Ram 1500 "Service Shifter" Message - What Should You Do?

It's not uncommon for the Ram truck to show one or two error messages and/or warning lights when you are driving. Also, it will produce a certain chime that will obviously distract you from driving and may even lead to unpleasant issues on the road. This may happen every several minutes if the problem is not addressed properly.

If your Ram 1500 says "Service Shifter", you should check the truck for the most common reasons for this issue. It will help you identify the initial problem. The problem may be caused by a low battery, bad alternator, issues with the shifter, electrical problems, or valve body problems in your transmission. This is a very unusual set of possible problems.

Here's what I will tell you in this article:

• "Service Shifter" message and the symptoms you should register.
• Common reasons why you see this error message on the dash.
• Can you keep driving when you see the "Service Shifter" message?
• Your options for good inspection and proper repairs.

Let's get started!

"Service Shifter" in the Ram 1500 and the symptoms to notice

First of all, you need to understand what's going on with the car. For this, make sure you register all the needed symptoms. It's pretty easy for you to do that if you calm down, stop panicking, and just notice what your truck is doing on the road. Maybe, it refuses to start or it may throw some other messages that will obviously help you diagnose the problem easily.

Without understanding the symptoms, you will not be able to resolve the problems with the vehicle.

Here's what you should notice:

• Does your Ram 1500 change its behavior? Maybe, it lost some power, some systems stopped working.
• Can you restart the engine? It's not uncommon for this message to make the engine stall and then not crank.
• Do you see any other error messages? You may see other messages after the "Service Shifter" one and this will lead you in the right direction.
• Do you see any warning lights? Your ESP light may go on or the steering system warning lights may illuminate along with this error message.
• Does the truck shift into the needed gears? If your transmission is not affected, it's good news, your repairs will most likely cost less.
• What's the battery voltage? Your Ram may allow you to check the battery voltage depending on the model and year, use this opportunity.

Well, these are just some basic questions that you should answer if you are trying to find the reason for the "Service Shifter" error message. For example, if the vehicle shifts into the needed gears, the problem is most likely not with the valve body.

Also, if the shifter or knob is hard to move and you basically can't press it and put it in the needed mode, the problem is most likely with the shifter. But anyway, there are a lot of possible variations, so read further to find the actual problem.

What are the common reasons for the "Service Shifter" message?

To find the problem, you need to have a list of issues that may cause this unpleasant problem with the annoying message and chiming in your car.

Here's the list:

• Shifter assembly problems;
• Battery issues;
• Wiring harness problems;
• Valve body issues.

Let's see in detail why this may happen to your Ram 1500 and what exactly you should do in case you encounter this message.

1. Shifter issues

For Ram trucks made from 2014, as well as for Jeep and Chrysler vehicles, the "Service Shifter" message is pretty common. And one of the common reasons is the faulty shifter. This may happen with the traditional lever shifter and with the knob in newer Ram trucks.

The idea is that the shifter is very sensitive to any kind of water damage. If you spill a little coffee on it or just several drops of water get onto the shifter from your raincoat, you may see the message telling you about the shifter problems just in several days.

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do and Ram dealership will obviously recommend you install the new shifter.

2. Battery problems

Before you agree to buy the new OEM shifter which may cost you up to $1000 including labor, you should check the battery. Even if the voltage of the battery gives proper readings, check it under the load and when the car is off. This will help you understand what condition the battery is in.

Also, if your 12V battery is over 4-5 years old, you should just replace it. Low voltage during engine start may cause several types of glitches in the software. And you will see random error messages coming on and off the dash.

Also, if you see this situation when the "Service Shifter" message is substituted by some other warning and then everything goes back to normal, you may need to check the battery management system connections and the ground connections. This is free to check, so you should start with this.

3. Wiring and connection problems

When you own a Ram truck, you shouldn't forget about wiring problems. They are so annoying and hard to locate that people sometimes pay thousands of dollars in dealerships to try and solve the issue and eventually just put up with them.

Chrysler is known for its wiring problems and corroded connections, especially when the vehicles are more than 7-8 years old.

In the case of the "Service Shifter" message, the first place to check is the shifter wiring harness. Check if every connection and clamp is dry. Make sure there are no disconnected cables and clamps.

After that, you may also need to disconnect every clamp and clean the connections to make sure everything is fine. Don't forget that you should disconnect the battery before you do this to avoid frying something.

4. Valve body issues

This is the most serious and surprisingly common problem with automatic transmissions in the Ram 1500 model. I wouldn't say it's extremely widespread, but you should check the valve body if you see the "Service Shifter" message and then right after it the "Service Transmission" message.

The valve body may get clogged at about 50,000 miles. The reasons are unclear and changing transmission fluid doesn't help. If your car is still under warranty, this will be covered. While the shifter assembly is not covered under the powertrain warranty.

Can you drive with the "Service Shifter" in your Ram?

It depends on many different factors. For example, sometimes, you will not be able to start the car. Also, the shifter may get stuck and you won't be able to put it in the needed mode to drive. In these cases, you will need roadside assistance or a tow truck to get your vehicle delivered to the dealership.

If the behavior of the Ram 1500 doesn't change and it works just as usual, you can drive it. But you will not like the experience of driving with that chime going off again and again. So, the best place you can drive to is the dealership or the nearest repair shop that knows how to service Ram trucks.

There is no problem with safety unless the "Service Shifter" message triggers other messages like ESP problem or Power Steering problem, etc.

What are your options to solve the shifter problem?

First of all, you shouldn't think about the worst. In many cases, you will be able to solve or at least temporarily solve the issue on your own just by manipulating the battery terminals.

Try resetting the ECU and clearing the codes by doing the following:

• disconnect the negative battery terminal;
• disconnect the positive terminal;
• wait for 5-10 minutes;
• press honk to make sure there is no stored power;
• connect the battery and try driving.

This may help you solve the issue, but only for some time. It won't allow you to get rid of the initial problem, but you will be able to start the car and put it in the needed gear.

Also, you may try checking the battery for proper voltage and replacing it with a new one. In many cases, it will just solve the problem for you.

If this doesn't help, you should go to the dealership or to the independent repair shop. Unfortunately, there are no known service bulletins or recalls that would cover this issue even though it's pretty common for Ram trucks and other Chrysler cars.

Final thoughts

If you have the "Service Shifter" problem with your Ram 1500 truck, I'm sure you will find the answer to your question in this article. If I were you, I would start checking the car with the battery. If this doesn't help, I would also inspect the shifter cables, ground cable, and battery management system connections.

If this didn't help me, I would take my truck to two different places to have it diagnosed and have two opinions. It's important because the repair costs when the shifter or the valve body needs to be replaced may be very high.

Any questions? You can always ask them in the comments!