545RFE Solenoid Kit 1999-04, remanufactured and ready to install. Fits the 545RFE. Ships fast from the USA.
Early RFE trucks and Jeeps are now twenty-plus years old, and the solenoid pack is one of the parts that wears out on them. If a 1999-2004 Ram 1500, Dakota, Durango or Grand Cherokee with the RFE automatic goes into second-gear limp mode on a cold morning, sets a solenoid code, or slams into gear, this remanufactured pack listed for 1999-04 is the part to test for first.
Sonnax describes the RFE series as Chrysler's first fully electronic rear-wheel-drive automatic, introduced in 1999 as the four-speed 45RFE, with the five-speed 545RFE built on the same design. Shifts are made by the computer energizing solenoids rather than by a governor and shift valves. On the early pack there are six shift solenoids, each about 1.3 ohms by Sonnax's figures: low/reverse, multi-select, underdrive, overdrive, 4th clutch and 2nd clutch. A pressure control solenoid of about 3.5 ohms sets line pressure. The overdrive and multi-select solenoids matter most on these early units because the overdrive solenoid was still in the circuit; it was not dropped until the 2010 gray pack. The pressure switches built into the pack confirm each apply, so an old pack with a sticking switch can trigger failsafe even when the clutches are fine.
On a vehicle this age, check the simple things first. Look at the 23-pin connector for fluid wicking, green corrosion or a cracked housing, and check the harness where it runs along the frame. Then measure the coils with the pack unplugged and compare them with the resistance values above. A dead or shorted coil confirms the pack. A pressure switch code with good coils can still be the pack, but low fluid or a worn pump can set it too. Our RFE shift solenoid testing guide and the 45RFE pump failure guide help sort out which it is.
This pack is listed for 1999 through 2004 applications. Within that span the connector changed once: Sonnax reports the first 1999 packs used a black connector that was short-lived and problem-prone, and from 2000 the white connector took over and stayed through 2009. The listing photo shows a light-colored connector, which is the 2000-later style. If you have an original 1999 unit with a black connector, send us your VIN before ordering so we can check it. Otherwise compare the color and the part number on the pack you pull out with this one. The later gray-connector pack is a different part and will not go into these six-solenoid transmissions. Browse every early RFE part on the 45RFE and 545RFE parts page.
If the inspection shows wear inside, the 545RFE overhaul kit for 1999-03 and a 45RFE pump for 1999-2005 cover the early hard parts and seals.
| Fits | 545RFE 1999-04 |
| Part type | Solenoid Kit |
| Condition | Remanufactured |
| Brand | OEM |
| Ships | From the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
The first 1999 packs used a black connector that was quickly replaced by the white style. Send us your VIN before ordering so we can confirm the right pack for that early unit.
Both use the same RFE six-solenoid pack design with the 23-pin connector. Match the connector color and part number on your old pack to be sure.
No. The gray pack has five shift solenoids and cannot back-service the earlier six-solenoid transmissions.
ATF+4. Chrysler specifies ATF+4 for the RFE transmissions, and it replaces ATF+3 on older vehicles.
Yes, for the Quick Learn. It resets the clutch volume values so the transmission shifts correctly with the new pack.
