Accidental shift to park while driving -2025

[Vernal]

I went to wash the windshield yesterday and accidentally hit the park button instead of the windshield wash button.

The car warns you that it will shift to park when the speed is low enough. You can just shift back to drive and it's not a problem. I don't recommend trying it but wanted to let people know what happens in case anyone was worried about it.

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[cswebster]

Thanks for that. It definitely takes some getting used to. Haven’t had too much rain so I haven’t had to use the wipers much, but my instinct is to always to go to the right of the column on all my cars and not the left. I have accidentally shifted into neutral once or twice. Overall though, I love the new shifter. So smooth. I think they did a good job with it.

 

[Blue PonyE]

My first car was a 1964 Chrysler Newport with push button transmission selectors. While riding with high school buddies, one asked what happens if you push park button while driving. Being a stupid kid, I did. No warning at that time. It locked rear wheels, but thankfully the torqueflite transmission didn't fall out of the bottom. Lesson learned, moved on to other dumb things.

 

[markboris]

I went to wash the windshield yesterday and accidentally hit the park button instead of the windshield wash button.

The car warns you that it will shift to park when the speed is low enough. You can just shift back to drive and it's not a problem. I don't recommend trying it but wanted to let people know what happens in case anyone was worried about it.

I wondered if the stalk would do the same as the dial and it does. Anything over 7mph it does nothing if you shift into park, reverse, etc., and you get that warning.

 

[Teslaeata]

I went to wash the windshield yesterday and accidentally hit the park button instead of the windshield wash button.

The car warns you that it will shift to park when the speed is low enough. You can just shift back to drive and it's not a problem. I don't recommend trying it but wanted to let people know what happens in case anyone was worried about it.

Auto boxes designed to avoid entering inappropriate gear positions at inappropriate speeds or direction, even on the old analogue transmissions; one case I remember needing to prove selection of various gear lever positions at 70mph didn’t blow the (auto) gearbox or kill me

 

[Creaky]

I really had my doubt about the new shifter but now that I've used it for a few weeks I must say I got used to it very quickly. It sure makes shifting a lot faster than with the old rotary dial.

 

[Tampamike]

I really had my doubt about the new shifter but now that I've used it for a few weeks I must say I got used to it very quickly. It sure makes shifting a lot faster than with the old rotary dial.

Wait, has somebody said it’s difficult to shift gears with the rotary dial? I didn’t know.

 

[Creaky]

Wait, has somebody said it’s difficult to shift gears with the rotary dial? I didn’t know.

Not difficult, but slower

 

[davegram]

I went to wash the windshield yesterday and accidentally hit the park button instead of the windshield wash button.

The car warns you that it will shift to park when the speed is low enough. You can just shift back to drive and it's not a problem. I don't recommend trying it but wanted to let people know what happens in case anyone was worried about it.

Thanks man, I was wondering about that. I've reached for the drive stalk instead of wipers a few times.

 

[dimes4slim]

I went to wash the windshield yesterday and accidentally hit the park button instead of the windshield wash button.

The car warns you that it will shift to park when the speed is low enough. You can just shift back to drive and it's not a problem. I don't recommend trying it but wanted to let people know what happens in case anyone was worried about it.

Just had the same experience with our first rain. Having had a 21 Mach-E, this might be the biggest adjustment.

 

[MachhE-CT]

Dial works fine by me as well as in several rental ( ICE vehicles). I like it actually.

 

[Teslaeata]

Not difficult, but slower

Having driven stick change, column change, auto and manual synchro gearbox and crash gears I don’t like the rotary shifter, never have but never found it slower, quicker yes, too quick & too easy in fact is what I always thought about it which is the reason for my dislike of this kind of shifter.

But that’s only my experience and opinion, we’re all different, wouldn’t be a good thing if we were all the same.

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