Learned Something New – Auto Return to Park Feature

[Probity]

Was perusing my F150 forum last night and found a thread on this. Checked the online Maverick Owners Manual (pgs. 185-186), sure enough it has it. Evidently a safety feature on all new Fords (and other vehicles, not sure which ones do/don’t have this). Makes sense as a safety feature, what surprised me was that it moves not just the rotary gear shift knob or console shifter to Park but also the column shifter on vehicles so equipped. A few new 2021 F150 owners were freaked out when they encountered this on their column shift trucks.

So I guess no more YouTube vids on newer runaway vehicles.

Then I also discovered the “Temporary Neutral Mode” (the auto car wash feature) and how it differs from the “Neutral Tow Mode” all you Hybrid flat-towers with RV’s will be using. The Temp. Neutral Mode has a pretty important warning attached to it – “Your vehicle could shift to park (P) after 30 minutes, or when the vehicle battery charge level is low. Prolonged use of this mode can cause the vehicle battery to run out of charge. Do not tow your vehicle in this mode. Failure to follow these instructions could result in vehicle damage not covered by the vehicle warranty.” Don’t want to think about what would happen at the 31 minute mark if someone inadvertantly tried flat-towing for any reason in Temp. Neutral Mode....

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[UberGadgetFreak]

Way back in 2018, I was driving a Ford Fusion that did the return to park thing and it surprised me. Since then, I've tried it in most rental cars that have the dial shifter. Seems to be how it works. My Escape did that, as have other Fusions even when not hybrid. As for the temp tow, that is something people do need to be aware of though. I would think a permanent label in the glove box would be a good reminder since many don't read the OM.

 

[Rob Cactus Gray]

Glad this is only when the vehicle is stationary. I imagine someone openning the door at a few MPH only to be jerked to park.

 

[Randy H.]

Was perusing my F150 forum last night and found a thread on this. Checked the online Maverick Owners Manual (pgs. 185-186), sure enough it has it. Evidently a safety feature on all new Fords (and other vehicles, not sure which ones do/don’t have this). Makes sense as a safety feature, what surprised me was that it moves not just the rotary gear shift knob or console shifter to Park but also the column shifter on vehicles so equipped. A few new 2021 F150 owners were freaked out when they encountered this on their column shift trucks.

So I guess no more YouTube vids on newer runaway vehicles.

Then I also discovered the “Temporary Neutral Mode” (the auto car wash feature) and how it differs from the “Neutral Tow Mode” all you Hybrid flat-towers with RV’s will be using. The Temp. Neutral Mode has a pretty important warning attached to it – “Your vehicle could shift to park (P) after 30 minutes, or when the vehicle battery charge level is low. Prolonged use of this mode can cause the vehicle battery to run out of charge. Do not tow your vehicle in this mode. Failure to follow these instructions could result in vehicle damage not covered by the vehicle warranty.” Don’t want to think about what would happen at the 31 minute mark if someone inadvertantly tried flat-towing for any reason in Temp. Neutral Mode....

The Automatic Return to Park is a very cool feature... I often find myself turning off the engine (press the start/stop button) on my wife's 2015 Civic before shifting to park. The Civic will allow me turn off the engine while still in drive without a warning (idiot light or chime).

 

[Randy H.]

Glad this is only when the vehicle is stationary. I imagine someone openning the door at a few MPH only to be jerked to park.

I'm the idiot who has made the mistake of opening the drivers door to pour out cold coffee while the car is in drive... Actually hit a trash can (slowly), but could have been worse...

 

[huunvubu]

Temporary Neutral Mode from the Maverick Owners Manual:

 

[Probity]

Glad this is only when the vehicle is stationary. I imagine someone openning the door at a few MPH only to be jerked to park.

Yeah when I first learned of this feature last night, my first reaction was LMAO thinking about an early work experience in mid-1970’s. As a neophyte engineer I’d often ride with our drilling foremen to rig locations in S. Texas. One foreman in particular was a habitual dipper (Copenhagen Wintergreen), and these were the days before the proliferation of cup-holders in cars. So he’d drive and dip/spit every few minutes, but didn’t use a cup. And he didn’t roll the window down to spit either for obvious blowback reasons. My first few times riding with him were a bit unnerving, cruising 50 or so down Farm-To-Market roads and him opening the driver door every couple of minutes to spit. Made for some interesting long drives….

But if Return to Park had been a feature back then he still would have been OK since it only seems to work when stationary, and when seatbelts unlatched (we all religiously used seatbelts when driving as it was a fireable offence if caught not wearing them).

 

[OldSoulNewMaverick]

All the carwashes by me have you stay inside the car. I shouldn't need to worry about this then, right?

 

[Rob Cactus Gray]

Yeah when I first learned of this feature last night, my first reaction was LMAO thinking about an early work experience in mid-1970’s. As a neophyte engineer I’d often ride with our drilling foremen to rig locations in S. Texas. One foreman in particular was a habitual dipper (Copenhagen Wintergreen), and these were the days before the proliferation of cup-holders in cars. So he’d drive and dip/spit every few minutes, but didn’t use a cup. And he didn’t roll the window down to spit either for obvious blowback reasons. My first few times riding with him were a bit unnerving, cruising 50 or so down Farm-To-Market roads and him opening the driver door every couple of minutes to spit. Made for some interesting long drives….

But if Return to Park had been a feature back then he still would have been OK since it only seems to work when stationary, and when seatbelts unlatched (we all religiously used seatbelts when driving as it was a fireable offence if caught not wearing them).

good story, I’ve been around my share of country dippers living in Nebraska most of my life.

side note, I got fired for not wearing my seat belt on a tiny battery powered Toyota fork lift. I have driven 40 ton cranes and container handlers in Iraq but a tiny little fork lift is too much. No warning either, just shit canned after 3 years with them.

 

[slashy42]

All the carwashes by me have you stay inside the car. I shouldn't need to worry about this then, right?

Unless you turn your car off I think you'll be fine? If you turn the car off then you'd need to do this.

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