Ram Promaster - transmission musings and philosophy. What to worry about, and what not to!

[@jimmast2509]

Thank you for all you do for us Promaster owners. I've had them all, Sprinters, Transits, Econolines and Chevy's. I've had less problems(really none) with my Promaster than with all the others. I would say, Promasters first, then Econlines, then Chevy's, then Transits and finally Sprinters(the worst of the bunch).

[@promastersonly1419]

I would order them the same, but put the Chevy above the Ford, purely for personal preference.

[@rickd4726]

Every vehicle sold should by law come with such a comforting and therapeutic message. Thank you. I'll be putting $3000 away since I don't have access to a goat.

[@raymonddriggers]

lol ha ha do you really think $3000 would cover a transmission install in a promaster

[@promastersonly1419]

@@raymonddriggers $3000-$3500 is a pretty standard price for a rebuild.

[@promastersonly1419]

I think you could substitute a goat’s weight in gyros.

[@raymonddriggers]

@@promastersonly1419 aw did someone get but hurt!There’s a product on feminate Isle at your local big box store that could help you for those times of the month Kippy

[@ajwright16]

@@promastersonly1419not here in the Northwest. A few thousand more, and that’s not the dealership.

[@Tryitall992]

This literally makes me me feel so much better

[@howardland2797]

Buying a 2020 Promaster today with 127k miles on it, feel good about it but 100% understand it is a machine :-), and your videos are great and thank you for doing them and all the info!!

[@Ferndale42]

Sir, you do truly rock.

[@AwakeningProcedure]

This was well received my friend. Thank you

[@allergic2bull]

Thank you for this. I needed to hear it. Cause I was doing exactly that. Quietly panicking everytime I drive that the trans is gonna blow, or something else is gonna blow. So I can rest a bit easier on that note. Now..... about the engine and that dagblasted fan......

[@cynthiaarmstrong7972]

I had to have my 2018 Promaster transmission replaced at 13,000 (yes, thirteen thousand) miles because it just started ramming itself into low gear going down hills and reving up into the red. If Toyota made a van, I would buy it in a heartbeat!

[@raymonddriggers]

Hi cindy! I have the same issue, it really freaked me out the first time it happened!! It’s happened a few times, I stopped using the cruise control on hills and bridges. I have a 2018 2500, my mechanic has a 2017 2500 and he has experienced this issue aswell.Toyota has a van but not like ours.

[@russellmitchell8177]

Um, er, I thought that was a feature, not a bug.🤔

[@cynthiaarmstrong7972]

@@raymonddriggers hi Raymond, yes, I’ve heard this from other people too. Mine happened all the time, and not just if the cruise control was on. I’d start down the hill and even if I slowly braked to try to keep this from happening, it would jam itself into low gear and not disengage until it was starting to climb the next hill, at which point I’d have to give it a lot of gas to get it up the next hill. It was infuriating - my gas mileage plummeted from 19 mpg to 12 mpg!! The dealer was very accommodating and replaced the transmission, but the new one is starting to do the same thing!

[@cynthiaarmstrong7972]

@@russellmitchell8177 hi Russell. It started to happen all the time, not just if cruise control was on. The downshifting was extreme

[@westernlocksmith5474]

@@russellmitchell8177 I thought so too. I was like wtf first time but began to notice that the gear shifts up once I slow down a bit then actually give more gas to speed up then let go.

[@3NMan]

Top shelf as always brother!

[@promastersonly1419]

Thanks!

[@davidheston1874]

Thanks from Seattle. Appreciate your knowledge and effort!

[@elainecleaver2941]

2016 promaster short one 1500 mine wouldn't shift. Pulled over turned vehicle off turned back on ran perfect. Took to dealer coudnt find any thing wrong. Its done the shift thing a couple times. I just snobird and camp in this van. 95000 miles. Love this vehicle

[@promastersonly1419]

@@elainecleaver2941 not uncommon, and nothing you can really do about it at this point because if the problem isnt happening when the mechanic looks at it, he’ll NEVER find it because it isnt there.

[@craigsmithx]

The manager at the Plainfield Ave, Chrysler heavy truck service center here in Grand Rapids, Michigan told me that replacement transmissions have a tendency to fail quickly because the transmission casting alignment pins are poor or out of alignment. I'd like to say I have an mp3 recording of him describing that. & for the record I tend to record consultations because I don't remember details well; bumped my head back in '85. ---- Thx for the discussion, it does put my mind at ease somewhat.

[@promastersonly1419]

That’s true, but it only affects the flexplate cracking. Does affect or fail the transmission.

[@Partnerthedog]

Just did my trans pan filter and gasket and fluid it was no different than the 4L60E in a 1995 chevy van I learned in, literally no different!!

[@promastersonly1419]

@@Partnerthedog also no different than a transmission from 1960.

[@jeffhayden2737]

Man I wish Promasters only was in my town! Or even a couple of states away.

[@promastersonly1419]

I'm big, but I'm not THAT big.

[@bobk381]

Another great video! Just wondering what transmission is in the 2023 RAM Promaster and is it a progressive relative to the family of RAM transmissions?

[@promastersonly1419]

Nope. ZF 9 speed. Designed in Germany but built in USA. Been in a slew of vehicles for a while now.

[@68vert1]

Well done, sir!

[@promastersonly1419]

I aim to please!

[@josephjuno9555]

I have a 2014 PM HR V6. Engine Trans ect are running good BUT, The Flex Plate self destruction and was almost rapid catastrophic disassembly! It cost almost $2000! To replace! Manual says to remove the engine? Shop found a way to do it easier and lowered the price of the repair to $1400! Runs smooth now.

[@alexanderkasyanov4946]

I guess the only way a driver could affect transmission health is parking on incline without engaging parking brake first. My neighbor had a ram 1500 pickup and his house had a pretty steep driveway. He would never engage parking brakes while parking outside. I’ve mentioned about using parking brakes to him couple of times but I still could hear that loud clunk every morning he was going to work. Sure enough one day he had to tow his truck to a repair shop.

[@promastersonly1419]

A few years back there was a rash of issues with the parking pawl. Haven't heard that complain recently, but yeah it only stands to reason.

[@RexKerr]

It has been my habit in every vehicle that I've ever owned to shift into N first, set the parking brake, release the foot brake, then put the vehicle in park -- I cringe hard every time I hear somebody have to yank their transmission out of park.

[@promastersonly1419]

Wise man. You don't "have" to do that, but it's good practice and it will help. @@RexKerr

[@kevinwilkinson1510]

A video study for a series of watercolors. What he said^^^

[@micahvanhove1620]

Have you encountered code P0868 Transmission Fluid Pressure Low, especially while going up or a down a hill? This code has appeared and reappeared several times on my 2018 ProMaster 1500, the dealership always says I need a new transmission, I've done an early transmission flush (~45k miles) and have checked the levels and they are good, and I'm having no signs of malfunction. I will certainly drive until it blows up. But I've been starting to wonder if this code is just a result of oil sloshing on hills and/or the sensor getting bad information. If you have experienced this code at all let me know! thanks for your great channel

[@promastersonly1419]

Could be due to hills, but I doubt that since all of them would do that, and they dont. Assuming the filter isn't plugged and there's nothing wonky with the lines or cooler, I'd chalk it up to most likely some intermittent electrical issue only on that one wire that returns signal to the computer for pressure. Maybe chaffed, maybe grounding. What you need is a pro scanner that can read the actual line pressure as seen by the sensor - if it's fine (fine being anything above 110psi at idle) then you can be sure it's not the sensor or the trans but something in the wiring to the computer. Absent any other symptoms or any other code, and given that it's intermittent, that's the most likely.

[@micahvanhove1620]

@@promastersonly1419 I assume that the dealership would do these kind of diagnostics but maybe not? They just immediately jumped to telling me my transmission is done and I need a new one. (They said this with only 45k miles). Obviously dealerships information can be sketchy to the say the least but just seems insane to me. I’ve had A LOT of rat damage chewing wires over the last couple winters perhaps its related to that and nobody ever found it. Is there a pro scanner you can recommend? Appreciate your answer

[@michaeloakes679]

Apologies if you already addressed this, I have a 2016 PM going on 50K, so starting to think about transmission fluid change. To flush or not to flush, that is my question!

[@promastersonly1419]

Depends on your definitions. The proper thing do to is drop the pan, replace the filter, clean the magnet, replace the fluid. A "flush" can mean they hook it to a machine that pulls the fluid out but neglects the filter and the magnet. Ask for a "transmission service" rather than a flush. Should run you about $300 all in. If you dip it and the fluid looks clean, you can push that out to 60k or later.

[@rickybobby4546]

Thank you for all the knowledge you provide it's very helpful and informative. Please if possible, could you direct me in the right direction? I have a 2018 ram promaster 1500, which recently had the transmission rebuild. Three days after started feeling a vibration at around 50 to 60mph only when accelerating. I've had the tires and all the engine mounts replaced. That didn't fix the problem. The vibration is felt on the chasis, not the steering wheel or pedals. The vibration has progressed to the point that it vibrates too much at 18 to 20mph and can feel it through the pedals but not the steering wheel mainly through the chasis. I dropped it off at another shop for second opinion since the Transmission mechanic that did the rebuild said its not the transmission after taking a look. The shop asked me if I've had the transmission worked on because the axles have some play in and out and advised thats not normal. They're advising take it back to transmission shop or replace both half shaft. Can you please advise on what you think may be causing this issue? Thank you for your time.

[@promastersonly1419]

Sorry I missed this question. I have a whole video about diagnosing axles, and what you describe fits an axle to a T. Vibrates only when accelating at certain speeds, and goes away immediately when you let off the gas. I'm 85% confident it's an axle - no need to replace both.

[@embracinghumans]

😂Thank you Transmission Philosopher!

[@promastersonly1419]

To shift, or not to shift.

[@daniellozana9953]

Hi I have a 2023 promaster 3500. How often would you recommend replacing trans fluid and filter ?

[@promastersonly1419]

Book specifies 40-60k. If you do an assload of all highway miles, you can push that out to 100k. For general city use, 50-60k.

[@daniellozana9953]

@@promastersonly1419 thanks

[@sanfordkrones82]

Off-topic here, I have a 2017 Pro master 2500. How do I get the front top clearance lights to work? I could see one is missing and I want to replace it. I also can't find the fuse for it. Will it work when I replace the broken one because it runs in series?

[@cmiller4567]

Getting a recurring p0868 code. Line pressure low. Like you said transmission shops aren't interested in diagnosing and fixing the problem. Rather they want to rebuild or replace. What would you look at first to fix the issue? Fluid is at correct level.

[@promastersonly1419]

This one is tricky, or at least it can be. There's three possibilities: one is that the pump is actually weak and the sensor is good so that's why it's setting the code. Two is that the pressure is good but the sensor is bad or the wiring to it is bad. Three is that the pump is good and the sensor is good, but some internal issue is bleeding off the pressure. Diag for 1 is as easy as reading the computer for what it thinks the pressure is. Diag for 2 involves testing electrical and possibly replacing the sensor which is in the solenoid pack. Diag for 3 is very tricky and kinda beyond my abilities.

[@chels562000]

Thanks for this video! My 2021 Winnebago Solis 59PX promaster 3500 transmission just went out - this made me feel somewhat better. 30k, still under warranty. Is it best to replace or fix? Dealer will fix.

[@promastersonly1419]

Dealer will insist on replacement.

[@chels562000]

@@promastersonly1419thanks they are actually insisting on fixing, is that a good thing?

[@promastersonly1419]

@@chels562000 Probably means the problem is simple. I think it'll be fine.

[@chels562000]

@@promastersonly1419 thank you!

[@luckyjim51]

Everyone has a transmission plan, until they throw a rod...F***!! I'll be damned, you can play that thing....Rock on...!!

[@promastersonly1419]

Ha. It’s all fun and games, till someone throws a rod.

[@markriley2837]

Dear ProGuruMaster, I have obviously insulted the automotive gods somehow and have been cursed with over a year of disastrous Promaster trouble. 260,000 miles. Not shifting, (rebuilt transmission), heater fan will not shutoff when the van is off, (new fuse box), battery not charging (new alternator). I haven't been able to drive it over 300 miles without one of these problems popping up again. now all 3 are back. Only 2 dealer service centers here (Tampa) will even service Promasters; both have told me to buy a new van. Most independent service centers will not touch them. I'm real handy with a wrench; Short of towing it up to your shop (which I would consider), do you have any suggestions? Maybe a free vacation in Florida - I live on the water.....

[@promastersonly1419]

Tempting, but there's just nothing as nice as Ohio in February! Sounds like a confluence of problems. We've seen that fan shutoff issue before - it can be the relay on the fan module itself. I can concoct a cause that would explain 2 of the 3 issues, if not all three, which is water intrusion at the windshield cowl making it's way onto the big mess of wiring next to the computer which includes the big connector at the trans. The fix is gorilla tape sealing the cowl to the glass. We've also seen issues with the fit/grip of the alternator connector at the alternator. I'm most interested in the trans codes. Got a reader?

[@markriley2837]

I have a reader, but the transmission isn’t coding yet, just starting to skip third or fourth gear occasionally. That’s what it always did before things went bad. I took pity on my transmission shop guy, just a father/son operation like us and he’s had the transmission out three times - he stood by the warrantee for the year but that’s gone now. He’s probably put in 5 solenoid packs. I think he’d call the police on me if I ever showed up there again. The connectors you talk about do make sense though. I hit a low wire a couple of years ago and it damaged the clearance lights on the top and cracked them. They were leaking for a while, but I have fixed them now. Sometimes, just driving down the road, I would have a check engine, light and check the codes - sometimes it would throw 10 or 15 of them all at once from the engine and transmission. Thought it might be a grounding issue but it certainly could be one of those connectors. I’ll look that way. If it codes I’ll send it to you and keep you posted on what I find. Thanks so much for your help. Now just hoping for a good karma.

[@promastersonly1419]

These intermittent problems are the HARDEST to find and fix. I feel for you. @@markriley2837

[@taylorsutherland6973]

Best thing for customer satisfaction for the 62te would be to have a way to disable the stupid downshifts when the vehicle accelerates down a hill.... those engineers have obviously never driven a vehicle

[@promastersonly1419]

This has been an endless topic and complaint since day one. I side with Chrysler on this one - it's annoying but it's a safety feature. Gross these things weigh right up against 10,000lbs, and that's a lot to expect out of the brakes alone. It's also our bias - after decades of driving big lumpy V8s we just arent used to zinging an engine past 4k.

[@taylorsutherland6973]

I've rebuilt several transaxles, and while the 62te is decent, adding unwanted downshifting just adds more wear to the clutches and overworked (modulated) torque converter clutch. Let it downshift in Tow/Haul mode and drive like any other vehicle in D.

[@promastersonly1419]

What's cool and what I have yet to install is a shift kit from a company named TransGo, which is claimed to rework the TCC pressure control valve and eliminate a lot of the common trans problems. It's cheap, but it requires removing the valve body which isn't very difficult. I have high hopes for it. @@taylorsutherland6973

[@edjones4419]

2014 Towmaster 2500 owner. 2 oil cooler/filter housings cracked Reman Trans @80k Rebuilt head @110k (Pentatick v6) New engine @165k On my 3rd set of struts All rear door lock mechanisms not working at some point. Eats headlight bulbs for some weird reason Currently have a phantom electrical issue that kills the engine randomly Waiting for the start of the new year for tax reasons to buy a new van, then ill part this one out. I cant have it on my conscience to sell it to somone.

[@promastersonly1419]

@@edjones4419 there is such a thing as a problem van, but it is the exception, not the rule. Do the rockers and oil cooler, replace the struts and treat the front end as a system the all works together, and you will sail to 500k as I have. See my video on a 867k 2014 van and the rest is in the hands of fate.

[@edjones4419]

@@promastersonly1419 oh, forgot 2 radiators ( 1st one was bad from the factory, second one lasted about 6 years). Looks like my current problem is from gallons of water in the engine compartment from being parked during a strong rain. No solution yet, but it's in the shop now. Apparently, one has to duct tape the windshield cowl together? Or it's basically like not having a hood. So you understand, that list is all the things I've had done since I bought the POS new. A good amount was covered by warranty, up to the new engine this winter. That cost me a little over $9k. The shame of it is, it's a great vehicle to actually drive and use. And at the time, they were reasonably priced. But God awful quality control, some really poor design decisions and obvious cost cutting combine to make these things borderline criminal for Chrysler to sell. I suppose if they didn't cost over $50k, you could get the 125k mile warranty and get rid of the thing as soon as it was over the mileage, but that makes it just as bad of a financial decision as getting the thing to last to 200k. Ive owned 6 Chevys and 2 Fords, most driven by employees, and none of them have had problems like this. Some worse than others, but none that I could point to as having nothing built correctly, from one end of the vehicle to the other. The simplest things like the wires in the back door breaking because they bend with the opening of the door (like they're supposed to) but the wires are so small/cheap that the break. Inexcusable. Oh, and the goddamn roof leaks, too. Owned vans for 30 years and have never seen that.

[@dannyhightower1]

Great Video, As a Winnebago Travato owner with a gross weight of ~ 9100lbs i wanted to ask your opinion about the strength of the reverse gear. Sometimes in off pavement conditions I need to back up steep inclines which can involve a small amount of wheel spin. A fellow owner cautioned the T62 reverse gear is weak and should be avoided. What do you think??

[@promastersonly1419]

We havent seen any issues with reverse as such. Like anything, just try to be gentle and the rest is up to luck.

[@conchscooter]

I was with you until … you suggested sacrificing an animal. I should have kept a closer eye on rusty in the shop.

[@promastersonly1419]

That dog looks delicious. @@conchscooter

[@amymiller6854]

Thank you for another great video! I bought a Scan Gauge 3 to monitor specifically transmission temperature before watching this, but also coolant temperature and oil pressure to hopefully catch any issues early. The SG3 can set an alarm for these, do you have a recommendation for the temperature and psi I should set these for? Also, are there any other things I should be monitoring to catch problems early?

[@promastersonly1419]

I would want alarms/monitors for trans temp, coolant temp, and oil pressure. Trans temp - probably 200F is a good number. Coolant would be above 235 or below 190 if it gives you those options, and oil press 20psi.

[@amymiller6854]

@@promastersonly1419 Yes I can set high and low values. Thanks you Kip!

[@olivierhecht8022]

I think I remember you saying in another video that the transmission isn’t too sensitive to low or high fluid levels as long as there aren’t any fluid level or pressure related codes, etc. I just overfilled my transmission, maybe by slightly less than a quart. I dropped the pan, changed the filter, replaced everything with a Dorman pan with the drain plug and added 5 qts of fluid. This got me to 30mm on the dipstick at 160f after a 16-mile warmup drive. I then drained the fluid again in an attempt to get more of the oil that was in the TC swapped out. I again added 5 qts, which was too much I think since more probably remained in the filter, etc. I should have added 4 or 4.5 and added from there. So now I’m at 80mm at 160f and 90mm at 175f. Off the chart, but probably only about an extra quart maybe? Do you think it’s critical for me to remove some fluid (not too hard with the drain plug)? Or is it probably fine to be overfilled this much? TIA

[@promastersonly1419]

Since you have a drain plug, I see no reason not to try to get it perfect. That said, we’ve seen two cases where the dipstick catch was wonky, and correct reading was low enough to make the transmission slip. Doubt that applies to you. But yeah, it will tolerate some over and some underfill. If it was crazy overfilled, it would throw a code for low pressure, because the fluid would get whipped into a foam, and foam is mostly air.

[@olivierhecht8022]

I forgot about the foaming issue - I will definitely drain some and get it right in the range…thanks!

[@albertfinney1272]

Love the video. I have a 2014 2500 and my only issue with the transmission is that it automatically downshifts on hills, and won't allow you to manually upshift out of it. I live in the mountains of colorado and it will wind up over 4000 rpms on the down hill which has caused me to alter my driving by slowing to about 10 mph below the speed limit when cresting a hill, then micro accelerating on the downhill to "trick" the programming into not downshifting. I'd really like to be able to drive my own vehicle. I'm wondering if there is a level somewhere I can alter to make it think it's not going downhill??

[@promastersonly1419]

I have a whole video on the downshifting behavior.

[@rogerz8051]

Another masterpiece, with music this time! Love it. Is $3K what you charge to replace a transmission?

[@FloydNorthcutt]

I own a 2018 1500 Promaster. Why does it down shift going down a hill? It does not slow down the van that much. RPM's go up, burning extra fuel, wear and tear on the engine. It would make more sense to apply the brakes. Brakes are a lot cheaper to replace than a transmission in my opinion. Is there anyway to turn off that feature? Thanks for all you do.

[@promastersonly1419]

I have a video upcoming on this. The short answer is it's a safetey feature because these things max at 10,000 lbs and that's a lot to expect from the brakes. It doesn't burn extra fuel, and it's our own bias because we are used to decades of big lumpy V8s that never turn more than 3000 rpm. You can zing that engine to 6 grand all day and it won't care. Anyway, it's baked into the engine software and the is nothing you can do about it, other than complain like everyone does myself included.

[@ScottBalkum]

I really do appreciate your videos. Only 135K on mine but it just keeps on chugging. The complaints with the Promaster for me are simple, The constant double downshift from 6 to 4th anytime it sees a hill or you give it gas and the fact that it doesn’t even offer a tilt wheel…. What a strange design driver position.

[@promastersonly1419]

Ralph Kramden style!

[@Babybugex]

Try keeping her in tow/haul. I find It downshifts a bit early and only one gear. Keeps her from trying to jam all at once. Just a thought.

[@ScottBalkum]

​@@Babybugex I don’t have a tow/haul mode on my Promaster for some reason.

[@katydidnt3906]

​@@Babybugex Yup -I find the transmission behaves much more fluidly in Tow/Haul mode

[@pwhsbuild]

​@ScottBalkum Not a little button just to left bottom of the shifter? (gas models)

[@jeffwyo1]

Been stranded in Tyler, Texas for a month now. Brand new transmission installed by a dealer in Oklahoma 4.5 months ago basically fell out of the van breaking every mounting bolt on the way out as well as the CV axle. Not fun. Dealer still waiting on the axle a month later when Auto Zone says they can have one here in a day. Do better dealers.

[@promastersonly1419]

You're story is not unique. The dealers suck.

[@tuumi2000]

Is there anything the class B drivers should be doing given that they are pretty loaded and heavy? Life tow/haul mode through the mountains? Any advice? Or just drive it?

[@promastersonly1419]

I had meant to talk about tow/haul in this video, and forgot. It raises the shift points and delays converter lockup. It will give better performance, at a slight expense of fuel economy. But it wont affect durability in any way.

[@RexKerr]

@@promastersonly1419 I found tow/haul mode to be extremely valuable in stop and go traffic as well. Delaying the TQ lockup significantly reduces the occurrence of the slamming when you start to speed up and then immediately have to slow down. I also find the tow/haul mode to make mountain driving much more pleasant. The transmission is my number one complaint about my Promaster, it's weird and unpredictable -- sometimes it's smooth as butter, sometimes it feels like it's bashing itself to pieces. I especially hate the forced downshift when descending a long hill -- having my engine race up to 5500 or so RPM and stay there for a mile is really dumb, and there's nothing you can do to make it stop other than slowing WAY WAY down.

[@promastersonly1419]

That's interesting. I do so little city driving that I never even considered that, but that's exactly the kind of thing it's good for. Good tip!@@RexKerr

[@SilvianoAlvesGuimaraes]

Very helpful videos I watched all transmission serie I have I 2019 2500 and I have been trying find a noise like metal with metal I replace serpent belt tensioner pulley and water pump it’s better but I still have a noise looks like it’s coming from valve body and starts when the engine is hot and if I turn it off the noise goes away for 2 minutes approximately and then restart if I press the gas it goes louder any idea what is causing it? Valve body maybe? And 1 more thing the fluid level is 2 3/4 stead 2 inch as you mentioned in some of yours video

[@promastersonly1419]

Some transmissions are noisier than others, but a grinding sound is worrisome. Search my videos for checking the flexplate to rule that out. It's also possible you have some piece of debris in the bellhousing that's rubbing on the flywheel. You can test the entire beltpath by running it for a few seconds with the belt off. Outside of belt and transmission, it's just a lot of poking around with a stethescope, but I can't think of anything offhand that commonly causes that kind of noise. Fans maybe?

[@SilvianoAlvesGuimaraes]

I found it I guess the flywheel has 2 cracks the weird thing it’s it stops for a bit if I turned it off and then restart but I will replace the flywheel thank you very much for the tips

[@promastersonly1419]

@@SilvianoAlvesGuimaraes I’m glad you spotted it before it failed and stranded you.

[@jeremyallen3448]

Transmission kicking out of gear when pushed in overdrive. New transmission any thoughts or ideas. Doesnt slip or act up unless overdrive is needed

[@promastersonly1419]

You’re saying it’s not holding 6th?

[@jeremyallen3448]

@@promastersonly1419 if im climbing a hill or passing if mash the gas pedal to the floor even if its from take off it kicks out of over drive. No slipping. Goes into like a limp mode. Let off gas go back into it. Run fine. No over drive

[@promastersonly1419]

This one is going to be tricky because I would first suspect not a tranmission problem, but a low power problem. The engine isn't making proper power, and you are requesting more speed with your foot, so the engine kicks the transmission down to a lower gear to get you that speed. Is the check engine light on?@@jeremyallen3448

[@jeremyallen3448]

@@promastersonly1419 yes i can get some codes 4 u.

[@Tryitall992]

Hope all is well! Do you have any issues with receiving faulty reman transmission from dealers? On my 2nd reman. Had miss hap today driving down hill and it dropped hard out of gear down. And was stuck in 2nd gear. Got it towed to shop and just was called back saying van ready to pick up, I guess shifter cable broke??? Hmmmm???? New motor, 2nd transmission. All warranty from dodge dealer.

[@promastersonly1419]

Glad it’s warranty. Never heard of a shifter cable breaking, but i suppose it’s possible. It has an adjuster mechanism built into it, and it’s possible it just wasnt latched. Just guesses. But no, remans are generally tested when built.

[@Tryitall992]

@@promastersonly1419 thank. Picking up in morning and will ask what actually faulted.

[@Tryitall992]

@@promastersonly1419 just got it back. Had a stuck open or faulty transmission speed sensor.

[@promastersonly1419]

@@Tryitall992 Likely, they swapped positions of the two sensors - easy to do.

[@Tryitall992]

@@promastersonly1419 hello. Just dropped off van. When going down hw dropped and reved up super high. This time would get out of 4th gear and stuck in 4th. Lifted it up and ran codes and came back as p0791. They think tit has something to do with wiring or faulty computer?? This is a reman transmission so there thinking it couldn’t be a faulty transmission. They replaced brand new motor but transmission has been a pain. Would love to be able to contact you if able too

[@keithstrickland8072]

? How do you rest the immobilizer on a 2500 promaster? I have a car with a lock on it displayed on the dashboard. It will not start or turn over

[@promastersonly1419]

Big topic. It's mostly a dealer thing, sorry to say. Assuming you have the actual key, an easy try would be to disconnect the battery, wait 10 min, and see if it works. Also make sure you battery is good in the fob.

[@keithstrickland8072]

👍

[@ajwright16]

Love the cute electric guitar. 85k and I’m at this moment getting the transmission rebuilt on my Promaster 1500 2017 van. I did live in fear once I found out about this transmission, and the worst happened. It didn’t blow, but it’s slipping, and the transmission gods say I need a new one. $4800-6000 depending. I took it in for fluid/filter changes at 40k and 80k, and I guess that didn’t make a darn bit of difference. I researched how to check the level on this non-dipstick transmission. I’m a reasonable driver and stay up on all servicing. 85k and I need a rebuild. Big fat sigh for this person on a limited fixed income. One question: what kind of mileage can I expect on a well built rebuilt transmission? I’m researching my next reliable vehicle already, but I sure would like to use this as my camper and daily driver for the next 5 years. Doesn’t sound like there’s anything else I can do to make that happen. I love driving this front wheel drive van and love camping in it on trips. It may be back to tent camping once this dream van becomes too expensive to keep on the road.

[@Babybugex]

Unlucky. Mine works perfect at 200k. You are paying far too much. Get hold of Kip and he will tell you where to go. He is a Master Jedi.

[@michaelculhane3058]

Thanks man! But is there any additive you would recommend?

[@promastersonly1419]

As a rule, no. If a trans is slipping, you can try a friction modifier as a temp fix/diagnostic aid.

[@duc1198s]

I've got a 2023 3500 with the new transmission. Any musings or philosophy on that one? 😂

[@promastersonly1419]

No. I suppose you could seek out the jeep and acura forums - many car models use that same 9 speed. It’s a ZF.

[@duc1198s]

@@promastersonly1419 yeah, that’s good advice. You know something interesting, I’ve never seen it above seventh gear. As you know, you can slip the gear lever over to the left into manual to see what gear you’re in, and it’s never been above seven. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@promastersonly1419]

That's a source of much internet bitching. Apparently, it's programmed to NEVER go into 8th or 9th when put in the promaster. This makes sense, because lugging an engine is really bad for it, but it's got owners up in arms. "I paid for 9 speeds, where's my 9 speeds!"@@duc1198s

[@duc1198s]

@@promastersonly1419 meh, doesn’t bug me one way or the other, I just found it interesting. I do need to troubleshoot why at times there’s no throttle response though; I’ve seen where it might be a throttle body/sensor issue, WeI’ll see 😳

[@Babybugex]

I have no goat...Will a chicken do? The chicken is a virgin and snow white.

[@joenovak9366]

So should Travato owners use Tow Haul or not?

[@mikeskaggs3763]

Do you recommend using the manual shift function when in the mountains? IOW does that cause any extra stress on tranny?

[@promastersonly1419]

Working on a video on exactly that topic right now. Should be up soon.

[@promastersonly1419]

Posted my video, but neglected to mention the manual shift. Using manual will SAVE stress on your tranny by allowing you to control the down shifting to a certain extent. It's not really a manual selector, it's a high gear limiter. So put it in 4th, and it will shift gears 1-4 exactly like normal, but not go into 5th or 6th. It's there for stuff like pulling big hills, or manually controlling engine braking. Use it.

[@Slimsomerville]

What good is a tow haul mode? Does it work, or a transmission placebo ?

[@promastersonly1419]

I have an upcoming video on this. It just raises the shift points and delays torque converter lockup. It's give you a slight boost in performance, but it wont affect durability at all.

[@zackmunroe3819]

I have a 2014 promaster on a road trip down in mexico. Throwing code p0740 tourqe converter clutch solinoid circuit open and p0868 transmission fluid pressure low. I have done a transmission service and replaced the solinoid. The van runs and drives very smooth and ive only had the transmission chatter once the day the code was originally thrown. Since ive put roughly 2000km on the transmition and the only problem is poor fuel economy and about 500 rpm higher on the dash. Its extremely difficult to find a reputable transmission shop where im at in mexico. What do you think? Am i looking at a new tourque converter or solinoid pack? And do you think i could wait until i get back to the US? Could these codes ever be triggered from poor quality gasoline and thats also whats resulting in my poor fuel economy? 7:29

[@promastersonly1419]

Gas wouldnt affect it. Based on what you’ve said, it’s hard to come to a conclusion other than it needs a torque converter. That it’s reving higher is the important clue - the lockup clutches are worn in the converter. Best I know, you can drive forever like that. The converter is shared with the minivan and many others, i’m pretty sure. Swapping it is identical to any fwd car. Nothing weird or special about the job.

[@zackmunroe3819]

Great thanks for the feedback, I've done a bit more diagnosing after watching motor city mechanics video on reading the ohms on the solinoid pack, im deffanitly getting wrong readings on pin 12 and 14, both regarding the fluid pressure solinoid. And after diving about another 1000km and being very vigilant on my rpms, it's not consistently reving higher than normal. And occasionally I can get the millage to down to where it should be. With this info should I change the solinoid pack first an see if it fixes the problem? I feel confident I can tackle this without dropping the trans.

[@promastersonly1419]

If you are doing the work yourself, absolutely. Solenoid packs are about $200, and you should do the TCC and VFS solenoid too while you are there, which is maybe $100 You'll need 4-6qts of fluid most likely. It's messy but not a horrible job. I'd be willing to gamble $350 on not having to buy a $4000 rebuild any day. @@zackmunroe3819

[@promastersonly1419]

Not shown on Motorcity's chart is the TCC solenoid, which is either pin 3 or 6, and should read the same 4.9ohms as 12, which is the line pressure solenoid.

[@zackmunroe3819]

Awesome, I changed the tcc solinoid about 2000km ago as a cheap way to see if I could fix cod p0740 with no luck, should have done the vfs at the same time. Is it possible to do the solinoid pack with out draining the pan? I just had that off and done a fluid service when I did the tcc. If not could I pull a line off the cooler to save the fluid? Down here in mexico it cost me near 300 bucks just for the fluid lol

[@jonhutch6591]

2018 Promaster, 83885 miles, Transmission is gone. $8000 CAD to have a custom replacement built.

[@jonhutch6591]

Thats Custom Built Not From A Dealer

[@promastersonly1419]

@@jonhutch6591 that price isnt out of line in CAD. Roughly similar to what we pay in Ohio. The trans is a weak spot, but its important to know that there really isnt anything you as the driver can do to hurt it. It’s kinda based on luck.

[@jonhutch6591]

@@promastersonly1419 Appreciate you. Figured going with a custom rebuild rather then a replacement was a better call. Stronger parts will hopefully last longer.

[@Babybugex]

HAHA..Nice guitar.

[@promastersonly1419]

Some pot smoking hippie lent me that guitar.

[@Babybugex]

@@promastersonly1419 sounds cool.lolz

[@andrewlaubi4448]

It’s not if it’s when

[@russellmitchell8177]

What's the difference between a promaster and a cheap guitar? Answer: you can tune a promaster.

[@promastersonly1419]

That’s an old saxophone joke. What’s the difference between a violin and a viola? The viola burns longer.

[@KninskaKapija]

Can be inner tier rod be replaced? I saw guy saying it is not serviceable? Need new rack and pinion 🥸

[@promastersonly1419]

For a long time, the inners weren't available without having to buy the whole goddamn thing from the dealer. But now, there is a source for the inners and they are cheap and easy to replace. Nice. Rock auto doesn't have them, but ebay or amazon does.