by Most drivers who are not enthusiasts never think about how many gears their transmission has. But if you paid a premium for a nine-speed transmission and then discovered that your vehicle uses only seven of those gears, you would likely be annoyed and feel cheated.
It is this exact situation that has led Stellantis owners to file a class-action lawsuit regarding the 2022 and 2023 Ram ProMaster vans. The complaint alleges that the advertised nine-speed automatic transmission of the commercial van is in practice no more than a seven-speed.
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Promises vs. Reality
According to the lawsuit, Stellantis’s Ram division advertised the updated ProMaster as having a new nine-speed automatic transmission, highlighting the benefits that buyers typically associate with additional gears. Lower engine RPMs, increased efficiency, smoother operation, and better overall performance were all part of the appeal.
The plaintiffs claim there is only one problem. They state that the van never reaches eighth or ninth gear during normal operation. The complaint alleges that the ProMaster’s shape is largely to blame for this. Aerodynamics has never been a strong point of a huge moving cargo box, and the lawsuit claims the transmission’s software effectively acknowledges this.
Too Much Drag
According to the filing, the van is too slow and creates too much drag for the transmission control system to find a situation where those top gears would be beneficial. As a result, the software allegedly keeps them on permanent “vacation,” although owners could not have known this when placing their orders unless they took a very long test drive before purchasing, which many did not.
Financial Implications
The lawsuit also claims that the actual behavior of the transmission is functionally similar to older ProMaster models equipped with six-speed automatics. The plaintiffs argue that customers paid a premium believing they were getting significant new equipment, while in reality, the additional gears provided no practical benefit. Some estimates in the filing suggest that the newer vans had a price increase of more than $6,000 compared to older versions.
It is important to note that at this stage, these are only allegations, not proven facts. Stellantis will have the opportunity to contest these claims in court. But if the plaintiffs ultimately prevail, the ProMaster could become the first vehicle officially built with decorative transmission gears.
Source: Top Class Actions
This situation raises an important question about how much manufacturers can rely on software to “optimize” a vehicle’s characteristics, even if it contradicts buyer expectations. If the allegations are confirmed, it could set a precedent for other lawsuits regarding vehicles where advertised features do not match real-world operation due to software limitations. Furthermore, it reminds consumers of the importance of thoroughly testing a vehicle in real-world conditions before purchasing, especially when significant financial investments are involved.
