[egwood]

I have a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 5.9L V8 with an automatic transmission and with 130k miles on it. The weather here has been below freezing all week, but it was around 10 degrees when I drove the truck in 4High about 3 miles. I hit some ice and the truck slid backwards down a hill. When I went to shift the truck into reverse, and then into drive, to get myself out of the situation, the truck wouldn't shift. The gear shifter would move freely through its entire range, but the truck itself would not change. Also, the red indicator strip on the dashboard which tells you which gear you are in was sticky and wasn't following the path of the gear shifter. I was able to wiggle the shifter enough to get it into reverse, but then on the way home we pretty much coasted downhill in neutral. I was unable to put the car in park and had to leave it with the key in it, turned off but still in gear. No matter what I did the transmission wouldn't shift out of neutral. When I went to put it in park it made a horrible grinding noise that continued until I put the truck back in neutral. I haven't had this truck long, but have noticed it will occasionally be hard to switch into and out of 4WD and sometimes it will be hard to put it into the correct gear. I know gear isn't the right word when talking about Drive, Reverse, Park, but that's what I mean. It was above freezing and sunny today so I went and started the truck and was able to put it into park and take the key out, but I didn't dare drive it for fear of getting stuck down the road. I thought maybe the linkage got frozen, but the extent of my knowledge comes from Click and Clack. Any help would be SUPER SUPER appreciated, since I'm pretty clueless. THANK YOU!

 

[RamTech]

I'd check the linkages to the trans and t-case first.

 

[dabranco]

What he said could be just snow and ice packed up against the linkage preventing the linkage from moving. Also when going from 4wd-2wd the trans needs to be in neutral same for going from 4hi/2wd to 4 low. If you can take it out see how it drives but to me sounds like you had something hanging up the selector on the trans.

 

[Brewtus]

Also when going from 4wd-2wd the trans needs to be in neutral same for going from 4hi/2wd to 4 low.

False. 2wd to 4hi and 4hi to 2wd is a shift on the fly up to 55 mph in gear. Manual recommends letting up on the gas before doing so. That's how the manual says to do it, and I do it all the time with no issue.

Manual requires you to be in Neutral and rolling at 2-3 mph to shift from 4hi to 4lo and vice versa. That said, I have not been able to do this successfully, I always have to shut the truck off, shift into 4lo, and restart.