We need to upgrade our old EF Ford Sedan. My wife’s arthritic hands cannot manage to depress the release button on the auto gearshift lever. So, we need a car without a release/locking button, or a column change. We have test driven several 2010/11 models and the only one we can find is the Mercedes Benz ML series, which are a little too large for our present needs. Can anyone list other cars like that?
There are many cars now at all price points that use the “dogleg” shifter pattern with their automatics without the lock button. Even my Scion has this. Perhaps this type of shifter would work for her. I too have arthritis in my hands and it works well for me.
There are even some new cars that don’t use the “dogleg” shifter pattern and yet manage to do without lock buttons. The 2011 Subaru Outback crossover and the 2011 Legacy sedan use a “straight” shift pattern and there is no shift lock button. I was surprised at this difference because my '02 Outback did have the “dogleg” type of shift pattern, and my '97 Outback used a lock button.
Is It Possible To Push The Lock-Out With The Palm Of The Hand, Rather Than Squeeze With The Fingers ? I’m Thinking A Driving Glove With A Hard Insert In The Palm.
I can’t quite picture the shifter, the lock-out button, or get a grasp on the actual limited ability of the wife (disability), but it seems there’s a different, easier solution than changing the whole car to get a different lock-out. Trust me. I’m so frugal, I’d come up with something.
No ? Eh ?
CSA
P.S. Is it just me ? What’s a Ford “EF” ?
Could you just duct-tape or otherwise rig the button?
Maybe you should call one of those places that does conversions for handicapped folks to see if they have any ideas.
Probably a T shaped shifter handle with a button for your thumb to push in.
I googled ‘‘EF Ford sedan’’ and ended up in Australia, kind of a Taurus looking car. The OP didn’t say what year of car though.
Rigging a strap around to hold the button in all the time is a possibility
BUT
with the risk of slipping out of the selected gear, even park.
Even disassembling the shifter down to the lever that the button works would run the same risk.
Yet, it could be a livable modification,
A risk you can choose to live with when you and her learn the perameters of having that risk.
The search will be a tiring process, but you should be able to find a decent sized vehicle for your needs without the shifter button.
You might try Camry, Accord, just about any Acura model, my Mazda doesn’t have the button on it, not sure how many others in the line up don’t have it.
The easiest way to shop around would be to visit dealership lots after they’re closed. If they aren’t open on Sundays, then a trip in the daytime would be in order to start looking in the windows of cars to see if they have a button or not. This way you can look at everything on the lot without having to worry about someone coming to chat you up while you’re looking.