48RE owners a must read: False Park NHTSA report

[brods]

If nothing else it explains why the E17 recall came about and re-enforces the need to be sure the shifter is really in park before exiting the truck as well as why its good to use the parking brake every time.



http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.g...blic/Pursuits/2004/EA/INCR-EA04025-23767P.pdf



Also if anyone is interested in the entire investigation more documents here: NHTSA ODI - Defect Investigations Documents

 

[Signal73]

Its not the most sure footed shifter design IMHO... .

 

[Jeepr]

I sure wish they would have replaced the shift pattern plate with one without the "land" between park & reverse rather than the STUPID alarm they put on there!

 

[TowPro]

Reading this, It makes sense. now if the alarm is based on the reverse lights being on I don't think its going to stop anything. If the shifter is sitting on that area between park and reverse, and the backup lights are off, and you get out, and it fills the reverse servo slowly, your still going to watch your truck backup.

Notice how they switched to cable shift when the problem started.

 

[BGlidewell]

A quote comes to mind.

"Build a system that is idiot proof and only idiots will use it. "

 

[DeezelDood]

Amen on the parking brake. I set it without even thinking about it. I do have my very own foolproof indicator though. I always let my EGT drop to 300before I shut down. If the transmission is left in drive or reverse (as I have, duh, done) the engine load from the transmission won't allow the EGT to drop below 400 on my Westach.

 

[WhiteSheep]

I have decided to not have the recall done. I frequently open the door with the transmission in R when backing. I also have a 30 year habit of using the parking brake whenever I stop regardless of the type of transmission. My son is picking up this habit, but my wife rebels agains it.

 

[CBrahs]

This is not the first time they have had problems like this. The jeep Cherokee has a recall out that stiffens the shift pattern up and it harder to get into and out of gear. Kind of makes the driver put forth some effort to get in and out of park. People were complaining about it but when they heard what was happening they stopped.

 

[JFaulkner]

I sure wish they would have replaced the shift pattern plate with one without the "land" between park & reverse rather than the STUPID alarm they put on there!

Now why would you do somthing foolish like fix the problem, when you can simply put a Band-Aid on it and pretend it's the owners fault.

 

[JoelMartin]

I have decided to not have the recall done. I frequently open the door with the transmission in R when backing. I also have a 30 year habit of using the parking brake whenever I stop regardless of the type of transmission. My son is picking up this habit, but my wife rebels agains it.

It sure is disgusting when your backing a trailer with the door open and your alarm goes off. :{

 

[donnier]

Especially when your backing the trailer in a camp site @ midnight. #@$%!



Iv gotten a couple of reminders from DC that this is available. Im also asked by the dealer every time" We noticed you havent had the recall done?"

I tell them to leave it as is. Dont want it, dont need it. End of discussion.

 

[jwduke]

Using parking brake isn't a good idea around here in the winter time. Good way to find your brakes froze up.

 

[robmints]

Setting the parking brake is not the answer for many of us. We are backing and need to open the door to properly see what we are doing. Mirrors are great and some can use them almost all the time, but some of us need to open the door to back safely. I don't care what someone sitting in an office in either DC thinks, they both screwed this one up. If it was a good idea all motor vehicles would do it.



It says right in the recall what we use these trucks for. If they were trying to fix a car where all you do is parallell park or back into a parking space it might be a half baked band aid that would be OK. But on these trucks it does not make it safer, it makes it more dangerous. Either you can try and back using a manner you are not comfortable with, or you can use a work around that defeates other good safety equipment. E17, or whatever it is called, is not fixing or solving anything. I wonder if they track those injured while driving without a seatbelt because they defeated their indicator.

 

[brods]

Setting the parking brake is not the answer for many of us.

Don’t get it. Just today jockeying around a trailer, I back up a few inches with the door open, throw it in park, push down the ebrake, get out check the ball, repeat until I can lower the coupler on the ball. Why is the ebrake a no go for anyone?? In thirty years of driving, with the majority of that time residing in the rust belt, only a few times has the ebrake hung up. The solution was to replace the bad, rusty cable, not just ignore the problem and not use it! Usually the worst situation is a vehicle which never gets the parking brake used. Then using it after all that time almost guarantees it’ll stick.



I agree that E17 is a lame band-aid (and refuse to have it done to my truck) but how does that make any difference about the common sense usage of the parking brake?