I just recently traded in my 2009 Ram Crew 1500 Big Horn for a 2011 Ram Crew 1500 Laramie. I loved my 2009 it rode great. Now I have a newer fully loaded truck that I am not too happy with. There is a grinding noise and a vibration when the MDS cuts in and out. You can feel it in every gear around 1500-1900 rpm. Also when you let off of the gas the truck starts to slow down almost as if my foot is lightly tapping the brake. I brought it to the dealership and they did the "Drivability flash" but it didnt help. I plan on taking it to the dealership again this week but wanted to see if anyone is having a similar issue. My new truck is sweet but Im having a hard time enjoying it with these problems. Thanks in advance.

 

For around town use, you might want to use "tow/haul" to avoid this if it is bothersome. The downside of this is that your computer will think you are doing a lot of towing, and will trigger the oil change light sooner.

p.s. mine is much better since the flash.

 

Tge oil change is triggered off of total engine load not off of the tow haul switch

 

what is the build date of your truck ? there is a star case written on 6-11 for that problem along with other symptoms. I am picking mine up today will let you all know what happens.

 

Its called compression braking and a truck should do that. One of the things that I don't like about my 2009 is the lack of compression braking unless you are in tow/haul. Sounds like they fixed it.

 

I think they might have re-tuned something to add more compression braking recently. I noticed something different about its behavior after my truck was in the shop for the tie rod and HVAC recalls. I had also unflashed and reflashed with my Superchips for that service, so I thought it may have been something related to the latest SC tune, but now that this discussion comes up I wonder if it wasn't Dodge's latest flash that I got with the HVAC recall?

They've certainly done nothing to address the funky behavior at 35-45mph speeds (top gear, MDS, drone/shudder). Oh well.

Rob

 

My build date is 10/10. Disabling the MDS seem to make it a little better but something still does not seem right. I didnt notice the compression braking on my 09 at all. Hope to take in tomorrow. Really hope to have it fixed soon.

 

Everything you describe is exactly what the truck is supposed to be doing. It was designed to drive that way. It downshifts early so that its like an engine brake to slow you down a little quicker. (kinda cheezy if you ask me)

If you want to shut off the MDS, just pull it down into 5th gear on the (+/-) shifter. I find i do this for local driving, and flip it back into O/D MDS when i get back out on the highways. Using the tow haul mode to shut off the MDS is not nessesary. Yes T/Haul will shut the MDS off, but now your truck waits to shift later in the program. You can also delete the MDS all together, BUT, you will spend $350 bucks on a programmer to do that. You can also re-program the transmission today too with tuners, but that will cost you bigtime.

Not to get to far off the thread/post here....BUT...!!!!!
I was shown at the dealership last friday, chrysler "now has" software that CAN NOW tell them that you`ve had a programmer on your trucks and cars. (EVEN if you`ve removed the programmer..!) Ther goes your warranty boys..! Bash on me all you want, and tell me its not true, i saw the proof first hand...! Personally i dont blame the manufactuer(s) for finding ways to keep people from screwing them by destroying their trucks/cars and expect the manufactuer to fix them for free after people have abused and beat the hell out of them by adding tuners and modifying them. You gotta ask yourself, if it were YOUR company, would you want the customer screwing YOU and YOU fixing everything for free for them, especially when it isnt YOUR fault for the problem and the customer caused it...??? I`m not 100 percent for the manufactuers, but really, if you break something and it was YOU that caused the problem, then take the hit for it and dont cry about the manufactuers catching you.

 

BigAl,
can you describe what this "star case" is and what it does and whats involved that you`re talking about..?
If you have any chrysler info on it, please also list it in the response.

Thanks

 

The grinding noise and vibration when you push the gas is not normal. The braking due to downshifting apparently is. I can live with that although it is drastically different than my old truck but the grinding is going to drive me nuts.