A Charger with an eight-speed shift complaint usually gets one of four descriptions at the counter: a clunk on the 2-1 coming to a stop, an upshift that hangs after hard braking, a car that suddenly revs out every gear and never finds 7th or 8th, or a coast-down that feels like someone bumped the back bumper. FCA has a TCM software bulletin for every one of those, and most of them are gated by engine, transmission sales code and build date. The scan tool and the build sheet decide whether you are doing a flash, a relearn or a valve body, so do those before anyone mentions a rebuild.
This guide stays on shift quality for the 2012-up LD Charger: harsh, late, hanging, bumpy or flared shifts. Slipping and lost gears have their own post, ZF8HP Dodge Charger slipping: causes and fix, and the full fault list is in our Charger common problems guide.
Pull the Sales Codes Before the Road Test
The Charger has carried five different eight-speed codes, and FCA writes every bulletin to them. The V6 cars run either the Kokomo-built 845RE (sales code DFL), which Sonnax notes is the TorqueFlite version of the ZF 8HP45, or a ZF-built 8HP45 (DFG). The 5.7L and 6.4L cars run the 8HP70 (DFK), the 6.2L supercharged cars run the 8HP90 (DFE), and the 2019-up V6 cars moved to the second-generation 850RE (DFT). Sonnax lists the V6 ratios as 4.71, 3.14, 2.10, 1.67, 1.29, 1.00, 0.84 and 0.67 with a 3.30 reverse, so an eighth-gear cruise at highway speed is a long way down from 1st, and the TCM is doing a lot of work to keep those steps smooth.
The table lists the Charger shift bulletins we pulled and read from NHTSA's server, with the complaint each one fixes.
| Bulletin | Applies to | Shift complaint | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21-041-14 (Dec 2014) | 2013 LD, 3.6L ERB, 845RE DFL | Bump on the 2-1 during light braking or coasting to a stop, any temperature, no DTCs | Valve body kit RL259301AA, then drive learn; 1.7 hr |
| 21-003-14 Rev. A (Dec 2014) | 2014 LD, 3.6L ERB, 845RE DFL | Harsh 2-1 bump; also enables Quick Learn and fixes false P215C on AWD cars | TCM flash, reset adaptives, Quick Learn; 0.5 hr |
| 21-022-15 (Apr 2015) | 2015 LD, 5.7L EZH, 8HP70 DFK, built on or before Feb 28, 2015 | Weak WOT upshifts; poor downshifts coasting, braking or passing | TCM flash; 0.2 hr |
| 21-041-17 (Sep 2017), supersedes 21-019-16 | 2015 LD, 3.6L ERB, 845RE DFL or 8HP45 DFG | After a radio FOTA update, high-rpm shift points with 7th and 8th blocked; harsh 2-1 or low-speed bump (DFG); P0734, P1DCD, P1B13 | TCM flash; 0.2 hr |
| 21-023-16 (Jun 2016), supersedes 21-063-15 | 2016 LD, 3.6L ERB, DFL or DFG, built on or before May 31, 2016 | Hanging or delayed upshift when braking downhill or after hard acceleration, or after a quick lift off the pedal | TCM flash |
| 21-026-16 (Jul 2016), supersedes 21-062-15 | 2016 LD, 5.7L EZH, 8HP70 DFK, built on or before Jun 6, 2016 | Same hanging upshift complaints, plus 2-1 downshift quality | TCM flash; 0.2 hr |
| 21-028-16 (Aug 2016) | 2016 LD, 6.4L ESG with 8HP70 DFK or 6.2L ESD with 8HP90 DFE, built on or before Aug 5, 2016 | Poor 3-2, 2-1 and 6-5 coast-down shifts | TCM flash; 0.2 hr |
| 21-030-20 (Apr 2020) | 2019 LD, 3.6L ERB, 850RE DFT, built on or before Jan 25, 2019 | Rare cold start where it goes into Drive and will not move until shifted to Park and back | TCM flash |
If the VIN and the complaint both line up with a row, the fix is on the bulletin. Only the 2013 V6 bulletin calls for hardware; everything else is software. If the car already carries the latest calibration and still shifts badly, keep going.
Know Which Clutches the Bad Shift Uses
The eight-speed holds every gear with three of its five elements (brakes A and B, clutches C, D and E), and a single-step shift swaps one element for another. FCA's own example in bulletin 21-012-14 Rev. B is the 2-1: A and B stay applied, E releases and C applies. That makes a 2-1 bump a C or E circuit problem and nothing else, which is a useful thing to know when the owner says it "clunks when I stop."
The same bulletin says which shift each element learns on:
| Element | Adapts on | Best learned |
|---|---|---|
| A | 6-7 | Highway, above 50 mph |
| B | 6-5 coast | Throttle at 0%, no brake |
| C | 2-3 and 4-5 | Light to medium throttle launch |
| D | 3-4 | Light to medium throttle launch |
| E | 1-2 and 5-6 | Light to medium throttle launch |
Write the road test down shift by shift. A Charger whose 1-2 and 5-6 are both firm points at E. A rough 6-5 coast with everything else fine points at B, which only learns when the driver coasts off the throttle without the brake, something a lot of city drivers rarely do. A car that bumps only on the 2-1 at a stop, with clean upshifts, is the textbook 21-041-14 complaint.
Check 1: Codes, Voltage and Fluid Level
Pull TCM and PCM codes first. Every FCA bulletin in the table tells the tech to repair any other stored DTC before flashing, and a speed sensor, solenoid or voltage fault changes the whole diagnosis. Note that P0734, P1DCD and P1B13 on a 2015 V6 car can be false codes that 21-041-17 and 21-023-15 Rev. B clear with software, so check the calibration before condemning 4th gear.
Then set the level. There is no dipstick. ZF Service Information 50130 sets the level at the fill plug with the oil at 30-50 C after cycling the selector through P, R and D. Low oil gives late, flared shifts under load; an overfill can aerate and give soft, inconsistent applies. Capacities, plug torques and the correct fluid are in our ZF8HP fluid type and capacity guide.
Check 2: The Flash, and What to Do With Adaptives After It
Every software bulletin carries the same warning: put a battery charger on so voltage does not drop below 13.2 volts and does not climb above 13.5 volts during the flash, and restart the flash if it aborts. A flash on a sagging battery is how a shift complaint turns into a dead TCM.
Where the bulletins differ is the adaptives, and getting this wrong makes a good flash look like it failed:
- Do not clear: 21-022-15, 21-026-16 and 21-041-17 all say not to clear the shift adaptives after the flash, and 21-028-16 says not to clear the adaptation memory cells, because the transmission may not shift smoothly until they relearn.
- Reset and Quick Learn: 21-003-14 Rev. A for the 2014 V6 car is the opposite. After the flash, warm the oil to at least 55 C (131 F) by driving to 45 mph or more so it cycles through every gear, confirm there are no TCM codes, then run Reset Adaptive Values and the Quick Learn under Misc Functions. FCA says the Quick Learn takes 2 to 5 minutes and pays 0.5 hours for the job, and it says not to run Quick Learn with TCM codes present.
Follow the bulletin that matches the VIN, not habit.
Check 3: Read the Adaptation Cells
When the calibration is current and the shift is still poor, the adaptation data tells you whether this is a learning problem or a hardware problem. Bulletin 21-012-14 Rev. B describes the cells: for each element the TCM records how long it takes to fill (Fast Filling Counter and Filling Time, in milliseconds) and how much pressure it needs (Filling Counter and Filling Pressure). The cells start at zero on a new transmission, a replaced TCM or after a scan tool reset, and shift quality may not meet expectations until they learn.
- Counters near zero: the cell has not learned. FCA's targets are a Filling Counter of 12 or more and a Fast Filling Counter of 4 or more on the 845RE, and 6 and 2 on the 8HP70. A car that just had a battery, TCM or transmission job and shifts poorly with low counters needs the drive learn, not parts.
- High counters and offsets still moving: an element with hundreds of learn events that keeps adding fill time is compensating for something, such as a leaking circuit, a worn valve bore, a tired solenoid accumulator or a pack with too much clearance. That is a hardware lead and it names the circuit.
- One element far from the others: compare all five. If C, D and E sit close together and E is way out, the problem lives on E's circuit.
The drive learn in numbers
FCA rates every upshift, every downshift with light braking and the neutral-to-reverse engagement from 1 to 10 with the oil at 30 C or more, and any shift under 5 gets the drive learn. Upshifts learn with oil at 30-100 C, 100-150 Nm (74-111 lb-ft) of engine torque on the scan tool and 1,250-2,000 rpm turbine speed while accelerating from a stop to 40-50 mph. The B element learns on a 6-5 coast with 0% throttle, no brake, input torque between -60 and -40 Nm and input speed of 750-1,100 rpm. Learning stops above 100 C. Use a flat road with no stops; tar strips and hills upset the torque signal and stall the learn. On a 2014-2015 845RE car, FCA requires the Quick Learn first.
Check 4: When It Is Hardware
Once codes, level, software and adaptation are ruled out, the valve body is the usual suspect. Sonnax's ZF8 valve body map puts the circuits on these solenoids: EDS1 A, EDS2 TCC, EDS3 B, EDS4 E, EDS5 C, EDS6 D and EDS7 line pressure, with the MV-1 park solenoid alongside. Each EDS should read between 5 and 6 ohms depending on temperature, so check the one on the circuit the adaptation data flagged. A solenoid that is in range but keeps running the cell away usually points to its accumulator or the valve it feeds rather than the coil.
Sonnax also flags the TC-V (converter clutch valve) bore in the upper casting: wear there has caused dragging or bumpy downshift complaints, because the converter clutch does not release fast enough. Their test is a gauge on the PZT tap in the converter charge circuit. Expect about 30 psi in Drive at a stop, dropping to about 20 psi at 14 mph in 1st when the clutch applies, and the converter clutch does not fully release until the car is below 14 mph. A Charger that bumps or drags on the last downshifts to a stop, with converter slip data that lags the release, fits that pattern and needs valve body work, not a flash.
On the 2013 V6 car, FCA already decided: if the 2-1 bump is there on the road test from 25 mph with light braking, 21-041-14 replaces the valve body, then runs the drive learn. After any valve body or internal repair, clear the adaptation cells (a new mechatronic arrives at zero) and run the full learn.
Rule Out the Shifter
Some 2012-2014 V6 Charger "shift problems" are the monostable electronic selector, not the transmission. The lever springs back to center after each selection, and FCA's Part 573 report for recall 16V-240 says drivers were wrongly concluding the car was in Park. The recall covered Chargers with the 3.6L and eight-speed built February 15, 2011 to November 27, 2014, out of 811,586 vehicles in total, and the remedy was software. Run the VIN for open recalls before chasing a "went into neutral" or "rolled away" complaint inside the case.
Keeping the Shifts Clean
- Set the level only in the 30-50 C window with ZF LifeguardFluid 8 or the Mopar equivalent (68218925AA on the 21-041-14 parts list).
- Check the TCM calibration on every Charger that comes in with a shift complaint, and keep a charger on the battery for every flash.
- After a battery disconnect, TCM work or a repair, run the drive learn or tell the owner the shifts will keep improving over the first few hundred miles.
- Do not clear adaptives as a first move. On a car that has learned around wear, a reset can make it shift worse until it relearns.
Shop the part for this fix
When the adaptation data and an ohm check point at a solenoid on a 2013-2017 V6 Charger with the 845RE or 8HP45, Core Transmission Parts carries an 8HP45 shift solenoid kit for those years. Confirm DFL or DFG on the build sheet first, since the V8 cars use the 8HP70.
See the 8HP45 shift solenoid kit at Core Transmission Parts →Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Dodge Charger 8-speed shift hard from 2nd to 1st?
On a 2013-2014 V6 Charger with the 845RE it is a known condition. FCA bulletin 21-041-14 replaces the valve body on 2013 cars that bump on the 2-1 during light braking, and 21-003-14 Rev. A fixes it with a TCM flash and Quick Learn on 2014 cars. Later V6 and 5.7L cars got 2-1 improvements in 21-041-17 and 21-026-16.
Why is my Charger revving high and not shifting into 7th or 8th?
On a 2015 V6 Charger, FCA bulletin 21-041-17 says a radio Flash Over The Air update can leave the transmission on higher shift points with 7th and 8th blocked. The fix is a 0.2-hour TCM reflash, and the bulletin says not to clear the shift adaptives afterward.
Should I reset the transmission adaptives on my Charger?
Only if the bulletin or repair calls for it. Most Charger shift flashes (21-022-15, 21-026-16, 21-028-16, 21-041-17) say not to clear them, because the car can shift poorly until they relearn. The 2014 V6 bulletin 21-003-14 Rev. A and any valve body or internal repair are the exceptions, followed by a Quick Learn or the full drive learn.
Why does my 2019 Charger not move when I put it in Drive on a cold morning?
FCA bulletin 21-030-20 covers 2019 V6 Chargers with the 850RE built on or before January 25, 2019. In rare cases after a cold start the car will not move in Drive until it is shifted to Park and back, and the fix is a TCM software update.
Sources
- Chrysler Group LLC, Service Bulletins 21-041-14, "845RE Harsh 2-1 Downshift" (December 10, 2014), and 21-003-14 Rev. A, "Flash: 845RE Transmission Shift Enhancements, 2-1 Downshift" (December 5, 2014), on NHTSA's bulletin server. Back the 2013 LD 3.6L 845RE 2-1 bump with no DTCs, the 25 mph light-braking road test, valve body kit RL259301AA, fluid 68218925AA and the 1.7 hour time, plus the 2014 LD 2-1 flash, the false P215C, the 55 C warm-up, the Reset Adaptive Values and 2-5 minute Quick Learn steps and the 0.5 hour time. 21-041-14 (PDF) and 21-003-14 Rev. A (PDF)
- FCA US LLC, Service Bulletins 21-041-17 (September 12, 2017), 21-023-15 Rev. B (August 21, 2015), 21-023-16 (June 23, 2016) and 21-030-20 (April 7, 2020). Back the 2015 V6 FOTA high shift points with 7th and 8th blocked, the 8HP45 2-1 and low-speed bump, the false P0734, P1DCD and P1B13, the 2016 V6 hanging upshift complaints and May 31, 2016 build cutoff, the 2019 850RE cold-start no-move and its build date, the 13.2-13.5 V charger rule and the do-not-clear-adaptives note. 21-041-17, 21-023-15 Rev. B, 21-023-16 and 21-030-20 (all PDF)
- FCA US LLC, Service Bulletins 21-022-15 (April 10, 2015), 21-026-16 (July 20, 2016) and 21-028-16 (August 20, 2016). Back the 2015 5.7L 8HP70 WOT upshift and downshift complaints and February 28, 2015 cutoff, the 2016 5.7L hanging upshift and 2-1 complaint with the June 6, 2016 cutoff, the 6.4L 8HP70 and 6.2L 8HP90 3-2, 2-1 and 6-5 coast-down flash with the August 5, 2016 cutoff, the 0.2 hour times and the instructions not to clear adaptives or adaptation memory cells. 21-022-15, 21-026-16 and 21-028-16 (all PDF)
- Chrysler Group LLC, Service Bulletin 21-012-14 Rev. B, "8 Speed Transmission Shift Adaptation, Drive Learn Procedure" (September 26, 2014). Backs the 2-1 element example, the clutch-versus-learning-shift table, the adaptation cell definitions and reset conditions, the 12/4 and 6/2 counter targets, the 1-10 shift rating and the drive learn temperature, torque and speed windows. static.nhtsa.gov (PDF)
- Sonnax, "ZF8 Webinar Part 1 of 2." Backs the 845RE as the Kokomo-built 8HP45 and its gear ratios, the EDS solenoid-to-circuit map and 5-6 ohm values, the TC-V bore wear causing dragging or bumpy downshifts, and the PZT 30/20 psi converter test with the 14 mph release point. Sonnax (PDF)
- ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Service Information 50130, and FCA US LLC Part 573 Safety Recall Report 16V-240 (recall S27). Back the 30-50 C fill-plug level check, and the 2012-2014 Charger monostable shifter population, February 15, 2011 to November 27, 2014 build window and 811,586 total. ZF SI 50130 (PDF) and 16V-240 (PDF)
Shop valve bodies, solenoid kits, pan and filter service kits and ZF fluid for the Charger 845RE, 8HP45 and 8HP70, on our own secure checkout.
Shop ZF8HP parts →