2010-2018 Ram 6.7L Cummins Transmissions & Parts

Transmissions on the 2010-2018 RAM 6.7L Cummins

Your truck left the factory with one of three transmissions. Every standard-output 6.7L Cummins with an automatic got the Chrysler 68RFE six-speed. Its gears run 3.23, 1.83, 1.41, 1.00, 0.81 and 0.62, with a 4.44 reverse. It takes Mopar ATF+4, six to eight quarts at a service plus the filter, and it has a larger bellhousing and heavier internals than the 545RFE.

Starting in 2013, the 3500 with the High Output engine got the Aisin AS69RC six-speed automatic instead. It runs on Mopar ASRC fluid, not ATF+4. The Mercedes G56 six-speed manual stayed available through 2018, its last year. You can tell the automatics apart in a few seconds: the 68RFE dipstick sits on the passenger side, the Aisin dipstick sits on the driver side, and Aisin trucks wear the HO badge.

What fails and why

The 68RFE is the weak link on this platform. Failures were especially common on 2007-2011 trucks, and Ram made converter and shift-strategy updates for 2012. When one goes, it usually lands somewhere between 50,000 and 150,000 miles. Watch for slipping in 4th through 6th, harsh or flared shifts, limp mode and metal in the pan.

Two design issues drive most of it. The torque converter stalls higher than it should, which hurts low-end torque delivery, and valve-bore wear causes hydraulic failures in gears 4-6. You feel that as overdrive clutch failure, pressure loss, or the truck dropping into neutral while you drive. Owner complaints on 2014-2016 trucks also describe separator plate and accumulator defects, solenoid pack failures after the U29/U30 service campaigns, and limp mode.

The Aisin is close to the opposite. Shifts are slow because the engine is de-fueled during each shift, the TCM is encrypted, and the K2 hub can strip internally even under normal towing. Longevity is its strength; one has been recorded past 605,000 miles. The G56 manual has its own list: gear rattle in neutral, heat building in the aluminum case and degrading the fluid, case-flex leaks, early synchro wear and bearing whine.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

If the transmission is healthy, stay on the service schedule. Ram lists 68RFE fluid at 120,000 miles in normal use and 60,000 in severe service. The Aisin wants ASRC every 30,000 miles or 24 months. The G56 interval is 120,000 normal and 60,000 severe, and many G56s pass 250,000 miles when owners who tow change the fluid every 30,000-40,000 miles.

Once a 68RFE is slipping, you choose between a stock-replacement unit, which carries the factory design, and a built one. The 68RFE has a much deeper aftermarket than the Aisin: valve-body upgrades, billet converters and clutch packs go straight at the 4-6 clutch and bore-wear problems. For the G56, the known fixes are a solid-flywheel conversion with a quiet-disc clutch for rattle, synthetic fluid plus a cooler or heat-sink cover for heat, and a case brace for flex.

What we carry

Complete transmissions come from BD Diesel, with Roadmaster and Tow & Street 68RFE units, and from ATS Diesel Performance, with 68RFE and AS69RC packages, a G56 performance manual and Allison conversion kits. For cooling, Mishimoto, PPE and Fleece Performance Engineering offer direct-fit and universal coolers, BD adds auxiliary coolers, and ATS, PPE, Mishimoto and XDP all offer thermal bypass valve upgrades. Service parts include aluminum pans from PPE, Mishimoto, XDP and Mag-Hytec, pan gaskets from PPE and MAHLE, 68RFE filters, and fluid from Hot Shot's Secret. Hard parts round it out: BD valve bodies, Build-It kits, billet input shafts and overdrive reaction plates, XDP flex plates and bolt kits, Anchor transmission mounts, and transmission parts from AFE.

Fitment notes

Identify the transmission first. Aisin AS69RC parts never fit a 68RFE truck, and 68RFE parts never fit an Aisin truck. G56 manual trucks use none of the automatic parts. Coolers are split by year in their titles: 2010-2012 trucks take different direct-fit coolers than 2013-2014 and 2015-2018 trucks, and the thermal bypass valve upgrades are listed for 2013-2018. Many 68RFE pans, gaskets and filters carry a 2007.5-2024 range. Several complete units and conversion kits come in separate 2WD and 4WD versions. When in doubt, verify by VIN.

Frequently asked questions

Does my Ram have the 68RFE or the Aisin?

Check the dipstick. The 68RFE dipstick is on the passenger side and the Aisin dipstick is on the driver side. Aisin trucks also carry the HO badge, because in pickups the AS69RC only came behind the High Output engine in 3500s from 2013 on. If your truck has a clutch pedal, it has the G56.

What fluid goes in each transmission?

The 68RFE takes Mopar ATF+4, six to eight quarts at a service plus the filter. The Aisin requires Mopar ASRC and should not get ATF+4. For the G56 manual, confirm the fluid spec in your owner's manual before you buy.

When do 68RFE transmissions usually fail?

Most failures land between 50,000 and 150,000 miles. Trucks from 2007-2011 had the worst record before the 2012 converter and shift-strategy updates, which puts 2010 and 2011 Rams in the problem years. Slipping in 4th-6th, flared shifts, limp mode or metal in the pan all mean it is time to act.

My shifter comes out of Park without the brake. Is the transmission failing?

Check the recall before you buy parts. Column-shift trucks from 2010-2017 can have a Brake Transmission Shift Interlock pin that sticks open after long brake-pedal holds in Park. Recall 17V-821, and 18V-100 for 2017-2018 trucks, covers a software update and BTSI replacement as needed.

How does the Aisin AS69RC hold up?

It is the longer-lived automatic, with one recorded past 605,000 miles. It shifts slowly because the engine is de-fueled during shifts, and the known weak spot is a K2 hub that can strip internally even under normal towing. Keep it on Mopar ASRC every 30,000 miles or 24 months.

Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.