8HP70 - Warranty replaced by dealership - Installed incorrectly?

[jkallenbach]

Hey all,
I just had my transmission replaced on my 2014 Ram 1500 Laramie 5.8 hemi under the MaxCare warranty at 170k miles. Got it back after a week, and was told it was good to go. Since then, I had noticed slipping and hard shifting happening but nothing concrete until last week. When driving home from a 3-hour trip, I had gone to pass someone, and felt the transmission slip HARD, and clunk into gear, and threw a P0729 code. Also, the trans temp was over 230 degrees. I dropped it back at the dealership who kept it for a week. Originally, I was told it needed a software update even though it was a new transmission. Then I had told them about the trans temp, and they said they would continue to look at it. Had my wife go pick it up, and they told her that "the fluid settled from me driving it". From what I've read online, they probably didn't level the transmission or got it to the operating temp when they filled it. The dealership did claim that it came from the factory, already sealed and full of fluid, but I would have thought the dealership would have had to install the trans pan and fill it up.

On to my question, after that obvious BS answer. What damage is possible with the trans fluid being low, gear slippage, and the code? Should I be going to Mopar Customer Care to escalate this? Not quite sure, since the dealership has been solid to deal with over the last decade, but rapid changes in the maintenance staff has caused it to go downhill.

Looking to hear your thoughts.

 

[Wild one]

Hey all,
I just had my transmission replaced on my 2014 Ram 1500 Laramie 5.8 hemi under the MaxCare warranty at 170k miles. Got it back after a week, and was told it was good to go. Since then, I had noticed slipping and hard shifting happening but nothing concrete until last week. When driving home from a 3-hour trip, I had gone to pass someone, and felt the transmission slip HARD, and clunk into gear, and threw a P0729 code. Also, the trans temp was over 230 degrees. I dropped it back at the dealership who kept it for a week. Originally, I was told it needed a software update even though it was a new transmission. Then I had told them about the trans temp, and they said they would continue to look at it. Had my wife go pick it up, and they told her that "the fluid settled from me driving it". From what I've read online, they probably didn't level the transmission or got it to the operating temp when they filled it. The dealership did claim that it came from the factory, already sealed and full of fluid, but I would have thought the dealership would have had to install the trans pan and fill it up.

On to my question, after that obvious BS answer. What damage is possible with the trans fluid being low, gear slippage, and the code? Should I be going to Mopar Customer Care to escalate this? Not quite sure, since the dealership has been solid to deal with over the last decade, but rapid changes in the maintenance staff has caused it to go downhill.

Looking to hear your thoughts.

The transmission does come filled with fluid,but that doesn't compensate for what they lose from the cooler lines when they disconnect them.The transmission doesn't come with a new thermal management unit either,and if your transmission thermostat was getting a bit sticky with your old transmission,it'll still be sticky with your new transmission,and could also contribute to your higher then normal transmission temps.
You won't find any dealer who'll do a proper level check by jacking the truck up high enough to get the transmission level,so you'd be better off doing a fluid level check yourself,and go from there,if it still overheats,then you might want to get one of Jesse Caulk's bypasses,as it removes the thermostat and allows more flow through the transmission cooler.The only way to get a new transmission thermostat is to buy the complete thermal management unit,so Jesse's bypass is alot cheaper,and way easier to install then it is to R&R the thermal management unit

 

[jkallenbach]

Thanks @Wild one.

Thankfully, since it's been back to the shop and they added more trans fluid, the temps have stabilized at 190 degrees like before I had the trans replaced. Also, I'm not having the slipping issues anymore. I will be reaching out to Jesse Caulk about the bypass since it seems that it would be hugely beneficial given some of the other posts I've read here about it.

My only question is, do you think with the low trans fluid situation, the subsequent slipping that happened, and the higher than normal temps that I had experienced, do you think there's damage that was done, or is my only real way of checking by dropping the trans pan and seeing if there's metal shavings?

 

[Wild one]

Thanks @Wild one.

Thankfully, since it's been back to the shop and they added more trans fluid, the temps have stabilized at 190 degrees like before I had the trans replaced. Also, I'm not having the slipping issues anymore. I will be reaching out to Jesse Caulk about the bypass since it seems that it would be hugely beneficial given some of the other posts I've read here about it.

My only question is, do you think with the low trans fluid situation, the subsequent slipping that happened, and the higher than normal temps that I had experienced, do you think there's damage that was done, or is my only real way of checking by dropping the trans pan and seeing if there's metal shavings?

If it's working properly and back down to normal operating temps,i wouldn't worry to much.You should have a 3 year warrenty with it,so you have lots of time to keep an eye on it,and if it starts to act up in a year or 2 ,it's still under warrenty.
If it was my transmission,i'd drop the pan and do a fluid change on it,as i highly doubt they flushed the cooler or lines,before they installed it,so a fluid change,wouldn't hurt.

 

[etbrown4]

I got a factory new tranny in my 2016 and it immediately started a heavy clunk on downshift. A software update got rid of the clunk. You should be good to go. Plus Stellantis said a new tranny comes with a 100k warranty.

 

[Wild one]

I got a factory new tranny in my 2016 and it immediately started a heavy clunk on downshift. A software update got rid of the clunk. You should be good to go. Plus Stellantis said a new tranny comes with a 100k warranty.

You sure about that 100K warrenty,when i bought a brand new 8 speed for my truck,it had 3 years and 60,000 clics. I've never heard of a 100K warrenty on a replacement transmission,even being new

 

[etbrown4]

Got my new, warranty tranny 3 years ago, and 100k coverage was in writing. On top of that they included an additional 60k overall vehicle warranty, taking me to 120k, at no cost. I didn't ask for it.

The reason provided was they wanted to restore my confidence in the vehicle and the company. All this came from the factory, NOT from the dealer. Perhaps they wanted fewer negative forum posts.

Every warranty transaction may vary esp if they are going above and beyond, and again this was 3 years ago.

 

[JHoward]

The transmission does come filled with fluid,but that doesn't compensate for what they lose from the cooler lines when they disconnect them.The transmission doesn't come with a new thermal management unit either,and if your transmission thermostat was getting a bit sticky with your old transmission,it'll still be sticky with your new transmission,and could also contribute to your higher then normal transmission temps.
You won't find any dealer who'll do a proper level check by jacking the truck up high enough to get the transmission level,so you'd be better off doing a fluid level check yourself,and go from there,if it still overheats,then you might want to get one of Jesse Caulk's bypasses,as it removes the thermostat and allows more flow through the transmission cooler.The only way to get a new transmission thermostat is to buy the complete thermal management unit,so Jesse's bypass is alot cheaper,and way easier to install then it is to R&R the thermal management unit

Yep, good note and advice.

 

[JHoward]

If it's working properly and back down to normal operating temps,i wouldn't worry to much.You should have a 3 year warrenty with it,so you have lots of time to keep an eye on it,and if it starts to act up in a year or 2 ,it's still under warrenty.
If it was my transmission,i'd drop the pan and do a fluid change on it,as i highly doubt they flushed the cooler or lines,before they installed it,so a fluid change,wouldn't hurt.

Yep, again another good note of advice.

 

[Sherman Bird]

If it's working properly and back down to normal operating temps,i wouldn't worry to much.You should have a 3 year warrenty with it,so you have lots of time to keep an eye on it,and if it starts to act up in a year or 2 ,it's still under warrenty.
If it was my transmission,i'd drop the pan and do a fluid change on it,as i highly doubt they flushed the cooler or lines,before they installed it,so a fluid change,wouldn't hurt.

"They'll never shoot me! I'm Benny the bugler!".