Hey guys this is my first post on here so bare with me. So I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 5.9 cummins and 48re transmission. About 2 months ago One morning my truckstarted off in third gear no first no second no overdrive so I put it in park and turned it off then turned it back on began to run normal the rest of the day. The next morning same thing except this time it didn't go away... I downed the truck immediately but drove it around the block a couple of times while trying to diagnose... On every test drive I had the same symptom of being stuck in third but on maybe two of those test drive when I put the truck into drive it bucked forward and stalled out. I then started it back up put it into drive again and again began in third gear. i read all about limp mode and a common problem of these symptoms and decided to change the governor pressure solenoid and transducer. I did that changed the filter and fluid and adjusted my bands to spec and truck began to run perfectly fine again... About six weeks later I was driving down the highway when all of a sudden it felt like my truck went into neutral so I pulled over put it into park and this time I start off in second gear and it will shift into third and overdrive but won't go into first. Yesterday I took it for another test drive and found that if I go directly from neutral to first I can catch first gear but once it up shifts it won't go back to first unless I come to a complete stop and pop it directly into first again...please help I have been racking my brain for much too long on this.

 

As your post is from Apr 16 I suspect you have already found your problem. However, I would like to know what you did to fix it as my son is also having some strange problems that do not point to a mechanical failure. Here is his story.

2007, 5.9,48RE. He originally just had poor shifting (shuttling). He changed the Transducer and upgraded to a BW solenoid and fresh fluid. Transmission worked like new. A short time later, at the end of a 600klm trip, he lost 4th (OD) and lock-up. He limped it home. He also had intermittent ABS and Brake Lights that changed each time he drove it. He took it to the dealer and they diagnosed that his Power Module (TIPM) had failed due to corroded pins. They replaced it and all the lights and codes were gone and the truck seemed to be fine, however once out on the highway it would not go into OD (2000 RPM, 50mph/80klm). Lockup is fine in all gears. He then replaced the OD solenoid and still no shift. We have removed all of the connectors, inspected all the wires and pins and everything looks like new. Transmission has 175klms (100k miles) and has not been abused in any way. Not sure what to chase next? Any help would be appreciated. Dave

 

Hey Dave so I ended up taking my truck to my friend after the new solenoid and sensor fixed the problem and shortly after failed again. He hooked up his high end scanner to it and it would not communicate with the TCM/PCM. So I was still left with the same problem with no answers. I ended up biting the bullet and taking it into dodge which was good because there ended up being 7 recalls on my truck 1 which was the TCM and the wiring harness due to the same corrosion problems you mentioned. After I picked my truck up from dodge it still had the same trans problems. So I went back in and changed the solenoid and sensor again this time with the borg warner upgraded solenoid. I have not had any problems since truck runs perfectly fine never misses a gear and shifts crisp every time. Just for a note when I was in my tranny I found that my bands were lose so I adjusted them to spec this was also recommended to me by a specialist. Good luck.

 

I was told that the computer they replaced were causing the sensor and solenoid to short so once the computer was replaced I changed them again as well and waa laa. Hope this has been helpful I know how much of a headache all of this can be.