Complaint 2234166

Complaint Summary

POWER TRAIN

Owner Narrative

I own a 2022 Ram 1500 Limited 4x4 (5.7L HEMI eTorque, ZF 8-speed automatic), VIN [XXX], approximately 40,000 miles. For roughly two years, the transmission has produced a hard, jarring downshift and lurch during normal low-speed deceleration, consistently when slowing from ~20 mph to a stop. This occurs both when the engine is cold and fully warmed up, ruling out a cold-start explanation. It happens under normal city driving, not towing or aggressive driving. The jolt is forceful enough that passengers, including my spouse, are reluctant to ride in the vehicle. I brought the truck to an authorized Ram dealership (Greenway Dodge, Orlando, FL) and left it overnight. The service manager stated this was “normal” behavior and that his own vehicle did the same. When I noted it happens warm as well as cold, I was told nothing could be done. No diagnostic codes were pulled, no fluid inspected, and no TSBs checked during the visit. I later confirmed via NHTSA’s TSB lookup that a bulletin addressing rough downshifting on 5.7L eTorque Ram 1500 trucks (TSB 21-005-19 or superseding revisions) exists for this platform, and has NOT been applied to my VIN despite the dealership having full access to check. I’m filing this because: 1) the behavior involves unexpected, forceful lurching during low-speed deceleration that could startle a driver near intersections; 2) my dealership dismissed it without diagnostics or checking for applicable updates; 3) this appears to be a widely reported issue among other 2019-2022 Ram 1500 eTorque owners, suggesting a pattern rather than an isolated defect. I’m requesting NHTSA document this as part of its review of shift-quality/drivetrain behavior in eTorque-equipped Ram 1500 trucks of this model year INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.