Something odd happened yesterday.

[Macbeth1975]

Yesterday after done Shopping, I went to start the truck and it wouldn’t turn on. I noticed that the shift dial was set on reverse and the light was blinking. It only corrected itself after moving to drive and then it turned over. I’ve tried to replicate this and nothing. anyone else have this happen?

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[Scott Asheville]

I seem to remember once or twice I turned the truck off in a parking spot while it was in Drive, forgetting to put it in Park. I think it shifted automatically to Park when I removed the key, but when I went to restart it behaved like you describe. Almost like it was my wife making sure to point out my prior misbehavior.

I never actually tried to replicate. I just dope-slapped myself and moved on. But you're not the only that has seen this.

 

[Macbeth1975]

I seem to remember once or twice I turned the truck off in a parking spot while it was in Drive, forgetting to put it in Park. I think it shifted automatically to Park when I removed the key, but when I went to restart it behaved like you describe. Almost like it was my wife making sure to point out my prior misbehavior.

I never actually tried to replicate. I just dope-slapped myself and moved on. But you're not the only that has seen this.

Should I have this looked at?

 

[Eggflipper]

Odd. Of course it’s all driven by the computer, so all bets are off as far as an explanation. I have mistakenly shut off the truck while in drive a few times and haven’t had that issue.

 

[Redline]

Odd things happen all the time with the Maverick. My doors lock themselves. Settings change on their own. My air conditioner decided to just shut itself off the other day for no reason. It's quirky, but I still love it.

 

[mrmagoo711]

Yeah, i had the same thing happen yesterday as well. 99% sure it is user error and I likely either forgot to put it in park when shutting if off, or didn't spin the wheel far enough to get it back to park before shutting if off. Just like you, rotated to park and it fired right up. After a lifetime of having a gearshift to click back into park, the knob takes some getting used to.

 

[rlhdweman]

I usually just turn the key to the off position without putting it in park, it automatically shifts to park, it one less motion I have to make, & often when I stop auto stop turns the engine off first, if I where to put it in park first the engine will restart & then I have to turn it off with the key anyways. Finding the shifter out of park when trying to start the vehicle is not normal, could be a computer glitch, but if it happens more I would have it checked out.

 

[MetalsGeek]

Your experience may well be a safety feature. It's a shame such things are undocumented. However, like Redline said, quirky things seem to happen now and then. HVAC mode changes itself fairly often. My fuel door popped open on its own once, when I was working near the truck. My AC stopped blowing cold and no setting would fix it, but a reboot (power cycle) did. This seems to be the new normal, especially on lower cost vehicles. I suspect Ford's software may be a mess of tangled logic that no one person could ever understand. It's really difficult to create modular, real-time software with a large staff of diverse developers where each component must interoperate via a LAN, and do it on a tight schedule & budget. Every time you hire someone new, you double the chances of creating a bug, and software quality testing will only find so many of these. CAN bus data transfer protocols are not perfect either; there's a very small yet non-zero chance a packet error will go undetected. If a bazillion messages are sent, this becomes a very real issue.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

If I try to turn the truck off without, first putting it in Park, the key momentarily hesitates before turning and coming out.

GB
Your experiences may vary.

 

[dhill59]

Yesterday after done Shopping, I went to start the truck and it wouldn’t turn on. I noticed that the shift dial was set on reverse and the light was blinking. It only corrected itself after moving to drive and then it turned over. I’ve tried to replicate this and nothing. anyone else have this happen?

Mmmmm mine has started twice in reverse. First time I thought it was human error, like maybe I bumped it. The second time I am positive the truck did it on its own. Very good thing that you have to have your foot on the brake in order to start it.

 

[Suzukiridr14]

I never thought of this, but when I pull my hybrid Lariat into the garage (it's running on electric) I just push the button to shut off the motor with my foot on the brake, and never push the parking brake. I guess it goes into park by itself. Always starts when I get back in. I have to release the brake when I back out.

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