2016 Ram 3500 Transmission Problems
16 owner-reported transmission complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Transmission Recalls (2)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Ram 3500 Cab Chassis with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of less than 10,000 lbs, 2011-2017 Ram 3500, 4500 and 5500 Cab Chassis vehicles, 2009-2017 Ram 1500 and 2010-2017 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks, all equipped with a column shifter. Pushing the brake pedal for prolonged periods when the vehicle is running and in PARK may cause the Brake Transmission Shift Interlock (BTSI) pin to stick in the open position. With the pin in the open position, the transmission can be shifted out of PARK into any gear without pushing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software, inspect the BTSI, and, as necessary, replace it, free of charge. The recall began February 26, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T79.
POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ram 3500 trucks manufactured July 24, 2015, through January 7, 2016, and 2016 Ram 4500/5500 trucks manufactured July 24, 2015, through October 8, 2015. The transfer case may have been manufactured with a misshapen main output shaft, creating voids that may cause a shaft fracture.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transfer case, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S48.
Owner Complaints (16)
My 2016 dodge ram 3500 mega cab had a light come on the dash at about 89000 miles I drove it to the dealership, I told the dealership I thought it was something electrical. A couple of times my truck has went into limp mode, when this happens to you the truck will only take off in 4th gear and stays in 4th gear. If I pulled over when this would happen and turned the truck all the way off and then back on it take the light of the dash and shift properly. So the dealership calls me to let me know what they have found he says he has bad news and more bad news which was my transmission was going out and then they didn't have a transmission and had no idea when they would. They already welded up nut on the steering shaft instead of replacing it. I didnt buy a 3500 pickup because i wanted a light duty truck.
The contact owns a 2016 Ram 3500. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle with the brake pedal depressed, while attempting to shift into gear, the gear shifter handle fractured. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was contacted, and the part was replaced by the contact. The vehicle was later serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V821000 (Power Train). The contact indicated that an addendum card was to be given as part of the recall repair with instructions to drivers on how to shift gears when the brake pedal was depressed however, the card was not given. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer would supply the card. The failure mileage was 55,390.
TRUCK IS BURNING THROUGH A QUART AND HALF OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES IT APPEARS, BUT THERE ARE NO LEAKS UNDER THE VEHICLE OR ON THE OIL PAN. APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE TURBO SEALS. THE TRUCK GIVE NO WARNING THAT THE OIL IS LOW WHILE DRIVING. WHEN LOW IT DOES NOT SHOW UP ON THE DIPSTICK AT ALL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER DETACHED WHILE SHIFTING OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 16V495000 (POWER TRAIN) AND 17V821000 (POWER TRAIN) AT TACOMA DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP RAM (4101 S. TACOMA WAY, TACOMA, WA 98409) HOWEVER, THE REPAIRS FAILED TO FIX OR PREVENT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,799.
WE HAVE SEVERAL RAM 3500 VEHICLES. ALL THE REAREND FAIL WAY BEYOND THE TIME THAT THEY SHOULD BE IN SERVICE. THESE UNITS FAIL WITH LESS THAN 200,000 MILES AND SHOULD GO WELL BEYOND THAT MILEAGE. I FEEL THESE UNITS HAVE A ON GOING ISSUES THAT THE MFG KNOWS ABOUT BUT FAILS TO DO A RECALL TO FIX THE ISSUES. THESE SAME ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED IN OUR 2012, 2014 AND 2016 MODELS. THIS IS ALL A SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD THESE REAR ENDS COME APART WHILE TOWING A LOAD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 3500. THE DEALER (DON FRANKLIN SOMERSET CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM NISSAN, 1147 S HIGHWAY 27, SOMERSET, KY 42501, (606) 678-8178) SCHEDULED THE RECALL REPAIR APPOINTMENT FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 17V562000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 17V821000 (POWER TRAIN). WHEN THE CONTACT ARRIVED FOR THE APPOINTMENT, THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
MY TRUCK, WITH THE AISIN TRANSMISSION AND SINGLE REAR WHEEL, HAS A HORRIBLE THROTTLE DELAY. PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION OR IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC IS TERRIFYING, BECAUSE IF THE DELAY KICKS IN, I CAN PUT THE PEDAL DOWN AND THE TRUCK WILL LITERALLY NOT REACT FOR 3-5 SECONDS. THIS IS ALSO TRUE WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY, AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE, ETC. IT'S LIKE THE THROTTLE PEDAL DOESN'T KNOW YOU'RE PUSHING IT FOR QUITE A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN AND ONLY THEN IT WILL REACT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND I'VE HAD QUITE A FEW SITUATIONS WHERE I'VE BEEN PULLING OUT ACROSS TRAFFIC FROM A STOP SIGN, THINKING I HAD PLENTY OF TIME IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC, ONLY FOR MY TRUCK TO BE DEAD IN THE WATER. NO THROTTLE RESPONSE, NOTHING. I'VE ALMOST BEEN HIT MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. RAM WILL NOT HELP, AND STATES THAT MY PROBLEM IS NOT THERE. I ASSURE YOU IT IS, AND BASED ON THE NUMBER OF FORUM POSTS I SEE OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE, IT'S DEFINITELY OUT THERE. I WISH I COULD GET OUT OF THIS TRUCK BUT CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE SUCH A HUGE LOSS ON IT. IT'S EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND STRESSFUL TO DRIVE.
TOOK VEHICLE IN TO JOHN HIESTER IN LILLINGTON NC. THEY INFORM \S OF TWO LIFE TH THREATENING RECALLS THAT HAS NO FIX. WE ARE FEARFUL OF DRIVING DUE TO RECALLS. HOWVER WE LOVE OUR DODGE. PLEASE HELP. WE HAVE BYT TRU K IN SHOP TWICE FOR ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION NOT GOING IN GEAR AND TURBO PROBLEMS. NOW RECALLS CONSTANT OF WATER PUMP AND TRANSMISSION WHICH WE HAD TO PAY FOR BEFORE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 3500. AFTER TOWING A FIFTH WHEEL TRAILER FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE HOURS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO IMMEDIATELY RESTART AFTER BEING SHUT OFF AND IN THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT LATER HEARD A LOUD BOOMING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE FAILING TO DRIVE FORWARD. A SOFTWARE UPDATE WAS PERFORMED ON THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER (STAFFORD DODGE LOCATED IN FREDRICKSBURG, VIRGINIA) WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
DELAYED THROTTLE RESPONSE. ALSO FUMES IN CAB.
DAILY OCCURRENCE. WHILE DEAD STOPPED AT LIGHT OR IDLING ALONG AFTER LIFTING FOOT OFF OF BRAKE PEDAL, THEN SLOWLY DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THERE IS A 2-4 SECOND DELAY BEFORE TRUCK STARTS TO ACCELERATE. FEELS LIKE A DEAD PEDAL. THIS HAS BECOME WORSE AS THE TRUCK ACCRUES MILES. WHEN NEEDING TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY, THE PEDAL RESPONSE IS SLOW TO RESPOND AND HAS CAUSED MANY ANXIOUS MOMENTS WITH VEHICLES BEARING DOWN ON MY REAR END. I PRESS THE PEDAL AND WAIT FOR ENGINE TO RESPOND. THE TRUCK IS A DIESEL AND IT DOES NOT FEEL LIKE TURBO LAG. I HAD A 2007 DIESEL AND THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL. I FEEL THAT EVENTUALLY THIS WILL CAUSE OR LEAD ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT OF SOME TYPE. EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE TRUCK I HAVE TO MAKE ALLOWANCES FOR THE LACK OF PEDAL RESPONSE, MOSTLY IN CITY, SLOW AND GO DRIVING. ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHER SPEEDS THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE SUCH AN ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT RAM NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS WITH SOME TYPE OF REPROGRAMMING FOR THE ENGINE, DRIVE-TRAIN OR BOTH. THIS TYPE OF PEDAL NON-RESPONSE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND QUITE DISTURBING. THE DEALERS HAVE NO ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT INDEPEDENTLY SHIFTED FROM THE PARK POSITION TO THE DRIVE POSITION WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL FORWARD. THE DRIVER WAS DRAGGED UNTIL THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A FENCE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED LACERATIONS ON THE BODY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A DRIVER'S ERROR AND UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,180.
THERE IS AN EXTREME DELAY WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND ACTUAL ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO CORRELATION BETWEEN HOW FAR THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED AND VEHICLE ACCELERATION. WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AND ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC OR PASSING A VEHICLE. THIS DELAY IS A SEVERE SAFETY PROBLEM. THERE IS A 2-3 SECOND DELAY BETWEEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY MOVING. *TR
WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A DEAD STOP THE ENGINE HAS A 3 TO 4 SECOND LAG. NORMAL RESPONSE RESUMES AFTER THE INITIAL LAG. THIS CONDITION HAS BEEN CONSISTANT THROUGHOUT 2016. TRUCK WAS PURCHASED NEW. PRESENT MILEAGE IS 4500.
DEAD PEDAL. FROM A DEAD STOP IF YOU STAB THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AS IN A EMERGENCY SITUATION THERE IS A 2-3 SECOND DELAY BEFORE POWER IS APPLIED TO THE DRIVETRAIN. I FEEL THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND RAM SHOULD HAVE TO REPROGRAM THESE TRUCKS TO APPLY POWER WHEN CALLED FOR BY THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS HAS OCCURED SINCE NEW
THE TRUCK WAS LOADED WITH APPROXIMATELY 1,400 POUNDS OF HAY IN THE BED. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE TOWARD THE REAR. IT WAS PLACED INTO PARK AS WITNESSED BY THE 2 PASSENGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AS THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND CLOSED THE DOOR. A COUPLE OF SECONDS LATER, THE VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF PARK AND STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS.