NHTSA Complaint #10243896 — 2007 DODGE RAM 1500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE RAM 1500. WHEN HE SHIFTS THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, THE TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICALLY DEFAULTS TO NEUTRAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS DEFECT. INITIALLY, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE, BUT AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THEY REPROGRAMMED THE PCM IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS, BUT NOT AS FREQUENTLY. ALSO, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE RPM'S ARE APPROXIMATELY 1,300 ON A HOT START AND THEN DECREASE TO 700 WITHIN 45 SECONDS. ON A COLD START, THE RPM'S ARE 1,500 RPM'S AND DECREASES TO 700 WITHIN 90-120 SECONDS. AS A RESULT OF THE HIGH IDLE RPM'S, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCES NUMEROUS TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THE TRANSMISSION HAS HAD TO BE REBUILT, BUT HE BELIEVES THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE HIGH IDLING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE FOR THE REVERSE GEAR TRANSMISSION FAILURE WAS LESS THAN 2,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,000. UPDATED 10/27/2008. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THE TRANSMISSION SLAMMED INTO GEAR. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD GO INTO GEAR ACCORDING TO THE INDICATOR, BUT THERE WOULD BE NO RESPONSE WHEN HE APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR. UPDATED 10/27/08. *JB