Let me start off...
This is my first Dodge, I've only driven GM untl now, so I don't know the in's-and-out's yet.

My Car:
2009 R/T Automatic
28J PKG
Electronic Convienece PKG
Black/Black

First of all, I love this car, but I am disappointed that this car does not come with Limited Slip... It was the one thing I forgot to research. However, the Limit-Slip that you can get on this car isn't really Limited-Slip. It is an open differential... it's got an electronic system that senses wheel slip and applies that brakes to the slipping wheel which then forces the power to the sticking wheel. Not ideal on the track.

Anyway, I don't know how these transmissions are supposed to work, but my Automatic R/T automatically downshifts during de-accleration... it feels like when you downshift manual tranny. I never saw a automatic trasmission downshift hard like this before... is this normal?

 

There's real LSD in all 2009 models. The 'false' limited slip was only for 2008 models.

I didn't get my car yet but other members said that the transmission's electronics as well as the engine's electronics is 'learning' and is different during the break-in process. ( use the search option above to see other posts ) The transmission gets smoother with time and the engine gets more powerful as well. Shouldn't have to worry there.

 

I haven't had extended use with the transmission you have as it is NOT a Chrysler unit (the W5A580 is a Mercedes unit), but I might be able to answer what is going on. Is this doing this when the engine is cold or all the time? Are you using the autostick mode when it is doing this? It is possible you might have to have the transmission reprogrammed. Don't worry many dealerships will do this for free. It is just a matter of hooking it up to a computer.

 

Ok here's what I found. I have basically the same car, 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T 5.7 ltr Hemi 5sp bump stick automatic. In the 1,000 or more miles I have on it I found that if I do not touch the gear shift lever and just leave it in drive it does not downshift into lower gears as you slow down and /or come to a stop , but when you stop it drops then in to first gear and as you pull away it upshifts normally thru the other 4 gears. Now when I use the bump stick to down shift as I do on occassion to slow up in a hurry I bump the gearshift lever over to the left for each gear I want to downshift to. If I stop shifting at any gear the trans keeps on downshifting untill I stop. Then upon pulling away again I must upshift thru all the gears to get to final drive gear as it will not upshift it self. So then I tried something else.....after using the bumpshift to downshift to a complete stop I then take the shift lever and move it to neutral for a second and then place it into drive and as I drive away it is back in complete automatic mode upshifting itself up thru the gears. That the best I can explain it so it seems for normal full automatic don't touch the shift lever......if you want to shift yourself then you must upshift and downshift yourself. Thats my real world experience so far, Fat Cat[sm=gears.gif]

 

Try just holding to the right,it will go back to drive instead of putting in neutral.
It will shift up at redline if you forget. Enjoy Fat cat I know I am

 

Just to be clear, fpr the 2009 model, the LSD is only available to all the SRT (auto and manual) and in the R/T manual only. The R/T auto does not have the LSD available, not even as an option.

 

Fat Cat, you're running that poor car into the ground! I got mine before you did and I currently have 873 miles!

 

Thanks for your answers guys....

Just to clarify, when I am driving, I am in full automatic mode. It upshifts through the gears perfectly... the issue comes when I slow down. If full automatic mode, while I slow down, the transmission downsifts through the gears... it feels like a manual downshifting. The RPMs reflect this as well. I got the car in Aug, and I have 3000 miles on it, so I doubt I'm in a break-in period still. If this shouldn't be happening, then I guess I need to bring it to the dealer?

Also, just to clarify... The LSD is available as an option on the 2009 R/T automatic, and comes standard on the 2009 R/T 6spd and SRTs. Unfortunatly I did not know this and my R/T automatic is not LSD. However, I wouldn't pay extra for the type of LSD they have.... you are paying an awful lot for them to give you the same open carrier. The LSD on thee cars are a standard open differential, with comuter programming that senses wheel slip and applies the brake to that slipping whell thereby transfering the power to the sticking wheel through the open diff. As for me, I'm going to start looking for a new carrier to put into this bad boy.

 

Raj, that computer programming is called "brake-lock differential", and it's what's in the 2008 SRT. The '09 R/T manual, and all '09 SRTs have real mechanical LSD units, not open diffs using the brake pads.

Read this quote. I ain't making this up.
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...8/newsletter01

"The '08 car doesn't have a true limited-slip; it has what we call brake-lock differential. It's an electronic version of a limited-slip. It works by slowing one wheel down to match the other wheel. But it doesn't really instantaneously put all of the power to the ground.

"So, on the '09, the limited-slip will make the car faster in autocross, really any kind of road-racing activity. Getrag is the manufacturer, but we're going back to buzzwords of the '60s and '70s, and it'll be called a Track-Loc.

"That will be on the 5.7 and the 6.1 manuals and on all of the SRT automatics. It's a very good package. It puts the power to the ground very effectively. It allows the owner of the car to really enjoy the experience.

"This car has a rear axle that's actually produced by Mercedes; it's the primary rear axle in all of their performance cars, with 215-millimeter ring gear. But for 2009, the ring gear goes up from 215 millimeters to 226 millimeters.

 

I stand corrected on the LSD in 2009s... I wish mine has LSD... Swapping the carrier is in my future.

Anyway... does anyone have any comments on my Tranny Issue? Does anyone else have an 09 R/T that can say one way or the other from driving experience whether their car does this too or not?