The Jeep Shifter

"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
06/23/2016 at 12:14 • Filed to: JEEP, SHIFTER, PARKING, BRAKE

This is driving me insane.

This (as reported by David Tracy) was included with the recall instructions:

What’s that? APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE?!

WARNING! in bold red lettering?

“Never use the PARK position as a substitute for the parking brake”

OK, I get a lot of people don’t use their parking brake. I do. Yes in automatics. It’s mainly because my old truck ended up with screwed up/mis aligned gears from not using it on even a slight decline.

But come on people you just got a “You’re expensive SUV might ROLL AWAY if you’re not careful” recall notice. USE THE GOD DAMN PARKING BRAKE.

I’m not trying to “victim blame” or anything like that but how is no one talking about this?

DISCUSSION (39)

Honeybunchesofgoats > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:18

My Town Car has a foot parking break, my Jag has a normal pull. I almost never use the brake on the former, but always do on the latter, and I'm convinced that it's because foot breaks are so irritating.

Sneaky Pete > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:22

Sad that we need to legislate stupidity. Let Darwin take his course...the gene pool is becoming too diluted.

Cé hé sin > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:23

Because people barely know their cars have handbrakes if they drive automatics. They just stick it in P and leave it at that.

It’s a bit like those supposed runaways when Toyota accelerator pedals jammed (or not, as the case may be). You could have put the gearlever in N if the car was an automatic (or just used the brakes, which are likely to win out in a battle with the engine) but most people don’t know what neutral is.

Future next gen S2000 owner > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:23

You could move and injure yourself and others if it is not in PARK.

FTFT. How did this make it out?

Sneaky Pete > Honeybunchesofgoats
06/23/2016 at 12:23

I would absolutely hate foot breaks. Thankfully I’ve never had one.

I always use the foot brake in my Caddy.

Steve in Manhattan > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:25

That there is lawyers at work - it’s a lot of CYA.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Future next gen S2000 owner
06/23/2016 at 12:25

This whole thing is insane.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Honeybunchesofgoats
06/23/2016 at 12:26

I always used the foot brake in the 2 vehicles I had that had them.

Well the Montego has a foot brake and I don’t use it but I’m more afraid it’ll look the brakes and not let go if I push it lol

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Sneaky Pete
06/23/2016 at 12:27

I mean, I’m not saying people need to get off-ed or anything but for god’s sake at least in all these stories they need to be pushing the USE THE DAMN PARKING BRAKE line to encourage other jeep owners to not run people over.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Cé hé sin
06/23/2016 at 12:28

That infuriated me as well. I get there was a problem (in the cases where the was a real problem) but just put it in neutral!!!!!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Future next gen S2000 owner
06/23/2016 at 12:29

Nope, their version (though it sounds stupid) is correct. “Your vehicle”. Verb use refers to what the vehicle will do, not you, so verb tense is not reflexive.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:33

I’m nobody to complain, as wordy as I am, but ~400 words to describe how to park? Including a “well, make sure it actually did what it’s supposed to” clause? Egad.

Urambo Tauro > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:35

I have mixed feelings about the use of parking brakes in automatics. Of course, here in Michigan, SOP is to avoid using them as much as possible, especially on older cars where cables could seize or break. But the problem with that is that they’re even more likely to rust if they’re not exercised often.

On level ground, I believe that an automatic’s parking pawl is enough. But it would be way better to just develop the habit of instinctively activating the parking brake every time, no matter the angle.

Future next gen S2000 owner > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/23/2016 at 12:36

Yep you are right. I thought it said “you” for the first word. Maybe I need glasses.

Takuro Spirit > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:47

I use the parking brake in the CX-5 mainly to annoy the wife.

We don’t live where its hilly so it never gets used. But it would if parked on a hill.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:55

Here’s an idea make a shifter that moves into a notch for each position, and then stays there. GENIUS!

Probenja > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 12:57

Because you must learn to drive with a stick in my country, people always use their handbrake when driving an automatic, the issue is that some also leave it in N when they park. And have no clue what P stands for.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Probenja
06/23/2016 at 13:19

Everyone in the US knows to put it in (P)ark

I wish they would use the hand, or in this case foot, brake.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Takuro Spirit
06/23/2016 at 13:20

Noble reason.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
06/23/2016 at 13:20

But then they’ll be accused of having a boring shifter.

I guess they should’ve used the dial knob that the Durango gets.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/23/2016 at 13:21

or just use the parking brake which should hold even if you oops-ed it into reverse or neutral.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Steve in Manhattan
06/23/2016 at 13:23

O of course, but in my opinion they didn’t use all of the provided braking equipment - it’s there fault.

If he had left it in drive or reverse it should still hold the car.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Urambo Tauro
06/23/2016 at 13:26

Here in Michigan I use it on every car -every time- no matter the situation. Except the 68 Montego which I don’t know how many decades ago it was last used so I assume that’ll lock up the brakes and never move again.

We own a 2007 and a 2008, both get their hand brakes used every day, even on flat ground so it shouldn’t be an issue of seizing up.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 13:27

Right, but that’s the thing that drivers never actually learn. They would if driver’s ed were primarily stick - harrumph harrumph.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 13:30

Well I live in SF so um hills, I always put it on, also seems bad to rest the vehicle on the tranny. There is always that slump onto the drivetrain and I don’t think that can be good over time, like you said.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/23/2016 at 13:31

I developed these habits having only DD’ed an automatic.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
06/23/2016 at 13:32

Well mine was too old and didn’t have the modern set up for park, but either way, why not put the pressure on a cable that sets your brake as opposed to the trans? Seems like logic to me.

Urambo Tauro > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 13:33

I thought that my owning a car with a manual transmission would make it a habit. But I haven’t used the parking brake on my truck very much, despite having replaced all its cables just a few months ago to get it working again. Muscle memory doesn’t always transfer well between vehicles, especially when the truck has a completely different setup (column-shift and foot-activated P-brake).

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/23/2016 at 13:33

I don’t see why the good old cable E brake can’t be used, not techie cool enough? It works and you can feel it. They can put it on the floor if they want with a release below like some have done. I like the pedal style in trucks because I can get up on it and stomp it to make sure it’s all good. Some things don’t need to change!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Urambo Tauro
06/23/2016 at 13:38

Use it, or your car will run you over.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 14:00

True, but you have a basic aptitude and some curiosity about your vehicle. Many drivers, not so much, and driver’s ed sucks ass at instilling any of that. I’ve been told that a colloquialism for reliability of a vehicle in South Korea translates as “you push that one, and it goes” a microcosm of common understanding of how vehicles are *supposed* to be operated. Coincidentally, most cars in SK are automatic, though of course they have two license categories for stick/auto and have heavy reliance on private driver’s schools, which have far more to do with extensive driving practice than minutiae like parking.

It’s a horrible thing to attempt to raise the aptitude threshold for something once it has been lowered, and let’s face it - most cars do not require above kindergartener understanding to operate. It’s like attempting to put a rotary latch on a pair of pants - while secure and cool and easy to learn and all those other things, it’s easy to imagine some moonings from people falling on reflexes good or bad.

Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time? > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 15:30

Thank you! As I keep telling people, it is primarily a “Parking Brake”, and secondarily an “emergency brake”. Since most emergency brakes are cable actuated so that they work even if your brake hydraulic system fails, never using them is a sure way to have corrosion either eat them away or lock them up. Either way, they will not be there when you need them.

I’m from California, and have always used my parking brake. Moved to Ohio, and I’m constantly amazed how many people don’t.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time?
06/23/2016 at 15:35

So few use them here in Michigan, I grew up in Northern NJ which is surprisingly hilly/mountainous so it was a need.

I’m just amazed that someone got a letter in the mail that said HEY YOUR CARS GOING TO ROLL AWAY and then doesn’t use the parking brake.

Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time? > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
06/23/2016 at 16:35

Literally LOL ... good comment ... reflects the “appliance” that a car is to most people.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time?
06/23/2016 at 16:46

If anything you’d think they’d want their most likely 40-60 THOUSAND DOLLAR appliance to not roll away.

wkiernan > Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time?
06/23/2016 at 17:11

I live in central Florida, where the land everywhere is flat as a pancake, so I hardly ever use my parking brake, except when I’m parked on a slope. Not only that, but usually when I come up to a stop light I drop the car into neutral and take my foot completely off the brake pedal. It won’t roll forward or backward, because the road is flat. Of course this doesn’t work when I go to Tallahassee or any other place in the state where the ground actually has some slope to it.

Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time? > wkiernan
06/23/2016 at 17:47

I can understand that, but I still set my parking brake everywhere I park, even in my garage.

His Stigness > Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time?
08/02/2016 at 13:12

No one in California ever uses their parking brake either. I think my mom and siblings are the only ones that do in this state.

Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time? > His Stigness
08/02/2016 at 15:53

If you ever went to San Francisco, you learned to use it. It is illegal to park on their hills without it.

Everyone I knew used it. (Which of course is what matters!) ;-)