545RFE Transmission Oil Pan and Filter Kit, 265-817

If the pan under your Dodge Ram 1500, Durango, Dakota or Jeep Grand Cherokee is weeping ATF+4 from a rusted flange, or a rock has pushed a dent up into the bottom, a filter alone will not fix it. This kit replaces the whole bottom end of the service in one box: a new stamped steel transmission oil pan that replaces 265-817, 4799607, 5013681AA and 68065923AA, the internal sump filter, a pan gasket and the spin-on cooler return filter that threads onto the side of the case. It is built for the Chrysler RFE family, so it covers the 45RFE, 545RFE, 65RFE, 66RFE and 68RFE.

What the pan and filters do in a 545RFE

The RFE pump draws fluid up from the pan through the sump filter and feeds the solenoid pack and valve body that apply every clutch. The pan is not just a lid. It holds the fluid reserve and sets how far the filter inlet sits below the fluid surface, so a dented floor that crowds the filter can choke the pickup and starve the pump. Fluid returning from the cooler passes through the spin-on cooler return filter before it goes back into the lube circuit, which catches fine clutch material the sump filter misses. Chrysler service information for these units calls for the main sump filter with the fluid change at 60,000 miles under severe-duty Schedule B, and the cooler return filter at 120,000 miles, so on a high-mileage truck both are often overdue at the same time.

Symptoms that point to this kit

• ATF+4 dripping from the pan rail even after the bolts were snugged
• Rust scale or pinholes along the pan flange on a northern truck
• A dent in the pan floor, often with a whine on a cold start
• Delayed engagement into Drive or Reverse, especially after the truck sits overnight
• Fluid that runs hot or smells burnt when towing

The overnight delay has a known cause on these transmissions. Chrysler bulletin 21-016-05 found that cooler return filters with the 04799662AB suffix could let fluid drain back out of the torque converter while the truck sat, giving a slip-feeling delay on the first shift into gear. Fitting a new cooler return filter is the published repair, and this kit includes one.

How to confirm before you buy

Get under the truck with a light and check whether the wet spot starts at the pan rail or higher up at the cooler lines, the filter or the case. Check the fluid level the factory way, in Park with the engine idling for a minute on level ground and the fluid near 180 degrees F, because a low or overfilled unit aerates the fluid and mimics a pump problem. If the truck slips, flares or sets line pressure codes, a pan will not cure it. Our 45RFE high-mileage service checklist walks through what to inspect at the pan, and the 45RFE pump failure guide separates a starved pump from a worn one.

Fitment

The listing covers Dodge Dakota 2000-2012, Durango 2000-2009, Ram 1500 2002-2010, Ram 2500 2004-2010, Ram 3500 2003-2010, Jeep Commander 2006-2010, Grand Cherokee 1999-2011 and Liberty 2002-2006 with an RFE automatic. These trucks were also built with other transmissions, including the 42RLE in many Liberty and the 48RE behind diesel engines, so confirm yours is an RFE unit. RFE pans also came in different depths for 2WD and 4WD, so compare your current pan or its part number with the numbers above, or send us your year and VIN and we will check it. Everything else for this family is on our 45RFE and 545RFE parts page.

Install notes

• Drain the pan, pull the old sump filter straight down off the pump and make sure its seal came out with it.
• Clean the case rail until it is dry. Rust flakes or old gasket left on the rail will leak again.
• Seat the new filter fully, set the pan and gasket, and torque the pan bolts evenly in a crisscross pattern to the factory 105 in-lb.
• Spin on the new cooler return filter with its seal wetted in ATF+4 and tighten it to 84 in-lb rather than cranking it with a filter wrench.
• Refill with ATF+4 only. A pan-and-filter service takes about 5.2 liters on a 4x2 and 6.2 liters on a 4x4 before the hot level check.
• Keep a spare RFE filter and gasket kit for the next service, and if you want a drain plug for future changes, look at the Dorman 265-870 pan.

Does this kit fit a 45RFE as well as a 545RFE?

Yes. The pan, sump filter and cooler return filter are shared across the RFE family, including the 45RFE, 545RFE, 65RFE, 66RFE and 68RFE. Confirm your pan depth and part number, since 2WD and 4WD units are not always the same.

Why replace the pan instead of just the filter?

Buy the pan when the old one is dented, rusted along the flange or keeps leaking after a new gasket. A dented floor can crowd the sump filter and starve the pump, and a pitted flange will not seal no matter how many times it is torqued.

What fluid does a 545RFE take?

Chrysler specifies Mopar ATF+4 for the 45RFE and 545RFE. Do not use a generic Dexron or multi-vehicle fluid in place of ATF+4.

My truck slips into gear after sitting overnight. Will this help?

It can. Chrysler bulletin 21-016-05 tied that delay to cooler return filters with the 04799662AB suffix draining the converter. This kit includes a new cooler return filter, which is the published repair for that condition.

How much fluid will I need?

Chrysler lists about 5.2 liters for a 4x2 and 6.2 liters for a 4x4 on a pan and filter service. Add most of it, start the engine, and finish at the hot check in Park with the engine idling.

Do I need a relearn after changing the pan?

No. A pan, filter and fluid service does not require a Quick Learn. A relearn is only needed after solenoid pack, valve body or controller work.

• 45RFE High-Mileage Service Checklist
• 45RFE Pump Failure Symptoms and Replacement
• Chrysler 45RFE and 545RFE Transmission Problems and Fixes
• 45RFE Pressure Control Solenoid Symptoms, Line Pressure Codes and Testing