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huffaz's avatar
huffaz
Explorer II
Aug 08, 2013

'07 Dodge 6.7L harsh shifts using tow haul or exhaust brake?

I'm experiencing very harsh shifts sometimes when using tow haul or have the exhaust brake on. This happens at low speeds such as traffic conditions or in city driving. Can't always duplicate it predictably but occurs usually when accelerating slowly from low speed and then letting up on the pedal due to traffic etc...then WHAM. It is not the trailer/hitch bucking as it does this sometimes with no trailer attached. It will do this when either the tow haul is on or the exhaust brake or both are on. Does so far more when towing, always at low speeds (20-40mph) and most often when letting up on the pedal.

Has done this since new. Two dealers have no idea and the issue is difficult to reproduce at the dealership. Both dealers told me that the exhaust brake being on would not effect the transmission programming. All I can say is thats wrong. It is changing something in a very bad way! It is one heck of a strong WHAM that most definitely feels like the transmission slamming. I have to turn off the tow haul and exhaust brake unless on highway at high speeds.

Anyone else with a Dodge 6.7L diesel 6spd Auto have similar issues?
Tow Vehicles

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  • amxpress's avatar
    amxpress
    Explorer
    Aug 09, 2013
    I also have a 2007 Dodge 6.7 CTD. I tried towing with the transmission in TOW MODE and found the shifts to be too harsh, especially when downshifting during decelerating while towing.
    I tow without using the TOW MODE and I always keep the exhaust brake on. If I get in a situation where I need a lower gear, I just manually downshift using the switch on the shifter stalk. Works great, no problems.
  • larry_barnhart's avatar
    larry_barnhart
    Explorer
    Aug 08, 2013
    Talking to an man with the 2007 3500 srw Ram and he always had a manual trannie. But the 2007 was bought back because of the famous light coming on in the dash. 64 times on a long trip towing his alpenlite so the new truck to replace the buy back was an auto. He complained about the very hard downshift and was worried it would effect the fifth so he bought the trailair pin box but that was no help. He finally had a reflash on the truck and this made it better. Have you asked the dealer?
    chevman
  • sch911's avatar
    sch911
    Explorer
    Aug 08, 2013
    It is supposed to do that. Less wear on the clutches, runs cooler, and the trans can handle much higher loads when the clutches and converter are not slipping and remain cool.
  • wilber1's avatar
    wilber1
    Explorer
    Aug 08, 2013
    What year is your truck? Does the fluid have a lot of miles on it? I like the way my 2011 with the same transmission shifts so you would think there must either be an issue or some software updates should be available. Trying to get a smooth shift at light or no throttle from a transmission that is intended to make firm shifts under heavy load must be a bit of a trick. I have a 1966 Torqueflyte behind a 440 TNT that shifts much nicer under load than at light throttle and makes a real clunk if it happens to shift just when I am backing off.
  • huffaz's avatar
    huffaz
    Explorer II
    Aug 08, 2013
    coolbreeze01 wrote:
    I like the engine and trans so much, I just adapted to it. I know when and where to use T/H and use the EB most of the time. Overall, pretty smooth. Good luck.


    I've gotten used to it to but sometimes forget to turn it off when exiting the highway. Plus, the exhaust brake does help slow in city driving but with the slamming I really can't use it.

    I assume Dodge has never addressed this issue with new firmware updates through a TSB? They did have one several years ago for harsh shifting but it had nothing to do with TH/EB and did not change anything noticeable.
  • coolbreeze01's avatar
    coolbreeze01
    Explorer
    Aug 08, 2013
    I like the engine and trans so much, I just adapted to it. I know when and where to use T/H and use the EB most of the time. Overall, pretty smooth. Good luck.
  • bmanning's avatar
    bmanning
    Explorer
    Aug 08, 2013
    From one crazy desert dweller to another, welcome to the forum.

    I don't have the trans in question- I have an F250 with a 5-speed Torqshift- but I've noticed that my truck shifts very angrily in tow/haul, both on upshifts and downshifts.

    Impossible to say for sure from behind a keyboard but what you're experiencing, as has been suggested, may be normal.
  • schlep1967's avatar
    schlep1967
    Nomad
    Aug 08, 2013
    I get the same thing. Don't need to have the exhaust brake on. Just the tow/haul will do it.

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