*** Origina post edited - Dash gear shift knob vs. handle

Going OT a little bit, the transfer case shifter is a different animal. There are no electronic transfer cases. If you have a shift lever, there is an actual linkage to the shifting fork shaft. If you have an electronic shift, there is a motor that turns the same shifting fork shaft. That motor is an added point of failure, and it is right down there in all the mud and muck. From a dependability POV, I much prefer the manual 4WD shift levers. But most of us end up with the electronic shift these days and somehow we get by with it.

The main reason FCA dropped the traditional shift arm is cost. I work at the plant that builds the steering columns for FCA and the cost of the bar shifter assembly is more than the cost of the rotary shifter.

Remember that bar shifter has to be connected to the shifter tube, It then moves a switch that is located on the lower part of the column. You still have a switch not a direct linkage to the trans mission.

The old school shifters where prone to bushing failures causing hard shift engagement. They actually cost more to repair than the rotary dial shifters.

Don

Ditto what mowermech said...

But that is the way of it...cheaper than hard wired and they can put in way more 'features' that way...

Just one more thing to fail and now it takes a tech to an engineer to 'ID' the problem and then they just change out parts....VERY EXPENSIVE parts...

Current era boy racers have tough time off the line against my 1996 Big Block Suburban...even though they have more listed HP...double turbo forced fed, etc...Traction Control gets them and they do NOT understand that part of it. Some have tuned TC out, but then their tranny computer kicks in to limit

Ditto my transfer case...it is 'motorized' and computer controlled because too many were bringing their 4x4's back because of their confusion of 'those levers on the floor'. So mine is pushbutton controlled and it takes a tech 4 hours to dial a new setup in. Can't pull one lever and 'feel' the gears mesh, to then home it in without grinding...computer controlled has to have it at a dead stop...else it will slam it in and break gear teeth...

Can't buy a single purpose printer, or copier, or FAX, or scanner anymore...mostly, there are fewer and fewer choices in that regard these days. Countless 'all in one' have had to donated because one of those 'all in one' functions died...

I am not fond of automotive computers.
My 1999 truck has a computer controlled automatic transmission, even though the shift lever is on the steering column. At 45 to 55 MPH it hunts between overdrive and third gear. The overdrive lockout does not work, so the only way to stop it if go faster than 55 or slower than 45. Annoying.
My PT Cruiser had a turn signal failure. Computer had to be replaced. $800
Then, a few years later, the ECU died. No new ones available. The shop got 4 "refurbished" units, all failed to load the programming. Finally, the 5th one worked, after being down all summer, $1800
The truck transfer case is mechanical shifter, as is the Jeep transfer case.. The Jeep transmission is a 6 speed manual, no computer.
Our 1966 Chevelle has no computer, except for the AM/FM radio. IMO, that's the way a vehicle should be built!

I would need to try it. When trying to stop on snow/ice with the anti-lock brakes doing their thing, it is useful to throw the tranny to neutral to improve stopping distance. My concern would be finding the knob on the dash in a timely manner if it is not positioned well.

Our Dodge Durango has the knob shifter on the console. Mechanicaly, its never posed a problem, but I just don't like it. I guess you get used to shifting that way, but I'd much rather have the old style t-handle console shifter. More of a personal preference I guess.

Besides we have been selecting 4WD with a knob on many vehicles since at least 2001.

OP edited her OP, but answers are still the same. It's electronic shifting, and a dash dial is as reliable as any other switch. Just a question of whether you can get used to it. Or want to even try to get used to it. I don't think I would like it on the dash. I would have to really like the vehicle in other ways to accept that.

I've been driving with the dash knob for 4 years now. Easy peasy. I've pointed this out before, you can shift back and forth between forward and reverse light years faster than than a column or console shifter, allowing you to rock your vehicle back and forth to break free from icy situations much easier. Once you get past the initial transition, you will realize how much easier it is, and how much more control you actually have. JMHO

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