Dodge automatic tranny break through !

[dragon813gt]

But I learned recently that those same anti lock brake controls can randomly apply themselves when an issue arises. No kidding. Not cool.

Yep, if the speed sensors aren't sensing properly it's no fun. One on my truck was severely corroded and really acted up in the winter. I eventually fixed it. Don't drive the truck much. Thankfully you still have brakes no matter what. The ABS should eventually fault out and then you're left w/ conventional brakes.

[NavyVet1959]

Yep, if the speed sensors aren't sensing properly it's no fun. One on my truck was severely corroded and really acted up in the winter. I eventually fixed it. Don't drive the truck much. Thankfully you still have brakes no matter what. The ABS should eventually fault out and then you're left w/ conventional brakes.

Until some engineer thinks he can save a few ounces by going a bit more "drive by wire" and making brakes electrically operated. They've already done that with the 4WD and "parking brake" *buttons* these days.

[dragon813gt]

I like the 4WD buttons. They certainly don't replace locking hubs but they are convenient. Locking hubs weren't an option w/ my truck so I'm stuck w/ the button.

Now parking brake buttons are at the top of my pet peeve list. Good luck freeing one up that's seized in the winter. It's hard enough as an actual brake handle. And how are you supposed to do ebrake slides in a snowstorm in a parking lot if you don't have a physical handle

I'm pretty sure the NHTSA won't allow brakes to become "by wire". It's bad enough throttle by wire is allowed. If the throttle doesn't work it's not a emergency like the brakes not working.

[NavyVet1959]

Now parking brake buttons are at the top of my pet peeve list. Good luck freeing one up that's seized in the winter. It's hard enough as an actual brake handle. And how are you supposed to do ebrake slides in a snowstorm in a parking lot if you don't have a physical handle

They kind of quietly started changing the name of it to "parking brake" instead of "emergency brake" and that allowed them to make it electrically operated. Somewhere along the way, the engineers forgot that the brake was there as a backup to the hydraulic brakes, *just in case*. Doing an slide in a snow covered parking lot is just one of them. Remember the old TV shows where the cop car would do a quick 180 in basically a single lane and quickly drive off the other way? That's done utilizing the emergency brake.

I'm pretty sure the NHTSA won't allow brakes to become "by wire". It's bad enough throttle by wire is allowed. If the throttle doesn't work it's not a emergency like the brakes not working.

Well, until there is a software problem and the system thinks that it should go full throttle. Combine that with the electric gear selection rotating knob and the start-stop button and it's possible that you could get a car that was going full throttle in gear that also refuses to recognize the stop button. If this happens, what do you do? Pull out your gun and start shooting your engine, hoping to hit something critical that would cause it to stop? If you're on a highway and there are some of concrete barriers along the side of the road, I'm thinking move against one of them gradually and let it grind off the side of your car as it acts like a brake. Maybe drive into the median and hope it is soft enough that you will get stuck?

[Eldon]

Sounds like you need a 1960 truck. Forget the seat belts, anti-lock brakes, air bags, rollover standards, collapsing front ends and so on. Points, plugs and condenser .... who could wish for more !

[dragon813gt]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned their hate for automatic transmissions in general. They are great for a commuter car that spends time in lots of traffic. Other than that I hate them. DSGs may be quicker shifting but it kills your connection w/ the car.

Lack of automatic transmissions in Europe does make me happy. Granted I had a Kia last time and a Hyundai this time. But rowing through the gears is a pleasurable experience. I need to replace the fuel pump in my 92 GTI so I can run through windy back roads at full boost

[NavyVet1959]

Sounds like you need a 1960 truck. Forget the seat belts, anti-lock brakes, air bags, rollover standards, collapsing front ends and so on. Points, plugs and condenser .... who could wish for more !

Well, my plane still has a magneto and it works perfectly well. And even if the battery is *completely* dead, I can still hand prop it. Many cars today will not run if the battery is completely dead. I discovered this on a car nearly 30 years ago when it lost the fan belt that went to the alternator. The continued running for quite awhile, but then it just quit when the battery had been discharged completely.

[NavyVet1959]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned their hate for automatic transmissions in general. They are great for a commuter car that spends time in lots of traffic. Other than that I hate them. DSGs may be quicker shifting but it kills your connection w/ the car.

Lack of automatic transmissions in Europe does make me happy. Granted I had a Kia last time and a Hyundai this time. But rowing through the gears is a pleasurable experience. I need to replace the fuel pump in my 92 GTI so I can run through windy back roads at full boost

Oh, we've had that discussion in other threads. I much prefer a manual transmission. I prefer the control it gives me on what gear I'm going to be in on hills and I find that I get better gas mileage than the same car with an automatic, even if the manufacturer says that their automatic gets better gas mileage. It's also nice to have the option to push start it if the battery is dead. Plus, these days, a manual transmission acts as a theft prevention device since the young punks that try to carjack cars don't know how to drive a standard.

[Lloyd Smale]

days of the advantages to sticks is almost a history note. Todays auto give better gas mileage and with computer control the shifting far better then your human mind can. Its why even something like a hellcat or z06 corvette is quicker in a straight line and in the corners with an automatic. Not only that but gas milage is no different anymore because an auto shifts again with a couputer that knows what the optimal rpm to shift is and don't have the slip when shifting that the older autos had. Same with a 4x4. What they do is take one of the things away from you that you have to be paying attention to when 4 wheeling and do the job better then you can (at least a good one anyway) these new autos aren't the power glide slush boxes of the 60s. There engineering marvels. I know some are old school and to a point I am too. Id still prefer an old 4 speed muscle car to an automatic in the same but that's because there just fun to row. I don't fool myself into thinking that I'm smarter then these new ones though. even back them before computer autos you had to be darned good with a hurst to beat an auto in the quarter with the same motor.

Well, my plane still has a magneto and it works perfectly well. And even if the battery is *completely* dead, I can still hand prop it. Many cars today will not run if the battery is completely dead. I discovered this on a car nearly 30 years ago when it lost the fan belt that went to the alternator. The continued running for quite awhile, but then it just quit when the battery had been discharged completely.

[6bg6ga]

I know, Off Topic but have to say this. This spring when I bought my most recent truck I test drove a new dodge. Ive been a gm man all of my life but had myself convinced (well maybe fooled into thinking) that I'm might give a dodge a try. I actually went to the dodge dealer first and test drove one. I walked away know no dodge fore me. Want to know why? that STUPID twist knob to shift the transmission. Why dodge did something that stupid is beyond me. I admit I might have subconsciously been looking for a flaw to change my mind but it sure didn't take long to find it.

So far 4 pages on why I would never own a Dodge or other chrysler product.

[NavyVet1959]

days of the advantages to sticks is almost a history note. Todays auto give better gas mileage and with computer control the shifting far better then your human mind can. Its why even something like a hellcat or z06 corvette is quicker in a straight line and in the corners with an automatic. Not only that but gas milage is no different anymore because an auto shifts again with a couputer that knows what the optimal rpm to shift is and don't have the slip when shifting that the older autos had. Same with a 4x4. What they do is take one of the things away from you that you have to be paying attention to when 4 wheeling and do the job better then you can (at least a good one anyway) these new autos aren't the power glide slush boxes of the 60s. There engineering marvels. I know some are old school and to a point I am too. Id still prefer an old 4 speed muscle car to an automatic in the same but that's because there just fun to row. I don't fool myself into thinking that I'm smarter then these new ones though. even back them before computer autos you had to be darned good with a hurst to beat an auto in the quarter with the same motor.

We've had this discussion before. I still prefer a manual and I find that with *my* style of driving, I get better fuel economy with a manual than with an automatic. One thing that I particularly hate about automatics is that they will downshift when *they* think it is appropriate on a hill. Quite often, I want a particular gear and I just want it to stay in that gear and throttle setting and settle for whatever speed it gives me up the hill. With an automatic, it decides to downshift to make it up the hill. And then there is the issue of coming down a long descent where it is nice to be able to use engine braking instead of riding the brakes.

My wife's BMW and her Cayenne Turbo before it transmissions that could be operated purely automatic or in this sort of semi-manual mode where you could shift between the gears, but you didn't need to press a clutch. That's better than a purely automatic transmission, but I still prefer a purely manual transmission. The only time I ever had a problem with driving a manual transmission was the month that I recently spend in the UK and Scotland. I kept reaching for the gear shift with my right hand and rolling down the right window instead. It takes awhile to get used to shifting with your left hand.

[Eldon]

You will note that multi 100 thousand dollar cars come with paddle shifters NOT manual transmissions.

They are better, faster and so on. Even on my 01' Cummins the auto is loads better, no feathering the clutch, no mucking about trying to decide what gear is appropriate, and so on. manuals are for "cool" people, not for people who understand modern engineering.

[Desertbuck]

I own a 2006 Dodge 3500 with a Cummins 5.9 in it and it has the 48RE. The man who owned it before me was smart enough to make a drain plug on the tranny pan. It's not hunting for gears on me. But it's only got about 80,000 miles on it.
And in my humble opinion the Cummins 5.9 is the most reliable diesel engine and there coupled with reasonably welbilt trucks. But there weakest link is the transmission. So what I do is change the tranny fluid every 12,000 to 16,000 miles as well as the filter. Do that and you should have a carefree 200,000 mi transmission.
I actually bought this 2006 because I tried newer 2011-2012 trucks that were actually cheaper than the truck I bought! But I didn't like the way they feel or the way they sounded. They didn't feel like a truck should. And that turn knob 4WD ***! Also DEF!!! Come on! No wonder they can't keep the much newer trucks out of the shop.
Apparently I lucked out big-time. I grew up around the old 12 valve 5.9 and saw the advance into the 24 valve. Farmers abused these trucks and they refused to stop running. I ended up getting the last generation of the 5.9 Cummins and probably the last of the reasonably low computerized trucks, what I mean by that is the only thing that is computer controlled is the injectors and dash instruments the rest of the truck is honestly in its essence old fashioned still.

[NavyVet1959]

You will note that multi 100 thousand dollar cars come with paddle shifters NOT manual transmissions.

They are better, faster and so on. Even on my 01' Cummins the auto is loads better, no feathering the clutch, no mucking about trying to decide what gear is appropriate, and so on. manuals are for "cool" people, not for people who understand modern engineering.

Or manuals are for people who *do* understand modern engineering and want something more reliable and that responds to what *they* want the vehicle to do instead of what some engineer with possibly completely different objectives *thinks* the vehicle should do.

It all depends upon your style of driving and whether the journey is important to you or just getting to the destination. The first vehicle I ever drove was a manual and that was over half a century ago. Damn, it sounds like a long time when you say it like that.

Here's a photo of a similar one. I think ours probably looked that good when it was brand new, but by the time I was driving it, it had been well used at that point.

[Eldon]

The 12 valve was the best and will be one of the few vehicles running after the NOKO EMP bomb goes off.

[Desertbuck]

The 12 valve was the best and will be one of the few vehicles running after the NOKO EMP bomb goes off.

You know I remember reading something I can't remember where but they did some testing with non-nuclear generated EMP and modern vehicles. I think it took place in 2007 2008? They found that a running vehicle would shut off if an EMP occurred while you were driving, if it's just sitting in your garage no problem. If it was running pull over to the side of the road cycle the key ignition on and off once or twice and the computer will reset itself then the vehicle will start again. Depending on where you're at at the time would be sheer luck!
I'll do some searching on the web to see if I can find it. But I remember the conclusion was that the computer was protected buy the metal body of the vehicle which insulated it from EMP reasonably well. They also did testing on small houses. Cell phones and anything plugged into the power grid would fry. Because they have no metal of any kind to dissipate the electrical charge. So apparently if your vehicle is mostly metal and its brain is located fairly close to the engine compartment you're fairly safe. Just cycle your ignition a couple of times and drive away.

[Idaho45guy]

When I was buying my Ram 1500 in 2015, it was a leftover 2014 model that they reduced the price on. It had the 6spd auto with the regular column shifter and the salesman was trying to convince me to go with the new 8spd. I looked at one, saw that goofy dial, and declined. Hopefully by the time mine wears out, they will have replaced that stupid dial. 38k miles and it's been a great pickup. Very happy with it so far.

My other vehicle is a 1989 Jeep Wrangler with the old 4.2 inline six, a 5spd manual, power nothing except for steering and brakes, and it even has a carburetor. Only thing I wish it had was ABS. But, I don't plan on driving it much this Winter with a wheelbase not much longer than my arm span.

New truck prices are absolutely ridiculous these days. Sticker on my 4x4 1/2-ton 4dr with few options in 2015 was $37k. Fords and Chevys similarly equipped were over $40k. My dad's Chevy 1-ton dually Duramax crew cab was over $70k. Just incredible...

[mold maker]

In my lifetime, I've owned 2 new vehicles.
First was a 73 Suburban that I traded for a new 03 Dodge.
With the prices charged today, the now 14 yr old Dodge had better last the rest of my life. So far it only has 73K miles. Mostly as a school transport, and to Drs.