Anyone else interested in replacing the rotary shifter?

[JoeDimwit]

I hate the dial, but we are stuck with it. It needs a reverse lock-out and a further lock-out for Park. Lift or push down on the knob to disable the lock-out. Plain stupid design and execution. ?‍?

I’ll agree that the execution could be better.

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[MachEMaster]

I am not a fan of the dial. Paddle shifters would be a good solution. It would also give it a performance feel. Maybe in 2026 with a multi speed grarbox?

 

[DevSecOps]

The muscle memory will come, I'm sure.

I think we all had this issue, or something similar, at first. I know many times, I would just twist it without looking down or at the dash thinking I was going from D to R and I realized I twisted the wrong way at it was still in D. Eventually you'll get used to it.

Thankfully I wasn't on a railroad crossing

Not sure why you would be parking, stopped or reversing on a railroad crossing. Based on what I've seen, the majority of accidents related to the shifter have been due to unintentional direction.

 

[txaggies07]

I personally prefer the dial (especially with the awesome 5spurs dial cover). I had normal shifters in the past that would easily bump from D to N and I found that way more annoying. I have also hated every stall shifter I have used like in the GM cars.

 

[kltye]

For the regular automatic shifters, you have to depress a button to shift into R or P, but not into N or D. So if you need to reverse from D, one would typically depress the lockout button and shift into N and then into R. Nothing is stopping you from overshooting into P while the button is depressed. I've had the same number of mishaps shifting into P with the regular shifter vs the knob, which is like.... twice?

As for it continuing to rotate past D - who cares? If you want to make sure you're in D, just rotate the knob with the flick of a wrist and you'll be in D?

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Agree with you. My current and past Ford ICE cars have/had shifter dials that stop at Park and Drive. Not sure why they changed this on the Mach-E.

I would be 100% happier with the shifter with this little change. I think the reason they made the dial rotate continuously is because the car will auto-shift to Park if you turn it off in any other shift position. (At least I think that's the behavior.) But I'd very, very happily trade that (to me) useless "feature" for hard stops at Drive and Park. I've on more than one occasion accidentally turned the knob past Drive when intending to put it in reverse. My bad? Absolutely. Could it work in a way that would prevent that? You bet! (And FWIW I know from other threads that others have experienced this as well.)

 

[phil]

I think it's all what you get use to. I've been using them in Ford's for almost 6 years. My Shelby GT500 has one. Ford's $500K GT supercar has one. I can understand how it can be confusing after using a different type shifter for a long time but I personally find the dial very easy to use.

I agree that it is easy enough to use. My beef is with the location of the dial. Drive controls should be within easy reach of the driver, and not of the front-seat passenger who may be a child or an adult that is not careful, or is not expecting a shifter to be located at his or her left hand. Brakes, accelerator and steering are on the driver's side of the car for good reason.

 

[HuntingPudel]

I agree that it is easy enough to use. My beef is with the location of the dial. Drive controls should be within easy reach of the driver, and not of the front-seat passenger who may be a child or an adult that is not careful, or is not expecting a shifter to be located at his or her left hand. Brakes, accelerator and steering are on the driver's side of the car for good reason.

The console or transmission tunnel (for vehicles without a console) is a pretty standard location for a shifter, regardless of whether it’s a rotary dial or a stick of some sort. Every performance car I have ever owned had its shifter located there. ?‍?

 

[azerik]

I quite enjoy looking like a tool noob slamming my MME into park when trying to back into a parking spot 50% of the time. It allows me to extend brand recognition to those who might be interested in an MME and want to know more.
"Yes it even does a little horsey dance when backing into a spot, just like a pony!"

(Side note, the other day I was driving my FFE for the first time in months, pulling into the driveway.. for some reason i thought I needed to shift into 1st. So I slammed it into park. I havn't had a manual trans for over 12 years. Instinct of that gear shifter I was holding was to go to 1st lol.)

 

[phil]

The console or transmission tunnel (for vehicles without a console) is a pretty standard location for a shifter, regardless of whether it’s a rotary dial or a stick of some sort. Every performance car I have ever owned had its shifter located there. ?‍?

Yes, good point. My luxury car has its automatic transmission shifter between driver and passenger. But it's much less prone to inadvertent shifting than the unobtrusive little radio dial on the electric Mustang.

 

[markboris]

I think the reason they made the dial rotate continuously is because the car will auto-shift to Park if you turn it off in any other shift position.

I don't think that is the reason as my GT500 auto shifts into Park if I either open the door while parked or turn it off. It also automatically sets the parking brake.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

I don't think that is the reason as my GT500 auto shifts into Park if I either open the door while parked or turn it off. It also automatically sets the parking brake.

Dang, so they have no excuse! Sure would be great if they could fix this in software…

 

[jay1122]

I still think the person designed the P position is stupid. A sensible design is right rotate for D, left rotate for R. Center press button for P. Example, genesis cars. Move that L thing much further away as a separate button.

All my previous cars have been following the same logic. Mercedes paddle up for R, down for D. Press button for P. BMW Z4 shift lever, shift down for D, up for R, press button for P.

 

[Gullwingdmc]

I’m good

 

[superdave80]

Paddle shifters would be a good solution. It would also give it a performance feel.

I'm not sure how much performance you would get trying to paddle shift from 'D' to 'N'...

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