For those looking to buy a 94+ Dodge Ram and Automatic Transmissions

Well, right off the bat I'll say I loathe the Dodge automatic transmissions. But I am not in any way trying to "bash" Dodge or the DaimlerChrysler Corporation. While this may occur throughout the post it is all truth and what I have found and what has been said is to educate the potential customers of DaimlerChryslers blatant disregard to their loyal customers of many years. While I am a firm disbeliever in their automatic transmissions I will say I've heard many good things about their 5-speed transmission.

I have a '01 Dodge 1500 with a 360 which is now on it's second transmission. Previously I've owned a 93 Dodge Ram D150 (wonderful truck might I add) and a 94 Dodge Ram 1500 (which was also showing signs of transmission failure at time of trade-in). After extensive searching for an answer to my own new (7 months old) transmission I've discovered a few things. First: use only ATF 3+ transmission fluid in these transmission for any chance of a long life. Two: Dodge will deny any claims of responsibility for the transmission failure. Three: Dodge, even if they know the true cause, will feign ignorance on what the problem is. Apparently a majority of causes for failure is the wrong fluid type (who knew... Dodge doesn't make notes anywhere for transmission fluid type anywhere except deep in the manual). However, other problems can stem from the PCM, TCC, transmission throttle cable... etc...

This is a letter written to Dodge by myself and their answer to my concerns/complaints:

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I had my transmission replaced about 7 months ago at the direction of
Lithia Dodge here in Anchorage. I chose not to use the dealership to do the repairs due to extremly high prices and bad customer service. Dodge
refused then to assist me in any of the repair cost claiming that
because I hadn't had my transmission fluid serviced at 30,000 miles. Reading through my manual today it states that it should've been serviced at 37,500 miles. Either way Dodge lied to me then and I know own a truck with transmission problems that far exceed problems I had when I originally brought it in for transmission servicing 20,000 miles ago while in South Carolina. My transmission now shifts erratically, delays when it does shift, makes grinding noises in every gear except park (including neutral) and show an exceptional amount of power loss. I bought this truck under the assumption that Dodge still sold quality vehicles and had quality service. Neither of those seem to exist anymore and it's dissapointing this being my third Dodge truck I've owned. The fact that I brought my truck into Lithia Dodge and had them tear down my transmission. The dealer apparently failed to find the right cause for the transmission failure. Not only did they charge me the full price for tearing down my transmission, but when I told them I was taking my business elsewhere they placed my old transmission in the back of my truck and forced me to call a tow truck to transport it to a repair facility. I don't know what happened to Dodge's customer service, but it is virtually non-existent anymore. If there is anything DaimlerChrysler would like to do to win back my trust and mainly my status as a paying customer this would be the time. If DaimlerChrysler refuses to help out in this matter this will be my final purchase of any DaimlerChrysler vehicle and I will, to the best of my abilities, pass on to everyone I know and meet not to purchase "any" DaimlerChrysler products.

If Daimler is going to let this kind of bad craftmanship, maintenance and
customer service continue then I believe they will lose all support for
their Chrysler products. Due to the assistance of the DaimlerChrysler
corporation I now have a non-functioning vehicle in which the repairs
are now costing more than the trade in value. As I've said before, this is the last chance Dodge has to keep me as a customer. Either they can assist in the repair of my current truck or they can assist in a trade-in into another vehicle with the same payments as I am making now.

Thank you for your time,
xxxxxxxxxxxx
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Dear xxxxxxxxxx,

Thank you for your recent email to DaimlerChrysler Motors Corporation.

I regret your dissatisfaction in your DaimlerChrysler product, and
appreciate the time and effort you took to bring this matter to my
attention. Our records show that you had contacted us by telephone and we have addressed your concern.

Your email does not contain any information that would cause a change
in the previous decision. Therefore, your request must again be
respectfully declined.

Any future communication related to this issue will be retained in
corporate records.

If at some future date we can be of assistance to you, in some other
area, please let us know.

Thank you again for your email.

Sincerely,

Dan
Senior Staff Representative
DaimlerChrysler Customer Assistance Center

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My choices are now slim. Either I troubleshoot my current transmission and have a potential for another purchase of a transmission. I change my 4 speed automatic to a 5 speed manual or I cut my losses and try trade in my vehicle. BTW, in Alaska 2WD trucks are valued at half price. My $17,000 vehicle at initial cost is now worth under $6000, $13,000 still owed and transmission repairs to this point have cost $3500. The only thing I can really say to this is "Buyer Beware!" If you've read this far then I'm guessing you're really doing your homework. I know this was lengthy, but I felt it was important to pass on to as many people as possible.

check out these guys for a tranny the owners name is Wayne and hes VERY fluent in Dodge Transmissions & very helpful and can point you in the right direction of what to do and might I add that his prices are far cheaper than $3500 he addresses all the problems with our trannys and cures them, his trannys are new not rebuilds,remans or any of that stuff.
goodluck
Ry.

forgot to add the link
APS Precision Mfg,LLC. (http://www.apsprecision.com/)

I don't think you can break the 5 speeds...

I have to agree with you on the poor quality of Chrysler transmissions, but that lack of relaibility extends to all their models. Between my parents and I, we've owned 6 dodge and plymouth vehicles. We've had to have the transmission rebuilt in 2 of those. Of the other vehicles, 1 is a manual tranny (my truck), 2 were older models w/o an OD tranny (these seem to not have the same tranny problems), and the last one only has 30,000 miles and again is not an OD transmission. I have a friend with a 2001 2500 and he needed a new tranny at 70,000 miles. While I love the looks and power of Dodge trucks, I would never buy one with an auto tranny. The NV4500 manual tranny is bulletproof, however.