I have 1500 miles on my SRT-8. I'm having a very harsh second to third gear shift when driving the car after it has been sitting for a while. This happens during the first set or two of shifts, then it's gone. Anyone else experience this? It seems to be getting worse. Can't check the ATF fluid level since there is no dipstick. Are there any software upgrades for the transmission/engine that might solve this? Any advice would be appreciated.

I have almost 3000 miles on my SRT8. Last Friday I had two Technical Service Bulletins addressed at the dealer: One was to have vibration isolation washers installed (I believe on the Tranny) and the other was to have the transmission computer updated. The driveline whining is significantly reduced. However, after the car shifts to second gear it will not kickdown to first gear and performance suffers since the car is pulling in second gear from low speeds. After the update, the car also expeienced a few harsh second gear shifts resulting in a very unsatsifying clunk. SRT Engineering team please look into these problems. I prefer the original shift profile and would live with the whine if it won't cause any damage.

Interesting....I have no issues with whining, or bolt needing the washer, but do have a similar experience with tranny harshness. Take off in 1st, and then just before 2nd is engaged, you get a clunk that kind of sounds like the driveshaft just jumped backwards or something, then 2nd engages. Poor description I know, but it definietly is not normal. Am going to try and duplicate for tech on next service visit. Also have found that if you don't get on it and stay on it, it will grab 2nd quickly, and then pull forever.

No shift issues here.

No automatic downshift to 1st gear while rolling along around 30 MPH or so and then applying WOT, needs to be fixed.

Also, we have quite a bit of powertrain whine/rumble that seems excessive; I am aware of a service bulletin that is supposed to cover this, but it is a bit dissapointing that these Jeeps came this way.

With a bit over 3000 miles on the SRT8, I notice not a harsness but more of a very gentle clunk when shifting from 2nd to 3rd, when applying light throttle. Nothing to write home about, but I'm glad that we have an extended warranty!

My 02 Overland's Owner Manual said the tranny would shift harsh when cold. I think it has to do with the trans oil type and nothing out of the normal. I don't get any driveline noise or clunks and the buzz was coming from the factory front muffler. Changed mine to a "MagnaFlow" one and wella no more buzz. HTH Gene:D

I'm having the same problem with my Trans. This sucks please let me know what everyone finds out. This should'nt be happing with a 50K new truck.

"A funny thing started happing with my trans. I’m not sure if it’s from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd, but I feel this sharp jerk coming from either the Trans or the engine. It’s a shift that doesn’t feel right. And I’m not hard accelerating just normal acceleration that gives a sharp twitch. I’m not sure if it’s because of the sporty tight Trans or if something is wrong. Anyone else feel this with theirs? BTW I followed the break in procedure to 300, I have 450 now."

Some time back there was a post at allpar.com about this I believe. It was supposed to be normal, has to do with the electronics in the traction control resetting after a cold start. Happens to me ever time, like clockwork, just like my 1994 GC used to reset its ABS every morning with a studdering sound.

If I find the post, I'll put up a link, or if anyone else knows please inform all, my memory is hazy.

jst2

06 GC SRT-8 4100 miles
Mich Lic. REDSRT8

98 GC LTD 5.9L 173K miles

Just before my 2nd gear shift I hear and feel a metal to metal noise,And if I am going over 18MPH it will not downshift to 1st gear

Glad that I'm not alone on this one. I thought I did something to the tranny to F it up. Every morning it happens and every time I leave work.

Glad that I'm not alone on this one. I thought I did something to the tranny to F it up. Every morning it happens and every time I leave work.


Still no fix on this one. I've been to 3 dealerships. You feel a slip in the shift with a knocking sound correct? And it only happens once when you first run the truck. Please let us know if you find anything out.

I have 1100 miles on mine and I am getting this to.
Every time I pull away from my garage there is a small clonk as it goes from 2nd to 3rd. At first I thought it was me driving over the little reflector things in the middle of the road, but it is consistant.
I also get the pulling, If I am rounding a smooth corner in 2nd or 3rd and try to accelerate out of the corner it pulls badly untill I gun it or back off. REALLY annoying!
Let us all know if anyones finds out anything.

I have the tranny wine also. depends on the day. It is annoying. But not all the time. My old jeep grand cherokee overland 2004 had the same issue. I'm surprised that The srt8 has it seeing that we all have the Allsion transmission. Oh well...

Interesting....I have no issues with whining, or bolt needing the washer, but do have a similar experience with tranny harshness. Take off in 1st, and then just before 2nd is engaged, you get a clunk that kind of sounds like the driveshaft just jumped backwards or something, then 2nd engages. Poor description I know, but it definietly is not normal. Am going to try and duplicate for tech on next service visit. Also have found that if you don't get on it and stay on it, it will grab 2nd quickly, and then pull forever.

I think that is a good description of what I am experiencing. An unexplained clunk just before it shifts into second. Even at a very slow speed it does this.

Interesting....I have no issues with whining, or bolt needing the washer, but do have a similar experience with tranny harshness. Take off in 1st, and then just before 2nd is engaged, you get a clunk that kind of sounds like the driveshaft just jumped backwards or something, then 2nd engages. Poor description I know, but it definietly is not normal. Am going to try and duplicate for tech on next service visit. Also have found that if you don't get on it and stay on it, it will grab 2nd quickly, and then pull forever.
Mine is doing the exact same thing. This can't be good.

I think I saw something about the temperature of the tranny fluid causing the clunk sound. This only happens to me when I have just started her up and start from a stop. It doesn't happen again until it completely cools down. i don't think it is a big deal, but I am no mechanic.

Only happens to me when mine is cold.

Can anyone get ahold of DC for this one?? Doesnt seem like its something normal.

I'm having the same problem with my Trans. This sucks please let me know what everyone finds out. This should'nt be happing with a 50K new truck.

"A funny thing started happing with my trans. I’m not sure if it’s from 1st to 2nd or 2nd to 3rd, but I feel this sharp jerk coming from either the Trans or the engine. It’s a shift that doesn’t feel right. And I’m not hard accelerating just normal acceleration that gives a sharp twitch. I’m not sure if it’s because of the sporty tight Trans or if something is wrong. Anyone else feel this with theirs? BTW I followed the break in procedure to 300, I have 450 now."

If you check the manual, there is a page describing how after a cold start, the truck will preform a brief test of the ABS systems at around 20 km/h. This apparently explains the thump around the 1st to 2nd shift.

Danman is right. When I pulled the pink fuse, I dont think I got the noise!! Gonna check again tonight to make sure.

Stil got the noise with the fuse out. Oh well.:(

I have had mine in dealership for this problem now for 2 weeks. They have changed out the tranny and I am now waiting on a computer for the tranny. It appears there are many people on the both SRT forums experiencing this issue and the only way to get it resolved is for everyone to take to dealer so DCX knows there is a problem. I was told by service manager that this is the first time the engineers at SRT8 have heard about the problem.

glad to see everyone is having this problem, well not happy, but glad i am not the only one. i took mine to dealership last week and the guy drove it and said he didnt find anything wrong. I thought I might be going crazy. Going back and have that boy sit in the car with me.

I noticed this clunk as well. I was thinking that since it happens every time the car is started and only once, that the software was doing some sort of check. Something like the brief pulsing the ABS did on each start up on my old Jeep. Whether or not this is supposed to be intentional is the question. I will ask the dealer to pass this information along to their Chrysler reps.

You guys should have the dealer check the transfer case. Have them DISCONNECT the electronics to the transfer case (this controls the clutch to the front differential) and see if the problem goes away. I've heard there are problems w/ the t-case computer/calibration causing a lot of clunks upon first set of shift after a key cycle. Changing the trans, trans computer, t-case or t-case computer will NOT fix this. I've heard it's a calibration problem w/ the t-case electronics which requires a software service fix.

After reading Hornet's post, I started paying closer attention to when the clunk happens. Sure enough I was able to note that it was not happening on an actual shift. I crawled under and disconnected the line to the t-case and tried again. The clunk went away. The dealer checked the software and told me it is the most recent version. Hopefully our complaints will filter up to the proper people in SRT and a fix will be comming soon. Nothing to do but wait in the meantime. Bummer!

I have the clunk only when I start it up and first take off.:confused:

The harshness felt one time when starting out after vehical has been shut off is in the T-Case. This is a learn procedure in the T-Case software to compensate for any clutch wear that may occure in the T-Case clutch after the last drive cycle.There may be at some point a software update to make this procedure less noticable.
I also posted this reply in a different thread, but seems more appropriate in this thread.

Yup. To my knowledge, DCX engineering is currently trying to figure out a fix for this problem. However, nothing has been resolved to my knowledge. I would just keep checking w/ the dealer periodically for FDCM (Final Drive Control Module) software updates. When/if I hear something on the issue, I'll post something to you guys w/ this problem. Hopefully, the supplier in charge of the FDCM software figures out the issue and fixes it ASAP.

Droped off my Jeep @ the dealer this AM for a 10,000 service,fix that god awful scream from the windshield,had them turn on the side view mirrors and told him about the trani,I told him I thought the biggest problem is when it shifts from 2nd to 3rd at full throttle.It seems to have like a 1.2 of a second delay and 1/2 way through 3rd it is far from smooth.Will let you guy's know if they were able to fix the issue