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Another potential FCA shifter recall


fuzzymoomoo

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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (0QXR.L) said it is cooperating with the government investigation that covers the 2013-2016 model year Ram 1500 pickup truck and 2014-2016 Dodge Durango SUV. The government said it has reports of 25 crashes from owners alleging vehicle roll-away and nine injuries and urged drivers to set the parking brake before exiting the vehicles.

 

The vehicles under investigation have an electronic rotary control for driver gear selections that is different to the shifter that Fiat Chrysler recalled earlier this year for roll away issues.

 

In April, Fiat Chrysler recalled more than 1.1 million cars and SUVs worldwide because the vehicles may roll away after drivers exit.

Source: http://jalopnik.com/faraday-future-is-calling-out-reporters-on-twitter-now-1790314808

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Why do electronic shifters all of a sudden need to be in everything when these kinds of things didn't happen with mechanical linkages?

 

I think most transmissions dropped mechanical linkages a generation or more ago (basically, when they switched to electronic shift control).

 

However, IMO, it's a valid question why one would design a shifter that was as confusing as the FCA one.

Edited by RichardJensen
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From 2017 fusion with rotary shifter.

 

Automatic Return to Park

Note: This feature will not operate when

your vehicle is in Stay in Neutral mode or

neutral tow.

Your vehicle has a safety feature that will

automatically shift your vehicle into park

(P) when any of the following conditions

occur:

You turn the vehicle off.

You open the driver's door with your

safety belt unlatched.

Your safety belt is unlatched while the

driver's door is open.

If you turn your vehicle off while moving,

your vehicle will first shift into neutral (N)

until it slows down enough to shift into

park (P) automatically.

Note: If you have waited an extended

period of time (2-15 minutes) before starting

your vehicle, unlatching your safety belt will

cause this feature to activate, even with the

driver's door closed.

Note: This feature may not work properly

if the door ajar switch is malfunctioning. If

your door ajar indicator does not illuminate

when you open the drivers door or the

indicator illuminates with the drivers door

closed, see your authorized dealer.

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The ironic thing is that electronic shift control also allows them to build in better safe-guards, if done right of course.

 

I love push-button in my Lincoln, I don't see the benefit of a rotary dial over a stick however since it's still an indirect way of selecting gears (you have to pass through selections to get the one you want and it requires they same degree of attention to operate).

Edited by BORG
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The ironic thing is that electronic shift control also allows them to build in better safe-guards, if done right of course.

 

I love push-button in my Lincoln, I don't see the benefit of a rotary dial over a stick however since it's still an indirect way of selecting gears (you have to pass through selections to get the one you want and it requires they same degree of attention to operate).

I tend to agree. While I still don't see the necessity of making it electronically controlled, a push button is a better solution than the stupid rotary dial.
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FWIW, F-150 (6-speed, not sure about 10-speed) Fusion (pre-2017), Focus (Both DCT and 6f transmissions) and Mustang automatic transmissions still have mechanical linkages.

Bzzzzt. Try again. Just because they have mechanical shifters doesn't mean they have mechanical linkages. They've been 100% electronic for awhile now.

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But is it a direct linkage to the shifter or to the transmission controller? I know the individual gears are selected electronically not mechanically. Perhaps there is a mechanical connection for the parking pawl?

nope, there's a cable that attaches to a 'switch' of sorts on the transmission that selects the gear. Pretty sure it's the same for all 6R and 6F transmissions, except for maybe the new fusion with the rotary dial. Unsure about the 10R transmission, haven't seen one in person yet.
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nope, there's a cable that attaches to a 'switch' of sorts on the transmission

 

I can see why Ford would use, for instance, a cable that would activate the switch (cheaper and more reliable than electronics), but I guess my point is that the shifter is not, through a series of cables, directly engaging gears in the transmission. There's still an electronic switch involved.

 

Thus, on the conceptual level, the shift lever hasn't been directly connected to the physical process of engaging gears since electronic controls started.

 

You know what I'm saying?

Edited by RichardJensen
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I can see why Ford would use, for instance, a cable that would activate the switch (cheaper and more reliable than electronics), but I guess my point is that the shifter is not, through a series of cables, directly engaging gears in the transmission. There's still an electronic switch involved.

 

Thus, on the conceptual level, the shift lever hasn't been directly connected to the physical process of engaging gears since electronic controls started.

 

You know what I'm saying?

the switch I mentioned isn't electronic. I only called it a switch because I don't know what else to call it. It's definitely mechanical.
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the switch I mentioned isn't electronic. I only called it a switch because I don't know what else to call it. It's definitely mechanical.

 

Well, if you put a fine enough point on it, a light switch is mechanical--as is a PRNDL dial.

 

But that mechanical mechanism does not mechanically select gears--it sits in a variety of positions that correspond to modes of the transmission (like a light switch that can be in the on or off position). Unlike hydraulic logic transmissions (up to the mid 90s, give or take), wherein the shift cable actuated valves in the transmission.

 

What I'm saying is that you could put the switch on the transmission into the shift lever itself, and run a wire from the shift lever to the transmission and it would function exactly as it does now--however, that would complicate the assembly process & add a potential failure point, which, I expect, is why it isn't done.

Edited by RichardJensen
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Well, if you put a fine enough point on it, a light switch is mechanical--as is a PRNDL dial.

 

But that mechanical mechanism does not mechanically select gears--it sits in a variety of positions that correspond to modes of the transmission (like a light switch that can be in the on or off position). Unlike hydraulic logic transmissions (up to the mid 90s, give or take), wherein the shift cable actuated valves in the transmission.

 

What I'm saying is that you could put the switch on the transmission into the shift lever itself, and run a wire from the shift lever to the transmission and it would function exactly as it does now--however, that would complicate the assembly process & add a potential failure point, which, I expect, is why it isn't done.

it's this simple

 

Transmissions come down the line in neutral. I can spin the end of it by hand. I flip the switch one notch either way, I can no longer turn it by hand.

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If the Transmission Control Module goes out on a Focus you can't shift into Reverse or Drive because they're not mechanical linkages from the shifter to the tranny. And I can verify that from personal experience.

ok then maybe the DCT is electronic, but the 6F the 1.0 uses is definitely mechanical, it's virtually identical to what the Fusion uses (pre dial-a-gear shifter).
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