How "fast" should you turn the shift dial?

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Matt C

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Sorry in advance for what is most likely a stupid question. I am new to the Ramily with my new to me 2017 1500 Big Horn and very new to the dial shifter. I actually like it alot but wondering how fast is too fast to turn the dial from P to D? The first few times driving I shifted slow and it of course engaged Reverse then Neutral then Drive. So I sped it up now as to not engage Reverse if I am going right to Drive.

As I said - stupid question, but it there a right/wrong speed on shifting or should I stop worrying and go on to the next fun option to investigate?

Thanks in advance for any insight!
 

aimvee

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Sorry in advance for what is most likely a stupid question. I am new to the Ramily with my new to me 2017 1500 Big Horn and very new to the dial shifter. I actually like it alot but wondering how fast is too fast to turn the dial from P to D? The first few times driving I shifted slow and it of course engaged Reverse then Neutral then Drive. So I sped it up now as to not engage Reverse if I am going right to Drive.

As I said - stupid question, but it there a right/wrong speed on shifting or should I stop worrying and go on to the next fun option to investigate?

Thanks in advance for any insight!
You can stop worrying lol.
I don't think it matters, as long as your not forcing it one way or the other.

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Sandevino

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Zing it to the right or left but don’t force it to the left past P or right past D... The transmission won’t shift into gear until you leave it in place for more than one second.
 

caulk04

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Jury's out on the dial shifter IMO. It's nice that it frees up all the console space, but a column shifter never bothered me. What gets me with the dial is the lawyer that programmed it's operation.

Try shutting the truck off in neutral. Try putting the truck in neutral without starting it. Try to quickly move it across the driveway with your door open. You can't. Rant over...
 

GsRAM

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Jury's out on the dial shifter IMO. It's nice that it frees up all the console space, but a column shifter never bothered me. What gets me with the dial is the lawyer that programmed it's operation.

Try shutting the truck off in neutral. Try putting the truck in neutral without starting it. Try to quickly move it across the driveway with your door open. You can't. Rant over...

The 2020 Jeep Cherokee I just sold had a console shifter but did the same stupid stuff. It had push button start. So while the console shifter made you feel like you had more control, in all reality the same nanny controls were in place with it also.

I couldn't shut it off in neutral and push it onto my lift, I had to get it where I wanted it , then crawl in from the back seat, shift to park, then i could shut it down.

It was a decent car, but had a lot of quirks I didnt care for. I am too old fashioned I suppose!
 

retired

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Jury's out on the dial shifter IMO. It's nice that it frees up all the console space, but a column shifter never bothered me. What gets me with the dial is the lawyer that programmed it's operation.

Try shutting the truck off in neutral. Try putting the truck in neutral without starting it. Try to quickly move it across the driveway with your door open. You can't. Rant over...
So for whatever reason my 2020 backs up no problem with driver door open. I had read that they would not so of course i had to try it for myself. Now granted i just drove normal speed.

I have been driving for 50 years and this is my first dial shifter. I thought it would drive me nuts but I love it. biggest issue I have is now when I drive my wife's Honda CRV I turn the radio dial every freaking time....
 
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HAL9001

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The dial simply feeds an electrical input signal into the ECU. The ECU then does all the actual shifting via solenoids. You can spin the dial as fast as you want. In fact, you should always spin the dial fast into Drive and definitely not first dwell on Reverse. The ECU will always wait until it receives a proper input from the dial and then analyzes everything before taking any action. You can even spin the dial into Reverse or Park while going 65 mph. The ECU will simply outright reject that input and stay in Drive because it knows better.

For those critical of the dial shifter, please keep in mind that the dial allows for more sophisticated operations than a console or column shifter because it's not dependent upon a lever being in a set position. For example, if you're still in Drive or Reverse after stopping, and then you open the door and get out, the ECU will automatically set the transmission into Park for safety. Technically it can still do that with a digital-only console or column shifter but the lever will remain in the wrong position.

The dial is the perfect input device for a fully ECU controlled vehicle because there is no dependency on a lever being in any set position. Humans may prefer a lever tactilely, but computers much prefer a dial.
 

HAL9001

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So for whatever reason my 2020 backs up no problem with driver door open. I had read that they would not so of course i had to try it for myself. Now granted i just drove normal speed.
You may be able to back up with the door open. But if you ever got out of the seat, it would automatically go into Park. There is a seat weight sensor.
 

retired

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You may be able to back up with the door open. But if you ever got out of the seat, it would automatically go into Park. There is a seat weight sensor.

no, but I can not think of a single situation where I would ever want to be out of my seat backing up.....:)
 

tap4154

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Just like a column shifter, move it quickly. After almost three years I'm pretty well used to the dial shifter now. Haven't tried to reach for a column shifter in at least a year and a half. Only problem is... now when I get into my old Saturn I reach to the radio volume knob to shift into drive, instead of the console shifter. It never ends.
 

bigred90gt

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You may be able to back up with the door open. But if you ever got out of the seat, it would automatically go into Park. There is a seat weight sensor.
It's a combination of seatbelt off & door open that puts it in park. Has nothing to do with a weight sensor.
 

Quint

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no, but I can not think of a single situation where I would ever want to be out of my seat backing up.....:)
I've never needed to do it, but I could envision being stuck in snow, putting it in reverse, and then pushing on the truck to get it moving and then hopping back in. Definitely not safe but I would do it if needed.
 

Quint

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It's a combination of seatbelt off & door open that puts it in park. Has nothing to do with a weight sensor.
That is good to know. I always thought it was door open. When I back my snowmobile trailer into storage, I have 4 inches of clearance on each side so I have to get out and look when I'm close. I always forget to close the door. Sounds like I could click the seatbelt in without me in the seat as a workaround!
 

caulk04

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I couldn't shut it off in neutral and push it onto my lift,

I've gotten very familiar with the manual trans/park release for just that reason. My garage is tight and sometimes I want access to one end or the other and starting the truck to move it two feet is insane so I pop the thing out manually. If you don't know, it's behind the panel just below the headlight switch. It used to be a cubby before the 8spd, but now you pop that panel off, lift a small metal pin and pull the lever all the way out till it clicks then you're in neutral. Pull the lever again to release it and you're back in park.
 

indept

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The only control where speed matters is the skinny pedal!

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HAL9001

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no, but I can not think of a single situation where I would ever want to be out of my seat backing up.....:)
No, of course not, but it's a safety feature. It happens, that's what killed actor Anton Yelchin. He had a Jeep Cherokee and got out of it when it was in gear or in neutral. It then pinned him against a gate pose and he died of asphyxia. I'm sure FCA never wanted that to happen again.
 

TheEnder

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Sorry in advance for what is most likely a stupid question. I am new to the Ramily with my new to me 2017 1500 Big Horn and very new to the dial shifter. I actually like it alot but wondering how fast is too fast to turn the dial from P to D? The first few times driving I shifted slow and it of course engaged Reverse then Neutral then Drive. So I sped it up now as to not engage Reverse if I am going right to Drive.

As I said - stupid question, but it there a right/wrong speed on shifting or should I stop worrying and go on to the next fun option to investigate?

Thanks in advance for any insight!

Don’t think it matters, i shift it into gear quick.


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