I own a 98 Ram 1500 Automatic. Has 130k on it. I've owned it for 2 years. A few weeks ago I was on my way to work when all of a sudden my overdrive off light came on and my truck downshifted. Hit the button but it wouldn't turn off. Pulled over turned my truck off, started it again and the light was off and it went into over drive. Did this for a few weeks, sometimes it would make it a mile and kick out or it would make it 100 miles. Everything is connected tight electronically. Then all of a sudden i lost over drive completely and when it kicked down it grinded a little and sounded horrible but no light came on this time, now it won't go in now at all. I drained the oil from the transmission and it wasn't discolored, it smelled a little old but it didn't look bad or smell burnt or anything. I also changed the filter while I was at it. It still won't go into over drive and it shifts fine in every other gear and doesn't slip or anything. Also I've never had a problem with my 4 wheel drive until after i changed the filter. It grinds when it's in and u go into reverse, it grinds to all hell and won't go in. 4WD goes in fine when u go forward but just not reverse. when it does go into reverse it doesn't slip or anything. Now the 4WD for the front is vacuum right? Maybe a line is froze or got some moisture in it. I have no idea what is wrong with it and I've tried a few things before actually thinking the whole tranny is shot. I haven't been driving it much for fear that the tranny might go out completely and i'll be stranded somewhere. Sorry for the long post but any help is appreciated.

 

Did you also adjust the bands when you replaced the filter and fluid?

 

No, but the band would have to be adjusted if it's slipping right? or delayed shifting. It's not doing that.

 

Alright here's an update that I did this afternoon. I plugged in my brothers snap on scanner at the shop. I had a code, P0740, TCC no rpm drop at lockup. I have no idea what that means. Anyways had the data part on and i took it down the road. At 65 mph the OD switch was released, the OD solenoid was on and the TCC solenoid was on So it shold have shifted into OD but it didn't.

 

Fluid and filter should be replaced every 24,000 miles with a band adjustment at that time.

 

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Fluid and filter should be replaced every 24,000 miles with a band adjustment at that time.

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do you think that's my problem?

 

i think your converter isn't locking up, they do funny things when they fail, how much material was in your pan?

 

No material was in my pan. the code it had for the torque converter clutch was circuit. so maybe the solenoid is bad but why would it only do it for the over drive.

Oh and on the way home one day out of no where it kicked out of over drive, make some clunking and grinding noises but the od off light didn't come on. since then it hasn't shifted into overdrive. forgot to add that

 

anyone got any new ideas?

 

Try some of these ... from the FSM.

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