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The 45RFE showed up in 1999 Grand Cherokees and spread into the Ram 1500, Dakota, Durango, Liberty and Commander behind the 3.7, 4.7 and gas V8s. The 545RFE is the same basic unit set up to use a fifth gear. Past about 120,000 miles both get the same complaint: the tach jumps a few hundred RPM mid-shift, then it catches.
That is a shift flare, and on an RFE it has a very specific meaning. These are clutch-to-clutch transmissions with no bands. The TCM releases one clutch and fills the next on a timed schedule. If the oncoming clutch is late, the engine spins up. Late means the hydraulics are not delivering pressure on time, or the clutch has worn enough to need more fill volume than the TCM expects. Fix the first in the vehicle. The second means a rebuild.
Match the Flare to the Clutch
The RFE family uses six driving and holding clutches: underdrive (UD), overdrive (OD), reverse, 2C, 4C and low/reverse (L/R). The clutch apply chart, as we work it on the bench, looks like this. Verify against the factory manual for your year:
- 1st (about 3.00): UD + L/R
- 2nd (about 1.67): UD + 2C
- 2nd prime (about 1.50): UD + 4C. This is the alternate second gear unique to the 45RFE/545RFE design, used mostly on certain kickdowns.
- 3rd (1.00): UD + OD
- 4th (about 0.75): OD + 4C
- 5th, 545RFE only (about 0.67): OD + 2C
So the 1-2 shift applies 2C, the 2-3 applies OD, the 3-4 releases UD and applies 4C, and the 545RFE 4-5 releases 4C and re-applies 2C. The money-saving trick: look for two flaring shifts that share a clutch. A 545RFE that flares on 1-2 and 4-5 is almost always pointing at 2C. One that flares on 3-4 and on a 4-2 kickdown into second prime is pointing at 4C. If everything flares a little, stop looking at clutches and look at fluid and line pressure.
Step One: Fluid Level, ATF+4 Only
Half the flaring Jeeps we see are low or have the wrong fluid. A low RFE uncovers the pickup on hard stops and turns, and aerated fluid slows every clutch fill.
- Drive until the transmission is fully warm, around 180 degrees F if your scan tool shows temperature.
- Level ground, engine running, cycle through the gears, back to Park, then check the dipstick against the hot marks.
- Many later Jeep applications have no factory dipstick in the tube and need a service dipstick tool. Do not guess the level on those.
- Use ATF+4 or a fluid that explicitly meets the ATF+4 spec.
If the service is overdue, drop the pan and install a fresh 45RFE/545RFE filter kit ($30.99). Gray paste in the pan is normal. Black friction flakes or metal glitter mean the clutch is already going.
Step Two: Scan Tool, CVI and Codes
You need a scan tool that talks to the Chrysler TCM. The number that settles most arguments is the clutch volume index (CVI) for L/R, 2C, OD, UD and 4C. As frictions wear and clearance grows, the fill volume the TCM learns for that clutch rises. One clutch at the top of its factory range, or climbing after a quick learn, is your slipping clutch.
Codes to look for:
- P0731-P0735: incorrect ratio in gears 1 through 5. P0736 is reverse. A ratio code means confirmed slip.
- P0868 / P0869: line pressure low or high. These point at the line pressure sensor, the pressure control solenoid, or a pump and filter problem.
- P0715 / P0720: input or output speed sensor. A dropout makes the TCM misjudge the shift and adapt the wrong way.
- Pressure switch and solenoid circuit codes in the P07xx and P08xx families, usually the solenoid pack or connector.
Ratio codes with clean electrical data lean toward worn friction; pressure or switch codes lean hydraulic.
The In-Vehicle Suspects
Solenoid Pack and Pressure Switches
The solenoid and pressure switch assembly bolts to the valve body and runs every apply. Switches go intermittent, solenoids get lazy hot, and connectors corrode on salt-belt Jeeps. The 545RFE solenoid pack ($181.99) is the most common in-vehicle fix we sell for this complaint. Early 1999-2003 units use a different connector; confirm fitment before ordering.
Line Pressure and Speed Sensors
Line pressure is closed-loop off the line pressure sensor. If it reads high, the TCM drops pressure and every apply goes soft. The input/output speed and pressure sensor kit ($59.99) is cheap enough that we replace the set when the data is questionable rather than chase one sensor at a time.
Accumulators and Valve Body
The RFE accumulators cushion clutch applies, and their pistons and seals wear. A leaking accumulator delays the clutch it serves, which reads as a flare on one shift with a normal CVI. The billet accumulator piston kit ($79.99) takes the factory plastic pistons out of the equation. Worn valve body bores leak apply oil too; on a high-mileage Durango or Ram 1500 we usually just bolt in a 545RFE valve body with solenoid pack ($463.99)
A 45RFE/545RFE shift kit ($133.99) corrects the known hydraulic weak spots and is worth installing while the valve body is out. It will not cure burned clutches.
Symptom to Fix: Quick Reference
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix | Parts Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flare on every shift, worse on hard stops or turns | Low, aerated or wrong fluid | Check level hot, ATF+4, new filter | $31 |
| Flare began after battery, fluid or parts work | Adaptives reset or wrong | Quick learn with scan tool | $0 |
| Intermittent flare, worse hot, switch or solenoid codes | Solenoid pack / pressure switch | Replace solenoid pack, check connector | $182 |
| Soft shifts everywhere, P0868/P0869 | Line pressure sensor or control | Replace sensors, verify pressure | $60 |
| One shift flares, CVI normal | Accumulator or valve body leak | Accumulator kit, shift kit, or valve body | $80-$464 |
| 1-2 and 4-5 both flare (545RFE) | 2C clutch or circuit | Check 2C CVI; rebuild if high | $319 kit |
| 3-4 and kickdown to 2nd prime flare | 4C clutch or circuit | Check 4C CVI; rebuild if high | $319 kit |
Quick Learn: Required, but Not a Repair
Quick learn resets the TCM's clutch fill adaptives and has it relearn them. It is mandatory after a solenoid pack, valve body or transmission swap, and worth doing after a battery disconnect. Skip it after a valve body job and the new parts flare on the old numbers.
What quick learn will not do is make a worn clutch hold. If the flare disappears, then creeps back within a few hundred miles while one CVI climbs, you have your answer.
Repair vs Rebuild
Clean fluid, CVIs inside spec, and electrical or pressure codes: fix it in the vehicle. Sensors, solenoid pack, filter and a quick learn is a Saturday job.
Burnt fluid, friction material in the pan, a ratio code, or one CVI out of range and rising: the transmission is coming out. 2C and 4C wear is the classic failure on these units, especially on Durangos and Commanders that towed. On the bench, a 45RFE/545RFE master rebuild kit ($318.99) covers frictions, steels, seals and gaskets. Inspect the input hub and reaction parts while it is apart. A shop rebuild with removal and install lands well into four figures, so read the CVI early.
45RFE / 545RFE Parts, Ships Same-Day
Solenoid packs, valve bodies, sensors, accumulator kits, filters and shift kits for Ram, Dakota, Durango and Jeep. For complete rebuild kits and hard parts, our sister store Core Transmission Parts carries the full line.
Shop 545RFE Parts → Shop 45RFE PartsFAQ
Why does my 545RFE flare on both the 1-2 and the 4-5 shift?
Both shifts apply the 2C clutch, which holds in second and again in fifth. When two shifts sharing a clutch both flare, suspect that clutch or its circuit and check its CVI first.
What is the alternate second gear on a 45RFE?
Both units have two second-gear ratios: about 1.67 using 2C, and second prime at about 1.50 using 4C, mostly on certain kickdowns. A flare only on kickdown can point at 4C rather than 2C.
Will a quick learn fix a 45RFE or 545RFE flare?
Only if the flare started after a battery disconnect, fluid service, or solenoid pack or valve body job. It resets clutch fill adaptives; it cannot make a worn clutch hold.
Can low fluid make a 545RFE flare?
Yes, and it is the most common cause we see. Low fluid aerates on hard stops and under load, softening every apply. Check it hot, engine running, in Park, ATF+4 only.
How much does it cost to fix a 45RFE or 545RFE flare?
In-vehicle parts run about $31 for a filter kit, $60 for sensors, $80 for accumulator pistons, $182 for a solenoid pack and $464 for a valve body with solenoid pack. A master rebuild kit is about $319; a shop rebuild with labor runs well into four figures.