NO Overdrive in cold weather

[Merlin02131]

Bulletin # 21-004-01
Group Transmission
Date : Feb 16 , 2001

Overdrive disabled to improve transmission reliability during cold temperature operation

Models 2001 ( BR/BE ) Ram Truck

Vehicles equipped with an RE Automatic transmission , the vehicle was built on or between june 26 , 2000 (MDH 0626XX and December 23 , 2000 ( MDH 1223XX) and the PCM Software level is earlier ( lower ) than calibration 14 for model year 2001 .

Found out last week that in weather below minus 5 degrees F , My 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 would not shift into overdrive on the highway . When I called my dealer ( Jeep by the way ) , they found a bulletin that states that in weather below minus 5 , the transmission will not shift into over drive due to a fluid freeze issue . This is a known issue with Dodge and it is a fluid freeze issue whereby at that temp , Fluis starts to freeze and there is not enough fluid traveling in the trans and thus inturrupting the flow of lubricating oil ( ATF) to the trans overdrive unit . I live in Boston , but usually temps are not at or below zero , although they have dipped below on occasion as they did this year . I was amazed that I could not get the truck to shift into overdrive as the tach went to about 2500 to 3000 rpm without a shift . Not a problem due to the bulletin .