Small Maverick gripes, and why the dial shifter exists.

[Dad]

Well, I'm not sure if the situation is "couldn't" or "wouldn't. A 10" screen would be perfect for my liking though. I also wish it gave more information about the vehicle itself, but maybe it does on the SYNC3, I dunno.

As to the OP, I really like the looks and idea of the dial shifter. With that said, I have never driven a Maverick so I cannot speak for that.

Neighbor has an F-150 with the bigger screen. Too distracting and too much information to sort through. The Maverick's screen is perfect.

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[JimParker256]

Yeah, bring back the "tactile" push-button shifters that were on the 1960's Olds 88... Not! My grandfather had one of those, and when you pushed the button, it felt like you were using one of those old rotary dial AM radio "pre-select" buttons that actually rotated the dial. I hated that car! All the more because he traded in a pristine 1950 Chrysler New Yorker (robin's egg blue and white) that had less than 40K miles on it. He forgot that he had promised he would sell me that car if he ever decided to get rid of it... Dealer scared him (at 80+ years of age) by telling him that "no one makes parts for a car that old, you should get rid of it before it starts giving you trouble."

 

[Skeeter163]

When it comes to what you get for the money (if you paid MSRP) and how well designed the Maverick is, I could not be more impressed. These are just 2 minor things I would have changed and some possible clarification on why something exist.

A lot of people don't like the dial shifter, but it took me one day driving the Maverick to figure out why Ford went with that.

A normal shifter on the steering wheel would have been too close to the infotainment screen. Like literally an inch or two. Which means you would hit the screen and potentially damage it if it was on the steering wheel. Or at the very least, keep annoyingly hit a buttom on it. The other option would be the second most normal shifter option...in the center console area. It wasn't put THERE because it would block the pathway to all the storage area in front of it. It would probably only be marginal, but still be a nuisance. The option Ford went with takes up the least amount of space. And overall, the Maverick does a great job utilizing space. There is nothing bulky or protruding in or around the Maverick and I have never seen such a small vehicle feel so roomy and have so much storage.

But, one way they could have fixed this and the biggest change I would have made...get rid of that center cubby next to the screen and move the screen right 3-4 inches. That way, you could either put a normal shifter on the steering wheel, or move the middle air vents to each side of the screen instead of keeping them down low and harder to reach the back.

Also, I would have made the cubby hole behind the screen deeper and have a lip on it so a phone could be placed there for GPS purposes. Having something like that on the bottom doesn't make much sense since it's unsafe to look all the way down there while driving.

But that's it. I still can't explain not being able to keep the car in Eco mode always and during start up. I assume there's a reason for it. I would hope.

The dial shifter is here to stay. Was in a Buick dealer today and they have it too.

 

[Clock Doc]

I get the gripe about the rotary dial. Getting used to it but I will never like it way too much lag going from reverse to drive.
The GPS pops up on your main screen no need for the phone to have a place on the dash anymore. Keep every thing clear and down low out of the way works for me.
Ford has also addressed every aspect of the design of the vehicle inside and out. I believe their reason for the dial is pretty much the same conclusion you came to. One of the reasons was a clean open look and feel to the cab.

 

[Drkuhar]

Since the dial is electric and probably has a connection in the console. How.long before some company makes a plug and play shifter to replace the dial that mounts in the same spot

 

[WallyS56]

Old school shifters are no longer needed. Its all electric. So just need a way for the driver to select what there doing. I'm getting use to the dial and don't mind it. Jumped into wife's crv and initially put my hand down looking for the dial.

People just don't like change.

Not that anyone reading this post will do it. Read this great book called the Design Of Everything. Cognitive science and how to design for people. I'm guessing the author would have been upset with dial shifter. LoL

Remember vaccuum operated push-button shifters from the 50s and 60s?

 

[cybex53]

A more likely answer, long ago a female upper end project manager complained the floor type stalk shifter resembled a phallic symbol and Ford needed to change things up.

The real story is that the rotary shifter was designed jointly with Ford and Jaguar, when Ford owned them for the debut of the 2007 Jaguar XF. Of course, the shifter in the Jaguar was a bit fancier as it was flush with the center console surface and rose out of the console on start up. Ford sold Jaguar the same year the XF came out but they decided to make the rotary shifter the Ford standard shifter.

 

[Decayed]

I was very wary of the dial but have learned to love it. These days they are all electrical switches anyway - no reason for a big bulky lever. The dial is small, unobtrusive but well positioned. It would be nice if it had stops but that would just be something else to break.

 

[olderbudwiser]

Your made-up story about some "female" at Ford who didn't like floor shifters was factual?

Yes, factual. I went through 3 new vehicle programs / launches. The chief engineer of one of these sent out an email. Ended up getting more visibility than intended. Many of us read this.

I was not saying this was actual reason but when a female chief engineer takes issue with a part on her vehicle line changes normally are made.

The things I witnessed in the last 5 years of my employment helped convince me, although I loved my job it was time to retire. No I wasn't forced out. Actually had calls trying to get me back. The non sense going on was disturbing.

 

[GPSMan]

Back to little gripes.
Little for sure but...
Radio volume goes in whole integer increments. The "increments" are pretty big. Volume level 8 is too quiet for me and Volume level 9 is too loud.
Can't ever be "just right".

Also I just learned; just like the "gear" select knob is just a joystick, just a computer input device, so is the headlamp switch. It does not actually connect to the headlamps or parking lamps. Two nights ago, my headlamps got stuck "on". I had no way to shut them off without rebooting the whole truck. Also the "high beams" switch in the stalk is, you guessed it, not actually connected to the high beams.
I found it odd that you CAN NOT turn on the high beams without a key in the ignition. But this "feature" is what makes "automatic" high beams possible.

Anyone like auto high beams? I don't.
I keep that feature disabled.

 

[Bronco85]

Remember vaccuum operated push-button shifters from the 50s and 60s?

'65 Valiant AT shifter located on the dash:

 

[Texchappy]

'65 Valiant AT shifter located on the dash:

That’s what I kept thinking about during this discussion. think all the big 3 had a varian of this from the 50’s into the 60’s.

 

[Edge Haley]

I like the round shifter....once you get used to it I rarely look down to put it in DRIVE and only look down to put it in Reverse.

Something that my other car is a pain for is plugging in the USB cable into the back of the drivers seat...In my car I have to get out of the car to find the plug in, on the Maverick it is naturally in the right spot to feel.

 

[sprubs]

has anyone accidentally gone into neutral or reverse while at a stop light? that seems like the highest risk situation because I assume while moving the truck wouldn't allow you to switch out of "drive".

 

[redskins5]

I like the fact that I can push the engine cutoff button in Drive and it shifts straight into Park. I don’t see how you can do that with a lever.

My lever shift on my 2021 F150 automatically shifts back to park when you turn the truck off in drive.

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