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I prefer the older style shifters because they are easier to put into neutral for towing if you can't start the vehicle. "The Stradman" on youtube recently had this problem with his Z06. I ran into the issue with my Cayenne Turbo Coupe I had.
As far as I'm concerned, there's no beating a standard fore/aft PRNDL lever with no zig-zags. That's why it was made a requirement back in the 1960s, and worked well for half a century....until recently, when rotary-dials, push/pull tabs/buttons, E-Joysticks, L-shaped patterns, and all kinds of nonsense started taking over and confusing people. Indeed, Actor Anton Yelchin was killed when his Jeep Grand Cherokee's E-joystick didn't secure Park properly.
That is one reason (below) why I drive an Encore GX:
Most newer cars will shift to park if you open the door at low/no speeds, also you can always use the parking brake to make sure the car won't move.....
Auto park feature is so easy to implement and I am not sure why manufacturers are not doing it. Whenever a car stands still it should hold the brake, that's it. Slight pressure on a gas pedal disengages the auto break hold. Auto park should turn on whenever car stands still and you: release the seatbelt, reach for the door handle, reach for the glovebox, release the fuel tank door, release the hood, roll down the window. All of these are indicators that driver is doing something else and has no intention to drive the car. With new cameras inside the cabin it gets even easier, whenever car stands still and driver is looking away or talking car should auto park.
Auto park feature is so easy to implement and I am not sure why manufacturers are not doing it. Whenever a car stands still it should hold the brake, that's it. Slight pressure on a gas pedal disengages the auto break hold. Auto park should turn on whenever car stands still and you: release the seatbelt, reach for the door handle, reach for the glovebox, release the fuel tank door, release the hood, roll down the window. All of these are indicators that driver is doing something else and has no intention to drive the car. With new cameras inside the cabin it gets even easier, whenever car stands still and driver is looking away or talking car should auto park.
Funny enough I disabled that in my cars that auto parked, extremely annoying if you open the door to check something and it goes to park.
I don't think cars should be made idiot proof, idiots should be disallowed from using cars
Most newer cars will shift to park if you open the door at low/no speeds, also you can always use the parking brake to make sure the car won't move.....
At ANY forward speed that is not 0, a shift into park can risk damage to the transmission....although significant damage is unlikely at maybe 1-2 MPH.
That's why I don't like those simple push-button features for Park...it's too easy for some people to get them confused with D or R, and push it inadvertently or while moving. With a traditional fore/aft lever, you must first go past R to get into Park.
Last edited by mmarshall; Jan 24, 2023 at 02:52 PM.
Funny enough I disabled that in my cars that auto parked, extremely annoying if you open the door to check something and it goes to park.
I don't think cars should be made idiot proof, idiots should be disallowed from using cars
You likely move cars around all the time, most people don't. I have no issue with my cars going to park when the door opens because I never have a need to open the door while they are in gear,
Originally Posted by mmarshall
At ANY forward speed that is not 0, a shift into park can risk damage to the transmission....although significant damage os unlikely at maybe 1-2 MPH.
That's why I don't like those simple push-button features for Park...it's too easy for some people to get them confused with D or R, and push it inadvertently or while moving. With a traditional fore/aft lever, you must first go past R to get into Park.
The computers won't let that happen. When you push P and you are moving, it does nothing or puts the car in neutral. Thats the benefit of a completely electronic system.
The computers won't let that happen. When you push P and you are moving, it does nothing or puts the car in neutral. Thats the benefit of a completely electronic system.
Well, moving over a certain speed. I remember in my youth when I was backing up an E70 X5 at what I felt like was 5 mph and then opened the door to see if I was tracking straight and that car slammed into park so hard the tires made noise.
Well, moving over a certain speed. I remember in my youth when I was backing up an E70 X5 at what I felt like was 5 mph and then opened the door to see if I was tracking straight and that car slammed into park so hard the tires made noise.
Park in the transmission or the parking brake? IIRC, Mythbusters 'busted" the myth of stopping a car by shifting into park.
Park in the transmission or the parking brake? IIRC, Mythbusters 'busted" the myth of stopping a car by shifting into park.
The parking prawl was engaged. I don't know what mythbusters episode you're referring to but you can try this same thing in several cars. The violence of the stop made it obvious this was not the parking brake and the parking brake light would've been illuminated. Many cars operate this way as a failsafe so the car doesn't move if you exit the car in gear.
To further my point, cars like the BMW F30 3-series don't have automatic parking brakes but still shift into park while moving at a low speed if you open the door.
Well, moving over a certain speed. I remember in my youth when I was backing up an E70 X5 at what I felt like was 5 mph and then opened the door to see if I was tracking straight and that car slammed into park so hard the tires made noise.
That was a safety interlock because you opened the door. Push the park button and see if it does that
That was a safety interlock because you opened the door. Push the park button and see if it does that
I'm aware. I have done it the conventionally way as well by just pressing P with a F30 3-series loaner in the past. I can confirm it will shift into park at walking speed. At faster speeds it will say "vehicle not stationary" and producing a warning tone.
