[kent11202]

In part from:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wir...ivers-36786661

Electronic gear shifters on some newer Fiat Chrysler SUVs and cars are so confusing that drivers have exited the vehicles with the engines running and while they are still in gear, causing crashes and some serious injuries, U.S. safety investigators have determined.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in documents posted during the weekend, has doubled the number of vehicles involved in an investigation of the problem, but it stopped short of seeking a recall. The agency found more than 100 crashes and over a dozen injuries, mostly in Jeep Grand Cherokees.

Agency tests found that operating the center console shift lever "is not intuitive and provides poor tactile and visual feedback to the driver, increasing the potential for unintended gear selection," investigators wrote in the documents. They upgraded the probe to an engineering analysis, which is a step closer to a recall. NHTSA will continue to gather information and seek a recall if necessary, spokesman Gordon Trowbridge said.

[pikkagtr]

Those cars need nothing but driver mods
Driving tests should include IQ tests so as to weed out the potato derp drivers

[kent11202]

Originally Posted by pikkagtr

Those cars need nothing but driver mods
Driving tests should include IQ tests so as to weed out the potato derp drivers

Perhaps driver modes are in order but their "new" approach is obviously causing some problems.

As far as an IQ test is concerned, we can only hope that would apply to voters as well......

[KingOfJericho]

I'm surprised it's only 100 accidents. We have a GC with that transmission and I have not gone all the way into park on numerous occasions. Never had that problem with any other vehicle (plus I've only owned two automatic cars).

[muddtt]

I picked up a Chrysler 200 from Enterprise today that has the knob style gear selector. When the agent was getting out of the car the whole thing lurched forward and she stepped on the brake. I don't think she made it to park. She fiddled with the dial a little more and then got out safely.

I decided to try it because of all those commercials that said it was like a german/japanese car. What a heap of crap. They still have a loooooooooong way to go before they are even close.

[DDD31]

Granted BMW doesn't have the most intuitive automatic transmission selector now but doesn't the Chrysler have a safety device that puts the car into park if the door is opened?

If not, many lawyers just had premature ejaculation.

[muddtt]

Originally Posted by DDD31

Granted BMW doesn't have the most intuitive automatic transmission selector now but doesn't the Chrysler have a safety device that puts the car into park if the door is opened?

If not, many lawyers just had premature ejaculation.

The door was wide open for the agent. So I guess not.

I admit though, I had an X1 loaner and it took me awhile to figure out how to put it into drive :P

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by DDD31

Granted BMW doesn't have the most intuitive automatic transmission selector now but doesn't the Chrysler have a safety device that puts the car into park if the door is opened?

If not, many lawyers just had premature ejaculation.

At least the car will put itself in park once you turn it off.

[BloomRunsDubs]

Those shifters are not confusing at all. They are very similar to most BMW and Mercedes shifters.

I actually really like the shifters in new Chrysler products. They arent bulky and obnoxious and they look pretty nice too.

The salesman should probably just show the person how to use it when they sell the vehicle

[fhlh]

Originally Posted by pikkagtr

Those cars need nothing but driver mods
Driving tests should include IQ tests so as to weed out the potato derp drivers

nope... having owned a grand cherokee eco diesel I can confirm the electronic shifter is a joke. This is the same 8-speed as my current BMW and the way BMW designed the shifter usage is head and shoulders above the Jeep.

Yes, I hopped out of the Jeep once, 100% positive I placed it in park, I did not, the jeep rolled backwards and I was pinned between the open front door and a stairway pillar. I bent the door back 90 degrees on the Jeep. My wife had to jump over the console, hit brake just to put the damn thing in park.
This incident ended up causing $3400.00 in damage to the Jeep. I was fine, Jeep 0, Me 1

Should I have paid more attention, you bet!.. but again compared to the way BMW designed the shifter w/ this same transmission, the Chrysler implementation is seriously lacking.

[fhlh]

Originally Posted by DDD31

Granted BMW doesn't have the most intuitive automatic transmission selector now but doesn't the Chrysler have a safety device that puts the car into park if the door is opened?

If not, many lawyers just had premature ejaculation.

nope.. does not drop into park when a door is opened... see my post above

[DDD31]

Originally Posted by fhlh

nope... having owned a grand cherokee eco diesel I can confirm the electronic shifter is a joke. This is the same 8-speed as my current BMW and the way BMW designed the shifter usage is head and shoulders above the Jeep.

Yes, I hopped out of the Jeep once, 100% positive I placed it in park, I did not, the jeep rolled backwards and I was pinned between the open front door and a stairway pillar. I bent the door back 90 degrees on the Jeep. My wife had to jump over the console, hit brake just to put the damn thing in park.
This incident ended up causing $3400.00 in damage to the Jeep. I was fine, Jeep 0, Me 1

Should I have paid more attention, you bet!.. but again compared to the way BMW designed the shifter w/ this same transmission, the Chrysler implementation is seriously lacking.

Wow that's crazy I'm glad you were OK.

Of course I've felt pretty stupid in my car when I've opened the door when moving slowly and the transmission shifts into park and I come screeching to a halt. I always look around to see if anyone saw my stupidity

[NickyC]

Idiots on their iDumbass gadgets no doubt.

Made a mistake and went to a restaurant this weekend. As I looked around, every family with kids had the little brats staring at their stupid devices or playing games while the adults either talked or looked at their own iDumbass gadgets.

It's downright scary what's going on out there with these idiots.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by muddtt

I picked up a Chrysler 200 from Enterprise today that has the knob style gear selector. When the agent was getting out of the car the whole thing lurched forward and she stepped on the brake. I don't think she made it to park. She fiddled with the dial a little more and then got out safely.

I decided to try it because of all those commercials that said it was like a german/japanese car. What a heap of crap. They still have a loooooooooong way to go before they are even close.

I've rented these too. What makes them even dumber is the environmental and radio controls near the gear-shifter knob, all of them knobs, so you get to roll the dice that you are actually changing the temperature or whatever and not shifting into reverse on the freeway.

There are some real good US cars these days, these are not them.

[Blackraven]

Are we referring to this?



Or their latest rotary dial?

[KingOfJericho]

I'm referring to the top. That's what I have in the JGC.

I've never run myself over but I've had the car beep at me when I try to turn it off and it's not all the way in park. That's happened probably a dozen times.

[MightyMouseTech]

That is just lazy programming. On Acura vehicles with electronic shifters, if you open the drivers door, the car will automatically shift into park.

Surprised the hell out of me the first time it happened bringing a car into the shop and opening the door to see if I was on the hoist stops.

[Red Bread]

Manuals sure are better.

[VTECaddict]

I think the problem with FCA's shifters is that you have to scroll/hold/toggle to Park, and it's fairly easy to over or under shoot the intended gear you want if you're not paying close attention.

BMW's electronic shifter looks super complicated at first, but it just took me one use to get the hang of it. You can shift between the common gears (P,R,D) without looking at anything and just rely on feel. With a dedicated park button, there's no ambiguity whether you overshot or undershot selecting P.