No. But when I got a new policy a few months ago I signed some paperwork agreeing I wouldn't do something like this.

Auto insurers actively look for ways to deny coverage, not the other way around. Does anyone really expect they'll say, "Yes, that's ok, we'll look the other way if any claims are involved"?

 

Ah, the good old NVH trick...

Covers alot of sins you know...

 

There is another thing to consider: the man machine interface.

Specifically I don't like moving the gear lever around while moving and doing several things. The probability that you will screw it up increases dramatically with the number of distractions.

In using the "L" position for braking I had picked up the habit of depressing the release button. One time, when going very slowly, I inadvertently shifted into "R" very briefly. I recognized what I did and undid it so that it was in "R" for only a few milliseconds.

But the way this machine does "R" is that it switches two of three leads in the traction motor. This reverses rotation in a three phase synchronous machine.

But if you have more than a little forward motion when you do this (God forbid it happens at Hwy speeds) and accidentally get into reverse while moving the gear lever around, standby for a major electrical transient. My take is that if you are going fast enough you will melt some big cables.

In my case, since I do use the "L" feature for braking, I developed the habit of only shifting back to "D" with the palm of my hand so that I never depress the button. Keep in mind that if you go into "N" while on speed control the engine can rev up alot. So being careful with it even then is important.

In other words you can do a lot of damage with the gear lever if you don't build in some brain to hand methods of putting it where you want and only where you want.

 

No, that is NOT the case at all.

Feel free to put the car in R while going down the interstate at 55 or 65 MPH.
We've all done it a few times to prove we can, in THIS car ( only ).

Absolutly nothing happens.
The "gear select" moves no gears.
The "gear select" is a joystick, a computer signal, that's it.

Move it to R when moving fast next time.
The car's software says "silly human, you can't do that" and just ignores you.
It's perfectly safe. NOTHING happens. Ford even demonstrates this to customers sometimes. There's dozens of references to this on this site and others.

Oh, and you know, this car has no neutral, or low gear either, right????
If you move to N with the car in motion it will cut power and LOWER RPM of the engine to idle speed.

 

Bill, this has been typical of your post and why I said what I did about your post about wwest and myself. You understand very little about the FEH yet make statements like you do.

"But the way this machine does "R" is that it switches two of three leads in the traction motor. This reverses rotation in a three phase synchronous machine."

The computer will not let the FEH switch to reverse while moving forward and Ford engineers have even demonstrated this to members on this board. Members on this board have claimed to have shifted even to Park on the move and the parking pawn did not engage and there was no damage.

" But if you have more than a little forward motion when you do this (God forbid it happens at Hwy speeds) and accidentally get into reverse while moving the gear lever around, standby for a major electrical transient. My take is that if you are going fast enough you will melt some big cables."

Here again you know nothing about the FEH. I've shifted to R many times at highway speeds and God forbid me every time with no damage.

"In other words you can do a lot of damage with the gear lever if you don't build in some brain to hand methods of putting it where you want and only where you want."

Ford did put a brain in the FEH called a computer so you don't do a lot of damage with the gear lever.

Please Bill, give us some credit that it is possible we know what we're talking about when you may not. Your statements are completely wrong about damage to the eCVT above.

GaryG

 

Well when I did it at low speed it was clear the system reacted.

It is true there are no gears. What the gear selector does do is cut in or cut out some relays to cause the swap two of three power leads to the traction motor.

What would you have me call the gear selector so that I don't trip your arrogance off the line next time?

What you are doing if you shift into "R" at speed is relying on a protective interlock of some sort, probably in the software. Never a good idea to do so. If it fails the issue I described will do some damage.

If you want to do it go ahead...

(You know, I've been looking for that clutch pedal for 43,000 miles, just amazing that it runs without using it!)

 

Hmm, on my '06 I have to go past 'just the brakelight' switch to get EV.

Do you suppose that if you could close the brake light switch (i.e. with a button elswhere) that you could cause the vehicle to go into EV in neutral and under 40?

Mark

 

Here again you continue to make incorrect statements:

"Well when I did it at low speed it was clear the system reacted."

You don't understand, no matter at any speed the system will not react till your stopped. This time John was not arrogant and was stating it in a kind way IMO. I've shifted to reverse at every speed and it's clear the system never reacts to a command it will not process.

GaryG

 

Anyone ever heard of the Law of Unintended Consequences?

 

The other method to get your FEH to drop out of EV is to shift to L at speeds of 40 and below, watch the tach speed up , then drop off, then 'bounce'. Once it 'bounces' you can shift either to N or D and the vehicle will drop to EV. What is going on to make this happen?

Second question: I understand that the '09 doesn't require all this foolishness to get the thing to drop to EV, i.e. one can just let off the gas in D at 40, and it will drop out. Is this true?

My Highlander Hybrid works that way. Take your foot off the gas pedal, and it will drop to EV.

Mark