I've done a few long trips in my 07 ram 1500 and have always just put tow/haul on and left it on the entire time. After reading some different views here I figured I would shut it off because I was on a flat road and maybe get a little better mileage. After a while I notice I'm running at 3,000 rpm at about 70mph. I usually run 70 mph at 2,000 rpms in tow/haul mode. So I take my foot off the gas and slow down to about 65 but I'm still at 3000 rpms, the transmission is not "kicking" down. Go down to about 50 mph I'm running just under 3000 now. I tried accelerating and decelerating again to get the transmission to shift and it won't. I tried putting in and out of tow/haul several times and nothing changes. I got off at the next exit, fueled up checked the fluid and it was good. As I'm getting back on I-95 I try to merge and the truck will barely move, I got my foot on the floor and the truck is barely moving. Now I know absolutely nothing about transmissions, nothing at all, but it was like it was stuck in 3rd gear or something, wouldn't down shift engine wouldn't rev out nothing. Then I got that sinking feeling in my stomach, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I'm about 400 miles into my 1200 mile trip home somewhere down at the bottom of North Carolina in the middle of no where! I picture Chevy Chase in my head where the mechanic is also the sheriff when he asks how much the bill is and the guy says how much you got? Lol. Slowly I got back up to about 60mph and got off at the next exit. I let it sit while I was trying to figure out what to do for about 15 minutes, I shut the engine also. I figured there was nothing I could do at this point so I was just going to get back on the road and drive as far as I could. I started it back up put tow/haul on and started out. As I'm merging I hit the gas and everything works normal, the engine revs up the tranny shifts right and I get right up to speed. I get up to about 70 mph and it settles into the right gear and I'm at 2000 rpm. I slow down and speed up a few times and everything is working normal, I had no issues for the remainder of the trip. Like I said I know nothing about transmissions, but maybe it was heating up because I wasn't using T/H mode and the computer put it in a "safe mode"? Restarting the engine reset it maybe? I've learned a lot on this forum and wanted to share my experience, I don't know what happened, if it was luck or what? Maybe someone with more knowledge will know. By the way, this transmission was completely rebuilt 27,000 miles ago.

I had a similar experience a couple of years back and limped into the Chevrolet dealer who, after checking the systems, told us it was a miscommunication between the engine computer and the transmission computer. Once everything was shut down it allowed the computers to resync and all was well and we have not had the same trouble since.Of course, the question is why did they lose sync in the first place.I'm thinking Tow Haul mode may have confused the computers but maybe not.The old computer fix of shut it off and turn it back on works for cars as well as PC's.

When we had our 2006 dodge mega cab 1500 we had a similar problem. It had been many years since I had towed anything and it was our first trip out with the new camper. We were heading to the northern end of New Hampshire. Anyways we stopped to get gas and when we started goin again I forgot to put it in tow haul mode. I realized it when we hit a hill and the transmission began shifting and the RPMs went sky high. Pushed the button and it all came back to normal until we hit the next hill. The truck lost all power wouldn't go over 45 RPMs just sat steady a little over 3000. When I had a good spot to pull off I did. Turned everything off let it settle for a few minutes and then began to check fluids. Everything was good so we waited a bit more took some photos and off we went. Everything worked fine from there on out. Forgot to ask dealership about it when we got back. So the computer thing sounds bout right.

Dave Mck wrote:I've done a few long trips in my 07 ram 1500 and have always just put tow/haul on and left it on the entire time. After reading some different views here I figured I would shut it off because I was on a flat road and maybe get a little better mileage. After a while I notice I'm running at 3,000 rpm at about 70mph. I usually run 70 mph at 2,000 rpms in tow/haul mode. So I take my foot off the gas and slow down to about 65 but I'm still at 3000 rpms, the transmission is not "kicking" down. Go down to about 50 mph I'm running just under 3000 now. I tried accelerating and decelerating again to get the transmission to shift and it won't. I tried putting in and out of tow/haul several times and nothing changes. I got off at the next exit, fueled up checked the fluid and it was good. As I'm getting back on I-95 I try to merge and the truck will barely move, I got my foot on the floor and the truck is barely moving. Now I know absolutely nothing about transmissions, nothing at all, but it was like it was stuck in 3rd gear or something, wouldn't down shift engine wouldn't rev out nothing. Then I got that sinking feeling in my stomach, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I'm about 400 miles into my 1200 mile trip home somewhere down at the bottom of North Carolina in the middle of no where! I picture Chevy Chase in my head where the mechanic is also the sheriff when he asks how much the bill is and the guy says how much you got? Lol. Slowly I got back up to about 60mph and got off at the next exit. I let it sit while I was trying to figure out what to do for about 15 minutes, I shut the engine also. I figured there was nothing I could do at this point so I was just going to get back on the road and drive as far as I could. I started it back up put tow/haul on and started out. As I'm merging I hit the gas and everything works normal, the engine revs up the tranny shifts right and I get right up to speed. I get up to about 70 mph and it settles into the right gear and I'm at 2000 rpm. I slow down and speed up a few times and everything is working normal, I had no issues for the remainder of the trip. Like I said I know nothing about transmissions, but maybe it was heating up because I wasn't using T/H mode and the computer put it in a "safe mode"? Restarting the engine reset it maybe? I've learned a lot on this forum and wanted to share my experience, I don't know what happened, if it was luck or what? Maybe someone with more knowledge will know. By the way, this transmission was completely rebuilt 27,000 miles ago.I would love to read your post, BUT, with everything together, no paragraphs, I gave up.Jim

Just like someone posting with all caps...Plus...on a tiny smart phone screen...it is tough on these old eyeballs trying to decipher when/where the tread changes...Ditto on my IPad...a bit better sized, but...All personal preferences..

Jim-Linda wrote:I would love to read your post, BUT, with everything together, no paragraphs, I gave up.JimIt can also be noted that a comma before a conjunction is common practice, but one after the conjunction is not a preferred practice. Capitalization of an entire word, especially a conjunction that should never need capitalization, is just plain LOUD.Is this a grammar class or an informational forum?OP....Most likely a computer hiccup, that has less to do with the tow/haul mode or the transmission, more to do with the computer.

Tow/haul and transmission issue | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

Walaby
Explorer II
Jul 26, 2016
If you don't know anything about transmissions, leave it to the people who do, and use the tools they provide you.

Im sure the manufacturer knows more about their transmission designs than most (if not all) of us. So, just let the computer and the tow/haul mode operate as designed.

Mike
drsteve
Explorer
Jul 25, 2016
When towing, leave it in tow/haul mode. Your transmission will thank you by delivering better performance and longer life.
joshuajim
Explorer II
Jul 23, 2016
Most modern transmissions increase the line presure when in tow/haul mode. This is a good thing when towing.
BenK
Explorer
Jul 21, 2016
With your comment: "Like I said I know nothing about transmissions,"

Best to leave the 'automatic transmission' to do what it was designed
to do...take away the manual shifting decisions from the human and
have it's computer decide...the Tow/Haul was added to further protect
the 'automatic tranny' as computers, for now, do NOT know if you are
hauling and/or towing...

Saving a few pennies via MPG vs thousands of bucks to repair isn't
worth it...or at least not to me...

Jim-Linda wrote:
Dave Mck wrote:
I've done a few long trips in my 07 ram 1500 and have always just put tow/haul on and left it on the entire time. After reading some different views here I figured I would shut it off because I was on a flat road and maybe get a little better mileage.
After a while I notice I'm running at 3,000 rpm at about 70mph. I usually run 70 mph at 2,000 rpms in tow/haul mode. So I take my foot off the gas and slow down to about 65 but I'm still at 3000 rpms, the transmission is not "kicking" down. Go down to about 50 mph I'm running just under 3000 now. I tried accelerating and decelerating again to get the transmission to shift and it won't. I tried putting in and out of tow/haul several times and nothing changes. I got off at the next exit, fueled up checked the fluid and it was good. As I'm getting back on I-95 I try to merge and the truck will barely move, I got my foot on the floor and the truck is barely moving. Now I know absolutely nothing about transmissions, nothing at all, but it was like it was stuck in 3rd gear or something, wouldn't down shift engine wouldn't rev out nothing. Then I got that sinking feeling in my stomach, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I'm about 400 miles into my 1200 mile trip home somewhere down at the bottom of North Carolina in the middle of no where! I picture Chevy Chase in my head where the mechanic is also the sheriff when he asks how much the bill is and the guy says how much you got? Lol. Slowly I got back up to about 60mph and got off at the next exit. I let it sit while I was trying to figure out what to do for about 15 minutes, I shut the engine also. I figured there was nothing I could do at this point so I was just going to get back on the road and drive as far as I could. I started it back up put tow/haul on and started out. As I'm merging I hit the gas and everything works normal, the engine revs up the tranny shifts right and I get right up to speed. I get up to about 70 mph and it settles into the right gear and I'm at 2000 rpm. I slow down and speed up a few times and everything is working normal, I had no issues for the remainder of the trip. Like I said I know nothing about transmissions,
but maybe it was heating up because I wasn't using T/H mode and the computer put it in a "safe mode"? Restarting the engine reset it maybe? I've learned a lot on this forum and wanted to share my experience, I don't know what happened, if it was luck or what? Maybe someone with more knowledge will know. By the way, this transmission was completely rebuilt 27,000 miles ago.

I would love to read your post, BUT, with everything together, no paragraphs, I gave up.

Jim
allen8106
Explorer
Jul 21, 2016
Dave Mck wrote:
I've done a few long trips in my 07 ram 1500 and have always just put tow/haul on and left it on the entire time. After reading some different views here I figured I would shut it off because I was on a flat road and maybe get a little better mileage.

After a while I notice I'm running at 3,000 rpm at about 70mph. I usually run 70 mph at 2,000 rpms in tow/haul mode. So I take my foot off the gas and slow down to about 65 but I'm still at 3000 rpms, the transmission is not "kicking" down. Go down to about 50 mph I'm running just under 3000 now. I tried accelerating and decelerating again to get the transmission to shift and it won't. I tried putting in and out of tow/haul several times and nothing changes. I got off at the next exit, fueled up checked the fluid and it was good. As I'm getting back on I-95 I try to merge and the truck will barely move, I got my foot on the floor and the truck is barely moving.

Now I know absolutely nothing about transmissions, nothing at all, but it was like it was stuck in 3rd gear or something, wouldn't down shift engine wouldn't rev out nothing. Then I got that sinking feeling in my stomach, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I'm about 400 miles into my 1200 mile trip home somewhere down at the bottom of North Carolina in the middle of no where! I picture Chevy Chase in my head where the mechanic is also the sheriff when he asks how much the bill is and the guy says how much you got? Lol. Slowly I got back up to about 60mph and got off at the next exit. I let it sit while I was trying to figure out what to do for about 15 minutes, I shut the engine also.

I figured there was nothing I could do at this point so I was just going to get back on the road and drive as far as I could. I started it back up put tow/haul on and started out. As I'm merging I hit the gas and everything works normal, the engine revs up the tranny shifts right and I get right up to speed. I get up to about 70 mph and it settles into the right gear and I'm at 2000 rpm. I slow down and speed up a few times and everything is working normal, I had no issues for the remainder of the trip. Like I said I know nothing about transmissions, but maybe it was heating up because I wasn't using T/H mode and the computer put it in a "safe mode"? Restarting the engine reset it maybe? I've learned a lot on this forum and wanted to share my experience, I don't know what happened, if it was luck or what? Maybe someone with more knowledge will know. By the way, this transmission was completely rebuilt 27,000 miles ago.

FYI, the post reads just fine.
BenK
Explorer
Jul 12, 2016
Ops...responded on the wrong thread and copied it and pasting it to this
one...which is where wanted to post in the first place...

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28949712/page/4.cfm
BenK wrote:
Agree...Am always amazed on these discussions of HOW2 manage an
"automatic transmission" and then wonder why you folks didn't get a manual tranny...

The Tow/Haul is an enhancement that tells the 'automatic transmission' that there
is a load on it, or it is towing something...so it will make different decisions
on HOW2 shift and protect itself

The engine computer and the tranny computer can both set off anyone
of several levels of 'Limp Mode'...which is to protect itself from
the driver and/or conditions

"Limp Modes" as in plural...so ask if it seemingly lost power in stages
from the first level down to the point where it killed the engine...

Cooling down will get it going again and depending on which level of
Limp Mode it went into...it may NOT allow full 'Power Mode' again till
the computer(s) are reset

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
Heavy trucks and their drivers have been going up and down steep grades for many decades, before 'tow/haul' was ever invented, or cruise control too.

Use your brains folks, the computer can't do everything and it can't foresee that sharp turn coming up, that stranded vehicle barely on the shoulder, that fast motorcyclist zipping towards you carving up the turns, that wet or icy spot in the lane, that sudden gust of side wind, that slower moving truck you're approaching fast from behind, etc, etc, etc.

Use your gears and brakes, and most of all, your eyes and brain.
LIKE2BUILD
Explorer
Jul 12, 2016
Dave Mck wrote:
I've done a few long trips in my 07 ram 1500 and have always just put tow/haul on and left it on the entire time. After reading some different views here I figured I would shut it off because I was on a flat road and maybe get a little better mileage.

My suggestion is to always use Tow/Haul mode when hooked to a trailer regardless of hills or flat land. No matter what your elevation, a trailer puts additional stresses on the chassis and drive train. The Tow/Haul mode is designed to help the vehicle accommodate for that stress to make the best power for towing while also reducing the potential for damage to the drive train.

KJ
Community Alumni
Jul 12, 2016
mkirsch wrote:
At 65+ MPH there is absolutely no difference between tow/haul mode and normal mode.

There is a difference. The 2006-2008 transmissions had two modes one could select from the column shifter: Tow/Haul mode which locks out 5th gear and OD Off which locks out both 5th and 4th gears. While cruising down the highway in Tow/Haul mode, the highest gear that you can obtain is 4th.

OP - When was the last time that you've had your transmission serviced? I would start with the simple stuff like drop the pan and change the filter. If you're overdue for a service then it won't hurt to flush the fluid. The transmission fluid may look fine, but in actuality it could be spent. According to Chrysler you can't tell the condition of ATF+4, the fluid that's in these transmissions, by color or smell like you typically can with other transmission fluids.

Do you have a method of monitoring your transmission temps? If you don't I would advise you to get one. There are cheap Bluetooth OBDII dongles that you can pair with an app on your smart phone or you can buy an all in one unit like Scangauge or Ultragauge.

Since you say that everything went back to normal after the cool down then there's a chance that this was caused by overheating. There's a condition in the truck where if your trans temp gets over 240 degrees then the truck will begin delaying shifting to 4th and 5th gears. Once it's over 250 then it won't shift into 4th or 5th at all. This could be the reason why you couldn't upshift up. Service being due and high heat maybe why it wouldn't shift down.

You won't actually see a high temp light on the dash until 275 degrees which is why it's a good idea to get something to monitor it. The manufacturer recommendation is to use Tow/Haul all of the time. If you're going against that advice then you want to at least monitor your parameters to verify that it's not hurting the truck. I'm one of the ones that shut off Tow/Haul while cruising, but I have all my temps and gauges at my fingertips.
humblerb
Explorer
Jul 11, 2016
Sounds like a similar issue we had on our first haul. I'm going down the highway about 60 MPH and notice on my Titan that I get no reaction when I push the gas pedal. Road was fairly flat, so we were able to continue down the highway. When we reached our exit, approximately 1 hour in to the trip, and slowed down, nothing.
Just went nuts thinking I had burned up my tranny.
Called a wrecker who loaded up the truck and hooked up to the trailer. He took us another 15 miles to the campground and pushed the trailer in to our campsite. I asked him to drop the truck at the nearest transmission shop.
Next morning, wrecker driver showed up at campground and asked if I would come ride with him to the transmission shop.
He said when he dropped it off the night before, he got in the truck and started it up. He said he drove it in the parking lot and seemed like it was OK. When we got there, I did the same. Truck ran great. I thanked him and drove back to my campsite. After talking to a mechanic that I trusted, he advised me to tow the trailer back and keep my speed down.
He said the transmission overheated and went in to limp mode.
When I got back to town, it was in limp again.
Let it set for half an hour and then was able to get the trailer back to storage.
That is when I learned a lot about TT salesmen and their lack of knowledge regarding tow vehicles.
My truck was not equipped to haul much at all and the trailer was way too heavy for even a well equipped truck.
Your truck went in to limp mode, apparently due to not using tow/haul.
Either it was shifting a lot and you didn't notice or it was an electronic issue.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Jul 11, 2016
At 65+ MPH there is absolutely no difference between tow/haul mode and normal mode. In either case, the transmission is in top gear and the torque converter is locked.

Tow/haul mode has the most effect in getting up to 65+ MPH.

Maybe taking it out of tow/haul mode in that situation hit a bug in the software?

If you're ever in that situation (again), first thing to try is pull over, shut down, and let it sit for 5 minutes.

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Tow/haul and transmission issue

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