Replaces the stretched or broken 52107846AJ gearshift cable on 03-09 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 so the shifter indexes the transmission correctly again.
When the shifter on a 2003-2006 Dodge Ram 1500 or a 2005-2009 Ram 2500 or 3500 says Park but the truck rolls, will only start in Neutral, or lights the reverse lamps a notch early, the transmission is usually fine. The cable between the column shifter and the manual lever on the transmission has stretched or its ends have worn out. This is the replacement gearshift cable for those trucks. It replaces Mopar 52107846AJ and the earlier AH, AG, AF and AB versions, so it covers the whole run of supersessions on this cable.
On the RFE trucks the cable moves the manual lever on the side of the case. That lever positions the manual valve, sets the park pawl and turns the transmission range sensor, which tells the controller which gear you picked. The RFE controller trusts that range sensor completely. If a worn cable leaves the lever just short of the detent, the sensor can report a temporary in-between code instead of OD. ATRA's 45RFE seminar material and its later learn-values bulletin both warn that this does not set a fault code, yet it causes erratic shifts and consistently poor 2-3 shift quality. A tired cable can make a healthy transmission feel like it needs a valve body.
Chock the wheels, set the parking brake and unclip the cable from the manual lever under the truck. Move the lever through each detent by hand. If the transmission clicks firmly into Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive by hand but not from the column, the cable or its ends are the problem. Then look at the plastic socket on the lever end and the bracket clip on the case. Cracked sockets and broken clips cause the same complaints as a stretched cable. With a scan tool, watch the range sensor reading in each shifter position. It should show a clean code in OD, not a temporary T3 or T4. If the cable checks out and the shift problem stays, our 45RFE harsh shift guide and the 45RFE shift solenoid guide cover the next steps.
The listing covers 2003-2006 Dodge Ram 1500, 2005-2009 Ram 2500 and 2006-2009 Ram 3500 with a column shift automatic. Gas trucks in these years run the 45RFE or 545RFE, and the listing states the same cable is used behind the 48RE on 5.9L Cummins trucks. A Ram that came with a different transmission or a console shifter may use another cable, so read the part number on your old cable or its tag and match it to 52107846AB through AJ, or send us your year and VIN to check. Other parts for these trucks are on our 45RFE and 545RFE parts page.
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Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
The listing covers the Ram 1500 from 2003 to 2006 only. The 2007 and later Ram 1500 is not on the fitment list, so send us your year and VIN before ordering.
Disconnect the cable at the transmission and move the manual lever by hand. If every gear engages cleanly by hand but not from the column shifter, the cable or its end fittings are worn.
Yes. ATRA notes that a misadjusted shifter cable on the 45RFE leaves the range sensor reading a temporary code instead of OD. That causes poor 2-3 shift quality and erratic shifts without setting a fault code.
Yes. Set the adjuster with the shifter and the transmission both in Park, then lock it and check every position. An unadjusted cable puts the manual valve between detents and brings the same complaints back.
The listing states the same cable is used across the 45RFE, 545RFE and 48RE trucks in the covered years. Match the part number on your old cable to 52107846AB through AJ to be sure.
