Theory Of Operation

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2019 RAM 3500 HD and 2019 RAM 2500 HD. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The T41 (C1), T42 (C2), T3 (C3), T1 (C4), T4 (C5) Signal circuits communicate the shift lever position to the Transmission Control System. Each circuit is terminated at the transmission by a switch (TRS). Each switch can be either open or closed, depending on the shift lever position. The PCM can decode this information and determine the shift lever position.

Each shift lever position has it own unique combination of closed and open switches. This is called a PRNDL code. There are five switches, therefore: there are many possible combinations of open and closed switches (codes). There are eight valid codes: two for neutral, one for each other gear position (3), and three temporary (transition zone) codes. The remainder of the codes should never occur, these are called invalid codes.