Love the shifter

[tenkil622]

I've read a number of complaints about the Lightning's shifter lever. Agreed it's big and bulky and takes up a lot of room on the center console. But.....having just retired my 2005 Colorado with its manual shifter, which was preceded by a 1998 Blazer with its manual shifter, etc. etc., I need somewhere to put my right hand. Call it nostalgia or just muscle memory, but I do miss throwing gears in my truck. My wife has a 2023 Escape with the rotary dial "shifter", which she loves, but I don't know if I can make that adjustment. Then again, I learned to drive on my dad's 1957 Dodge with a push button transmission on the dashboard, so there is still hope for me.

Sponsored

 

[The Weatherman]

I've read a number of complaints about the Lightning's shifter lever. Agreed it's big and bulky and takes up a lot of room on the center console. But.....having just retired my 2005 Colorado with its manual shifter, which was preceded by a 1998 Blazer with its manual shifter, etc. etc., I need somewhere to put my right hand. Call it nostalgia or just muscle memory, but I do miss throwing gears in my truck. My wife has a 2023 Escape with the rotary dial "shifter", which she loves, but I don't know if I can make that adjustment. Then again, I learned to drive on my dad's 1957 Dodge with a push button transmission on the dashboard, so there is still hope for me.

I’m here to tell you an old dog can learn new tricks. Cause I am one.

 

[mattskr]

I've read a number of complaints about the Lightning's shifter lever. Agreed it's big and bulky and takes up a lot of room on the center console. But.....having just retired my 2005 Colorado with its manual shifter, which was preceded by a 1998 Blazer with its manual shifter, etc. etc., I need somewhere to put my right hand. Call it nostalgia or just muscle memory, but I do miss throwing gears in my truck. My wife has a 2023 Escape with the rotary dial "shifter", which she loves, but I don't know if I can make that adjustment. Then again, I learned to drive on my dad's 1957 Dodge with a push button transmission on the dashboard, so there is still hope for me.

This is exactly why Ford kept it there. They want their EVs to be familiar and comfortable. I don't mind the wasted space. I've had console shifters in my trucks for the past 20 years and am used to resting my hand there too. However, I also drive my dad's Expedition with rotary shifter from time to time and you get used to it not being there either.

What I can't get used to though is the rotary shifter on the dash like the Ram. I have to look every time I want to change the radio or A/C to make sure I'm not throwing the vehicle into reverse.

 

[Kmgalea]

Interesting thing I learned about the shifter today..... If you are in drive and shut off the car without putting in park, the shifter will automatically move into the park position.

 

[alockbox]

Interesting thing I learned about the shifter today..... If you are in drive and shut off the car without putting in park, the shifter will automatically move into the park position.

Yep. Even more interesting, the gas trucks with the column shifter do this too!

 

[Henry Ford]

I say replace the shifter with a vertical wireless charging pad and another cup holder. The people who want a shifter can get one of these and the rest of us have our Big Gulps and phones within easy reach, as God intended.

 

[MickeyAO]

Interesting thing I learned about the shifter today..... If you are in drive and shut off the car without putting in park, the shifter will automatically move into the park position.

Will also go into park if you open the door.

 

[jerock]

My only complaint is that you cannot retract the shifter when in drive. That workspace cannot be used when driving. My wife works on a computer when we are traveling and the lay down workspace whould be a perfect spot for her laptop.

 

[McLighty]

My shifter sounds crunchy when it goes down! Sounds like some sand grains got in it

 

[carys98]

I rented an Expedition on vacation and twice I accidentally turned the 4wd selector instead of the shifter when I was trying to put it in park. I didn’t mind the knob but having two of them so close together wasn’t the best design.

 

[RickLightning]

This is exactly why Ford kept it there. They want their EVs to be familiar and comfortable. I don't mind the wasted space. I've had console shifters in my trucks for the past 20 years and am used to resting my hand there too. However, I also drive my dad's Expedition with rotary shifter from time to time and you get used to it not being there either.

What I can't get used to though is the rotary shifter on the dash like the Ram. I have to look every time I want to change the radio or A/C to make sure I'm not throwing the vehicle into reverse.

Ford kept it there for several reasons, but yours isn't one of them, since all the other Ford electric vehicles have the rotary knob I believe. Mach-E rotary. Fusion got rotary shifter knob in 2017 model year. Return to Park came out around then too.

They kept it there because:

1) so existing ICE truck owners would feel comfortable.

2) because they simply converted most ICE F-150 features to get to market faster and have common parts with ICE F-150.

 

[tenkil622]

I say replace the shifter with a vertical wireless charging pad and another cup holder. The people who want a shifter can get one of these and the rest of us have our Big Gulps and phones within easy reach, as God intended.

That's really cool! It looks like something from a JC Whitney catalog. I wonder if it come with a fake clutch pedal?

 

[drdirk]

FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION.... I hate the shifter. No reason to waste all this space with what is essentially a huge ugly switch.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

I've read a number of complaints about the Lightning's shifter lever. Agreed it's big and bulky and takes up a lot of room on the center console. But.....having just retired my 2005 Colorado with its manual shifter, which was preceded by a 1998 Blazer with its manual shifter, etc. etc., I need somewhere to put my right hand. Call it nostalgia or just muscle memory, but I do miss throwing gears in my truck. My wife has a 2023 Escape with the rotary dial "shifter", which she loves, but I don't know if I can make that adjustment. Then again, I learned to drive on my dad's 1957 Dodge with a push button transmission on the dashboard, so there is still hope for me.

Love the nostalgia, Don!

Sponsored