My 98 ram 1500 5.9 4wd 46re won't let you down shift out of OD unless it's in Park. Just got this truck about a month and a half ago and it's been this way ever since I got it. Supposedly the transmission has had a heavy duty rebuild, and it's been tweaked and tricked out to tow and has a 2200 rpm stall converter and blah, blah. Dude told me it had some modification that made over drive into like 4th and 5th gear. It will bark the tires on 2nd and 3rd up-shifts so he wasn't blowing all smoke lol. I don't know if the transmission is configured or programmed in such a way that won't allow it to be taken out of overdrive or if it has some electrical quirk that is the problem. Is the 2 speed overdrive legit ?Dude is like really hard to get a hold of so Any ideas?

 

What happens if you push the O/D switch Does the transmission go into 3rd gear? Overdrive is control by the solenoid switch and Engine controller.

 

If you shut off overdrive while it's in Park you can drive it in the lower 3 and then hit the button and it will upshift into OD but will not downshift with the button. I 'm pretty sure it will down shift to third through the kick down cable.

 

Small World , I bought this truck off a guy just down the road from you near Fresno. I flew into SFIA, rented a car met the guy at Fresno Yosemite. Handed him a check and drove the truck like 1900 miles home.

 

I have found that these trucks really do LIKE O/D, and once they get there, they aren't the easiest to convince them to downshift, no matter how hard you step on the go pedal. But, they will eventually downshift. If yours won't, I would suspect a sticking O/D solenoid.

It's a four speed trans, with locking converter. So, if you are paying REALLY close attention, it may SEEM like a five speed, but, it isn't.

 

OD shouldn't engage until about 45 mph also if you are going slower than that it will also come out. Is it sticking until you come to a stop(then put it in park)?

 

I would scan the module and find out if there is any codes.

 

It will clearly shift up and down using the throttle pedal .But say your in that slightly hilly terrain where the speed limit, tire size and gearing has the trans shifting up and down so much that it starts getting aggravating and you want to shut off OD so it doesn't do all that bs shifting ? Well for what ever reason pushing the button wont let you shut off OD mode until after you put in Park. idunno

 

That's rather odd. The O/D button just sends a signal to the PCM to not engage O/D. When you press the button, and the light comes on, the trans should immediately drop out of O/D, regardless of whatever else you are doing.

 

Failing PCM or O/D solenoid?