Ram 2500 won't shift problems

Filed Aug 31, 2026 · Electrical, Transmission · SC

I am reporting a transmission safety problem with my 2016 Ram 2500 Cummins that began shortly after FCA campaign U29 was performed. Before the recall work, the transmission and original solenoid were functioning normally. I had no transmission symptoms, warning lights, or transmission codes. The dealership performed U29 and replaced the transmission solenoid May 4-6, 2026. I picked the truck up May 6 at 149,091 miles. About 79 miles later, the check-engine light came on and transmission problems began. While driving, including on the interstate, the truck would suddenly jerk, the RPMs would rise quickly, and the truck would lose speed. On several occasions, traffic behind me had to react quickly to avoid hitting me. The dealership told me the solenoid installed during the U29 repair was defective and replaced it with another solenoid. The same problems continued. The truck later developed code P0871, became undriveable, and was towed back June 1. The original transmission ultimately failed. The dealership then installed a Mopar remanufactured transmission. I picked it up June 13. Within roughly 600 miles, it developed substantially identical symptoms and failure patterns, including P0870 and P0871, limp mode, and another major transmission failure. It was towed back June 24. The dealership later found the overdrive clutch had disintegrated and metal was present in the transmission fluid. The failed remanufactured transmission is now being handled under its Mopar warranty, and the dealership is looking to install a third transmission without identifying a clear reason for the repeated failures. I am concerned the same problem could happen again and believe the U29 repair, replacement parts, or another related transmission problem should be investigated.

Filed Jul 28, 2026 · Acceleration, Electrical · OH

The electronic throttle control light and check engine light are on. I took it to a mechanic and had the accelerator pedal replaced. The lights remained on and the truck remains in "limp mode" and will not go over 59mph. The mechanic stated that this is due to the unresolved recall problems with the traction control and anti lock braking system, and the HCU needing replaced. These components and labor are over 2-3 thousand dollars! I have called the federal safety agency and the manufacturer with questions and asked for a timeframe for a fix and have received nothing.

Filed Jul 14, 2026 · Electrical, Transmission · 120,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2022 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle intermittently went into LIMP Mode and failed to accelerate as needed. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The failure failed to be self-corrected after the vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to a transmission specialist, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact was informed that the failure was electrical, and an unknown sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who discovered a leak in the transmission pump. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and directed the contact to the dealer to have the transmission replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

Filed Jul 10, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · PA

The vehicle has experienced repeated failures of the variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) electronic actuator. The actuator intermittently fails to move the turbo vanes to their commanded position, resulting in fault codes related to turbocharger performance and actuator position. The failed actuator is currently installed on the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. This failure creates a significant safety concern because the engine can suddenly lose turbocharger performance and enter a reduced-power or "limp mode" condition without warning. During these events, the vehicle experiences a substantial loss of acceleration and power, making it difficult to safely merge onto highways, pass slower traffic, or maintain speed while towing or traveling on grades. This unexpected reduction in power increases the risk of a rear-end collision or other traffic incident, particularly when operating in normal highway traffic. The condition has been reproduced multiple times and confirmed through diagnostic trouble codes. The issue is consistent with a malfunctioning VGT electronic actuator. Numerous other owners of 2013-2018 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks equipped with the 6.7L Cummins engine have reported similar failures involving the electronic actuator, suggesting this is not an isolated incident. Prior to complete failure, the vehicle displayed intermittent warning symptoms including a Check Engine Light, reduced exhaust brake performance, and occasional turbocharger-related diagnostic trouble codes. The symptoms became progressively more frequent before the actuator ultimately failed to operate reliably. In some cases, cycling the exhaust brake temporarily restored operation, but the problem continued to return and worsened over time. The vehicle has been diagnosed using standard diagnostic equipment, and the fault has been confirmed through the presence of turbocharger actuator-related diagnostic codes.

Filed May 19, 2026 · Electrical · SC

My 2019 Ram 2500 with push‑button start became completely immobilized due to failure of the RF Hub Module. The truck has full electrical power but will not crank, will not click, and will not shift out of Park. The Check Engine Light blinks several times and stays on, and the security system does not activate. This is a known failure on 2018–2020 Ram HD trucks. The RF Hub controls the start authorization and immobilizer system, and when it fails the vehicle cannot be moved, even into Neutral. This is a safety hazard because the vehicle can become stranded in traffic or in unsafe locations. The part is on national backorder with almost no availability in the [XXX] , leaving owners without transportation for weeks or months. Chrysler/Stellantis has not issued a recall or provided alternative solutions. This is a critical safety defect that immobilizes the vehicle without warning.” INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed May 17, 2026 · Electrical, Transmission · KY

This complaint notes two separate safety problems for the 2023 Ram 2500 Tradesman. 1) Transmission leak. "Heavy transmission leak" noted by dealer during normal service. Apparently so common that the seals are on back order. Was caught at 35453 miles so covered by warranty, but any issues related to the leak I am told will not be covered once they fix the leak. I have read this common leak has been known to cause pressure issues and fires. 2) Electrical issue related to key fob. Since the truck was brand new, an error message would light up the dash indicating "Key Fob not detected" This would happen when trying to start the truck and while driving. This has left me stranded several times from not starting the truck and having to wait an hour to get truck to recognize key fob. While driving, truck will go into limp mode until you park, turn off the truck, and restart with the same key fob. Have brought to the dealer many times. they state low battery. I pay for them to put in new battery. before I leave the dealership the problem still shows up. They have replaced the key fob twice now. The last time at 35453 miles. Dealer says Problem out of their control after 500 more miles at 36000 when warranty is up. If the truck stops working while driving because of key fob I am out of a truck? Both issues are safety concerns.

Filed May 6, 2026 · Electrical, Transmission · MI

I parked in a lot for about 30 minutes while taking a short hike. When I returned and started the truck the dash was black, no gauges, no PRND indication, nothing and the warning lights in the mirrors stayed illuminated continuously. We were in a National monument and decided to try and get back to the visitor center for someplace safe. When I placed the vehicle in what should have been reverse the vehicle rolled back but only because it was on a slope. When I shifted to where drive should be nothing happened. I tried several times as we were now in the traffic lane on a curve. I went completely back to park then cycled to drive and it worked. On the drive to the visitor center I noticed that the blinkers did not work either. Also, what I thought were manual gauges like the speedometer and fuel gauge did not work. When we got to the visitor center the vehicle would not shift into reverse from drive. I had to go back to park and then to reverse. I was able to get the vehicle working by disconnecting the negative battery cable for about 5 minutes. This just happened today and we are 1500 miles from home so the vehicle has not been inspected. If another car would have come around the corner while we were disabled they would have hit us as it is a one way loop so only one traffic lane that we were in.

Filed Apr 16, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · 82,792 miles · MA

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the ABS and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The diagnostic test determined that there was a failure with the ECM. The ECM was replaced; however, soon after the repair, the warning lights returned with the vehicle going into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was taken back to dealer, where the vehicle remained for months while attempting to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was then informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair, and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where a diagnostic test indicated a failure with the hydraulic control unit (HCU). Several repairs were performed, but failed to correct the failure. The mechanic replaced the transmission twice; however, the failure returned after each repair. The manufacturer was notified about the failure, and the contact was provided with two case numbers. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the independent mechanic. The failure mileage was 82,792.

Filed Mar 21, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · RI

My 2017 Ram 2500, 6.4L Hemi experiences warning lights which I'm told is caused by intermittent PCM failure. I'm told this can cause the truck to stall while in motion, refuse to start, or enter "limp mode". This amounts to a possible unsafe condition that can put myself and passengers at risk of property damage, bodily injury or worse. I brought the truck to Priority Automotive of Westerly, LLC on March 9, 2026 for diagnosis. Their diagnosis (attached) recommended replacing the PCM to correct (possibly), "...intermittent internal short(s)". Cost of the repair is $2,012.42. Subsequently, I contacted customer care at Stellantis (866‑726‑4636) and was given Case #[XXX]. I was told to make an appointment at the aforementioned dealership and call them the day before the appointment, so they could send a representative to the dealership for examination. I did exactly that to no avail. No one from Stellantis even contacted the dealership on the appointment date. I called them to find out what happened, only to find out (from a supervisor) that they are not offering assistance in the matter. Additionally, the truck is currently under recall #C4B/the federal safety agency 24V‑896 (PCM related) and, to-date, I'm told the part is still not available after more than a year since the recall. I've owned Dodge Rams for over 27 years and find the situation unsafe and totally unacceptable. I'm also aware that many other owners of the 2017 Ram 2500 6.4L experience PCM/ECM issues, causing no-start conditions or stalling, and have reported them alongside braking system complaints. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Feb 12, 2026 · Engine · 113,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2016 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power and went into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but also occurred while towing a 30-foot trailer or a 24-foot trailer. Occasionally, after pulling over, turning off, and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality. On other occasions, the vehicle was towed back to the residence after the failure. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Parts Store and diagnosed using a handheld scanner, and a fault code associated with the turbo actuator for the diesel engine was retrieved. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called a local dealer and was notified of Technical Service Bulletin Number: 09-005-22; however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.