snekpete]

You might want to try calibrating the gas pedal, it won't hurt and costs nothing.

 

[Ducky5]

You might want to try calibrating the gas pedal, it won't hurt and costs nothing.

I'm interested....how would one go about doing that? I remember doing it on my '15 but can't remember the process.

 

[scottmoyer]

I understand that some have issues and are fearful of the long term effects of early issues. I bought a 2018 F150 5L/10 speed. I had so many issues with that truck that I lemon lawed it. It was dangerous to drive in traffic and the arbitrator agreed after taking it on a test drive. I knew of some issues with the Ford before I bought it and figured that they sold over 800k F150s in 2017 and the threads on the F150 forums that had complaints, even if the number of 800 would put the issues at .1%. I know many have issues and don't go on forums so change that 10x to 1% and you still have 99% are not having issues. I just happened to fall in that .1%

All manufacturers have issues of some sort, so you're just taking a chance with anything these days. My 2021 Rebel, 5.7L, has not had anything major yet. I do have a slight leak in the back window that I can fix myself now, the proximity key sometimes works, and I don't like how the trans doesn't drop to 1st when I approach a stop, then accelerate and the truck slams into 1st when it should have already been there. Other than these issues, I have none with my truck, so I'm in the 99% with this one.

Good luck with whatever you decide

 

[GMetal]

This transmission has been out for quite some time. ZF 8HP transmission - Wikipedia
I think someone's driving style is what affects the downshifting quality. According to HP Tuners its has quite a unique mapping system in the TCM Getting to know your ZF TCM. Sticky please for updates.

 

[ZombieSlayer]

My thoughts after doing some test stops for the last 6 months are these: the trans doesn't downshift to first when stopping to ensure that you stop for a minimum of 2 seconds and the spedo hits zero. I believe this is an intentional programming thing to enforce proper/safe driving. I timed my stops for about 6 months and anything under 2 seconds kept the trans in 2nd. Over 2 seconds and the trans drops to 1st.

I did this because the dealer kept saying that the hesitation from starts was "normal operation" and would not or could not explain the reasoning behind it. Again these are just my thoughts based upon real world results.

I had the rough downshifting for some random period of time about a year ago. Went away on it's own. Never did figure that out.

 

[GMetal]

Watch the gear drop when it kicks. Its 5th to 4th and 3rd to 2nd. I have the gear number on the HUD. I notice it in traffic. When creeping at slower speeds then stopping

 

[2019bighorn_crew]

Did anyone have any luck with this?!

I had my tcp pcm updated and I found it did nothing. When I brought it back they updated the dtcm and that seamed to help. Didn't fully resolve the issue but 90% better. It went from something passengers would feel and ask me about to something you only slightly notice if your driving.

 

[Switch22]

I thought someone rear ended me driving in the Home Depot parking lot. Driving slow with traffic and the truck surged. I guess it downshifted and had some hook to it. Gave me a fright. First time it has done this. Just over 1500 miles.

Exact same issue with my truck. Wife thought for sure she was hit in a parking lot this morning when barely moving, coming to a stop. It scared the crap out her her. Have all manners of clunky issues with the drivetrain which is EXTREMELY disappointing. Same issues as I had with my 2015 Silverado with the 6.2/8 speed garbage transmission. The main decider for buying the Ram this time was the experience I had with the drivetrains in my Jeep Rubicons with the 8 speed. Smooth as silk, no issues EVER, although I admit it's a different flavor of the 8 speed. I expected the same with my Ram. Not at all! Tired of reading all the manufacturer's excuses for their crappy product. Seriously? Change your driving style? It's normal, nothing to fix? Re-learning? Is it transmission problems? Two-piece driveshaft? Loose U-botls? Maybe just crappy software that controls these new vehicles? Don't even get me started on the horribly glitchy UConnect 5 on these 12" screens. VASTLY disappointed in my experience thus far, and only have 3K miles on the truck.

 

[RamOwner1]

I’m experiencing a condition where, while coming to a stop, the transmission shifts down pretty rough between all gears starting with about 4th gear, regardless of how light I am on the brakes. Then on takeoff, the engine seems to lunge the truck forward, despite trying to feather the gas pedal.

Truck is a 2019 Ram Big Horn 1500 DT Quad Cab with the 5.7 Hemi V8 VVT w/ eTorque.

@RamCares, can you please post a copy of TSB 21-005-19 Rev. B (or any newer superseding TSBs)? I have seen someone else mention this TSB for a similar issue and I think it may apply to my new truck. I have a due bill for a couple of items and I’d like to bring this issue up at the appointment as well. Thanks!

My truck is doing exactly this, however i have a 2022 Ram 1500 5.7 v8 etorque 4x4. @RamCares. Is there a TSB that I can point the dealer to for this issue for my vehicle or would this TSB still apply?