Poor shifter design causing accidents

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finmile

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Problematic shifter design in Fiat Chrysler vehicles have been causing accidents.

My question is: How is this avoided in other brand cars?

"The agency is looking into reports that vehicles may roll away after drivers exit the vehicle, thinking that they had put the transmission into Park."

"If the driver’s door is opened when the gearshift is not in Park, a chime sounds and a message is displayed on the EVIC to warn the driver," the NHTSA states in a Summary of the Engineering Analysis. "In addition, the engine Start/Stop push-button control logic does not permit normal engine shut-off when the transmission is not in Park. This logic may provide feedback to drivers who attempt to turn the engine off when the transmission is not in Park. However, this function does not protect drivers who intentionally leave the engine running or drivers who do not recognize that the engine continues to run after an attempted shut-off."

"What does this mean for vehicles that have already been sold? NHTSA has not announced a recall (which would concern well over 100,000 vehicles), though it appears that this issue may only be addressed via a hardware retrofit or the creation of additional warning chimes via a software update. The latter option may be what FCA and the NHTSA are currently discussing."

http://autoweek.com/article/recalls/nhts...es-and-injuries
 
For 40 years we had automatic transmissions, car keys, and interlocks that wouldn't let you grab your keys until the tranny was in "park".

Then for vanity, we got rid of the ignition switch, and had idiots "spontaneously accellerating" and relying on computer code to turn off the engine.

And now we have this.

There should be a mechanical way to interrupt both fuel and spark. Also a cable that goes from the hand or foot parking brake to the wheels, operable with a dead battery. Funky little levers that activate transmissions with solenoids instead of hydraulic valve bodies are pretty creepy, but since that's a reliability and not safety concern I'll let others adopt them early and pay for extravagant repairs.
 
Is this another case of people being incompetent drivers? I still can't believe that the whole Toyota floor mat accelerator incident made national headlines.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Then for vanity, we got rid of the ignition switch.


+1 for the above comment. I would never buy a car with a push button ignition switch.
 
In my 56 years of driving I have never failed to either put the gearshift in reverse (stick shift) or park (automatic). And never had a ding dong to tell me of it either!
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Have the owners never heard of a parking brake?


Just the drivers that never drove a manual...OH, that's 96% of today's drivers!
 
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Then for vanity, we got rid of the ignition switch.


+1 for the above comment. I would never buy a car with a push button ignition switch.


Even if it doesn't have an actual button, the same functionality is still there on many cars. The ignition switch on my Traverse only signals the ECU that I'm trying to crank; it is not connected to the starter solenoid at all. The ECU controls the starter entirely, so it prevents you from over/under cranking.

EDIT: I forgot that the pushbutton ignitions play the game where you have to hold the button to shut it off. For that, I'm glad I still have a key.
 
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Couple things....

I own 2 Fords with push button switches and if you shut it off in gear it will beep at you incessantly as soon as the engine shuts off. You'd have to be deaf or an idiot to miss it.

You can indeed shut the engine off in any gear and with the car rolling or not rolling. Just hold the start button until it shuts off. It then starts beeping incessantly.

Reading the OP it seems that the FCA vehicles don't do this and don't allow you to shut the engine off except in Park? That can't be correct. Did they learn nothing from Toyota?
 
Originally Posted By: Al
Sadly another case of people that that could find a way to get hurt sitting in a couch wearing padded clothing.


LOL....truth!!
 
I had a Chrysler 300 as a rental when I had my Dakota in the shop for service. Drove the car an entire day. Never forgot to put it in park.
 
I think the issue is primarily when they push the lever to put it in park but it doesn't really go into park and then they get out after forgeting to shut it off. You start getting out the door and the vehicle starts to move.

I have not used one of these, but I was talking to a friend who owns an affected vehicle. He says sometimes it takes a couple of pushes to get it into Park. The shift lever doesn't actually move, it is really just a large switch that looks like a shift lever.
 
That makes more sense. Given most with automatics don't use the parking brake they need to get that fixed or recalled.
 
Either its the carmakers trying to one-up one another,or they are trying to "advance the state of the art".....but they seemingly cant leave anything alone.Even the lowly ashtray and cigarette lighter went away....and Toyota had to shape their gas pedals in a curved manner..it goes on and on.I guess they need to justify why the average new car is now $29,000.
 
People are simply stupid. On the flip side if they kill themselves it improves the gene pool.

FYI if you shut the vehicle off it puts itself in park, if you open the door the gauge cluster yells at you...I mean what more do they want?


My old Mercedes didn't even have shift interlock and no one had issues with them ever.
 
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Originally Posted By: itguy08
Couple things....

I own 2 Fords with push button switches and if you shut it off in gear it will beep at you incessantly as soon as the engine shuts off. You'd have to be deaf or an idiot to miss it.

You can indeed shut the engine off in any gear and with the car rolling or not rolling. Just hold the start button until it shuts off. It then starts beeping incessantly.

Reading the OP it seems that the FCA vehicles don't do this and don't allow you to shut the engine off except in Park? That can't be correct. Did they learn nothing from Toyota?


The Prius rental I had had a push button and put itself in park if I just shut it down when I rolled into a spot.

My FCA Ram does the same thing actually...

Push button ignition switch's work very well.
 
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