I am new to this forum, I hope this is the correct place for this post. I received a recall notice last summer on my 05, 3500 4X4 CTD. The dealer explained that they were going to flash the tranny computer basically and it would be done while I waited. When I dropped it off they explained they would need it all day. I left the truck and picked it up the next day. As soon as I picked it up I started having an intermittent situation where the panic alarm would go off when I shifted. I called the dealer right away, but I explained at that time I was not able to replicate the situation reliably. The service manager said not to worry whenever I got it figured out to bring it in. It took a couple weeks before I realized it was only happening as I opened the door while shifting. I called again and explained the situation. This time he said that was the purpose of the recall. This frustrated me and I asked to have the recall undone. They refused. This last spring I was inside the expo haul working and I forgot to wait til the truck was stopped to open the door and the panic alarm went off and the drivers door stuck locked.This really frustrated me. I called the dealer and the warranty has since expired and they basically laughed it off. I called the main service office and they gave me the same response. I have gone to the dealership and tried this on the new trucks, they do not set off the panic alarm. We have Duramax's at our shop and they do no do this either. My previous Dodge CTD's did not do it either. I have customers that have the Ford diesels and I have not seen another truck do this. I have had a number of Dodge CTD's but I am sick of the Dodge experience at this point. My business involves hooking up to trailers and manuveuring the truck everyday. Is my truck the only one doing this or has anybody else even heard of this issue?

Thanks,
Matt

 

The dealer should have explained the "out or park alarm" recall.

An Out-of-Park alarm system must be installed on the vehicle. The alarm system

will beep the horn and flash the headlamps and shift indicator if a driver tries to

exit a running vehicle without fully placing the shifter into the “Park� position...

Once this is done, it cannot be un-done. It is a pain for those that open the door to back up.

 

If you are completely stopped and you open the door while shifting it does it. My truck has become quite the joke at our shop. The new ones do not do it. Why would they single out my year/model?

Thanks,
Matt

 

They deemed this necessary because some idiot got out of his truck when it was not in park..

 

I appreciate you passing this along. It seems disgusting they can screw my truck up without a possible fix. Is it possible to fix the door lock or is that part of the deal?

Thanks,
Matt

 

you can hook up a relay so it turns the horn off unless you actualy hit the horn

 

The recall "flashed" the computer with newer software. I didn't think it was supposed to lock the doors. If it locked the door and you were outof thetruck and the truck was moving....Wouldn't be a good day. And they jerked you around making you leave it all day. The flash takes less than an hour...IF the flashed causes the doors to lock, I would take the truck to another dealer and let them see this happen. Recalls do not have to be done while under warranty. If the recall repair procedure caused another part to fail or caused other problems, it should be fixed for free...

 

Oh this would be fun ... I had to call DC Canada and tell them over the phone I did not want the recall done, becuase the shift linkage gets jammed up with mud and there are times I can't get the truck into "P" park, so I'm forced to put tranny in nuteral to shut down and restart later. But I do know, that if I have to reflash anytime in the future I will most likely end up with recall installed... gonna be fun!

 

The drivers door is jammed locked. I cannot open it at all from the outside handle. I have to reach in from the back door and open it from the inside. When I am using it I leave the window down and open it from the inside. It is a major pain. Thanks for the responses.

Thanks,
Matt