DrMaddVibe wrote:Sorry for not keeping up but is this on a new truck?
If so, Lemon Law while not easy to do is possible. I successfully did it with a Dodge Ram truck.
Unfortunately, no. Bought it 3yrs used but with certified powertrain warranty to 100k or 7yr from initial purchase. It's a 2017 sold in late 2016 and about 65k miles so I still got time.
They didn't send it to my tranny guy, but he is who they use for bench rebuilds. Dunno if I really trust him either since I only got 5k miles out of a $4k rebuild on my last truck and it failed. He did two other transmissions for me that lasted though so I don't know if I want to write him off yet. But they just had a tech replace the valve body. I can do that in my driveway. That trans has been chit the whole time I've had it, the clutch packs are shot. The fluid had metal sparkles and clutch material in it when I brought it in. I showed them a picture of the fluid. If they didn't do a REALLY thorough cleaning those clutches probably already sprinkled enough pixie dust into the new trans fluid to take out the valve body they just put in.
I'm gonna drive it until it goes back in hopefully the fugger grenades. I've seen a lot of forum posts with my same situation and the only way anyone's gotten a new or proper bench rebuild under warranty is a valve body that actually cracks/backs off the bolts and mixes into the actual gears and destroys everything. The way its acting, that's a possibility in the near term. Maybe I should commute with a trailer attached. Most of the forum guys did their own rebuilds. I HATE working on automatic transmissions. I don't have the clean space or attention to detail that it takes to do it right. Plus the entire reason I overspent my budget for a new truck was because of the warranty. I thought I'd never have to use it. Turns out it doesn't cover a damn thing and I still get on the hook for $$$$
The first time I took it in for the trans slipping and going into limp mode the service writer asked how heavy I was towing. I said 6500lbs (camper is actually 6200 loaded full water tanks etc). He said "well, that's kinda heavy for a gas truck" Muhfugga this is a 3/4 ton HD truck with a 4.10 rear rated to tow according to the manual 15,470lbs. EVERY single half ton truck on the market can tow this camper. I've towed this camper with the 96 Chevy 1500 V6 truck that I've been driving while the Ram is in the shop. And that thing now has over 200k and has has no major service done ever. I doubt the trans fluid has ever been changed either. So then he asks how fast are you towing. I don't drive over 65 in a truck, maybe 70 if I'm in an area where everybody's doing 85. If I'm towing I set the cruise usually at 62-63 and park my ass in the right hand lane and just patiently wait to arrive.
What really blows is there's a 2020 Honda Ridgeline for sale about 10 miles away for $35k with 15k miles and certified warranty. I know it's not a real truck but I don't really need a real truck right now, just need a pickup bed to haul stinky/dirty things. It can tow enough for my current needs and hopefully after a few years of not paying thousands/year in repairs I can buy a new truck. I wanted to take my Ram there when I'm done with my workweek and talk numbers but a 10 minute test drive you'd know the Ram is fuggerd.
