After 12 years and 186,000 miles, I bid a fond farewell to my 1999 GMC Suburban and said hello to an almost new (13,000 miles) 2011 Ford Expedition. Of course, comparisons are inevitable, and the first thing that hit me is just how much smaller 18 inches makes a vehicle when parallel parking. I love my new truck, and perhaps in time all the issues I have with it will fade. Right away, though, there are signs of monkeys in my Expedition.
My complaints have to do with the dashboard. The parking brake release lever and the hood release lever are only about four inches apart and at about the same depth, so you do not have to reach or make any special effort to release the hood. I released the hood when intending to release the brake the first time I drove it. It seems unusual to have the levers so close.
Next is the gas gauge, which is neatly hidden by a spoke on the steering wheel. I have to rearrange either myself or tilt the wheel to see the gauge. It is hard to do this with just a casual glance.
Next is actually a benefit for me. The dash is deep enough that the passenger cannot easily see how fast the truck is going. It is hard for my wife to remind me to slow down, which is great, but I would not have appreciated this feature when I was teaching my kids to drive.
The worst things on the dash are the positioning of the AC/heat fan and the control for going in and out of four-wheel drive. Both are rotary switches of the same diameter and are separated by about four inches. Twice I mistakenly changed to four-wheel drive when I meant to turn the AC on.
I am not excusing myself for inattention, but the poor design can set in motion situations which should never be allowed to happen. This is the seventh four-wheel drive vehicle in my family, and the Expedition is the first where I would inadvertently shift into four-wheel drive mode when all I meant to do was try to cool down.
This entry was submitted by Ralph Wirtel and edited by Rob Spiegel.
Tell us your experiences with Monkey-designed products. Send stories to Rob Spiegel for Made by Monkeys.
EVERY streetracer in the country wanted the TORQUEFLITE tranny. They used to say they were designed for the PATTON Tank. I suspect they were partially correct. You could buy a PLYMOUTH 426 HEMI coupled to the TORQUEFLITE & ruin a set of GOODYEAR raised white letter tires in one afternoon.
Of course, CHEVROLET countered w/ their "beefed-up" POWERGLIDE .... what a joke.
And, FORD had the CS6 & FMX transmissions coupled to their 390, 406, 427, 428 & 429 (Shotgun motor).
We've got Ford Focuses as company cars. Not much better. There are 10 buttons on the steering wheel, four marked with arrows and two marked "OK". None of them changes the volume on the radio. The button on the centre console which switches the radio between manual and preset mode is marked with a symbol similar to the logo of well known sports shoe manufacturer. There are 2 such buttons. Don't get me started on the climate control interface.
I had an instance where things were too familiar. My '84 K5 Blazer and my "77 K5 Blazer had very similar dashboard designs. One time I was exiting an interstate at a place I used to exit daily when going to work. I let my mind wander as I approached an intersection trying to remember how things were the last time I had traversed this way. As my mind traveled back, the truck was slowing and I reached my left foot over to depress the clutch and prepared to shift into 2nd gear.
Suddenly, the truck screeched to a halt, my wife flew forward in her seat and I realized I was not driving the '77 with a stick shift, but my "84 automatic. "What was that all about?" "Oh just daydreaming." But fortunately I had not moved the shift lever or I would have slammed it into park.
My 56 Chrysler had the two-speed Power flight that preceeded the three speed Torgue Flight. There was virtually no slippage and all of the buttons were in a little cube on the side of the steering column. I never had the nerve to try that R thing at speed.
I never considered the fact that a manufacturer might want you to get used to "your" car only, within their models. Makes perfect sense. I drive Dodge/Chryslers, and have to take a minute to figure out other brands. On another note, remember when the switch for bright headlights was on the floor?
People that order buses and office furniture should have to live on the bus and work with the office furniture. The they would not buy the crap that we have to commute in and work at. Thank goodness I have reduced my commute to 12 miles and 45 min @ 5am from 2 hours and 40 miles at 3am.
We have an infinitely adjustable computer work top next to a finitly adjustable table top. I adjusted the computer to the neatest table setting. The there are two pairs of legs to interfer with the five leged swivl chain. The chair has lots of adjustment except seat pan.
We use to seat on the desk to visit. Now if we do that the desk tips. We have wheeled file cabints to sit on. Wouldn't want to lean back into space.
Maybe I just never paid that much attention, but I do not recall owning any other car or truck where I could not just glance and find the gauges. The positioning of the 4-wheel drive control is not just poor design, it is dangerous.
I have a 2003 Expedition, and I hate where they put the 4WD rotary switch. It is hidden behind the gear shift lever when you are driving. It has happened that you will bump the transmission out of Drive while trying to access the switch. It is just fine if you are in Park ,which is probably the only time the design got reviewed. It just doesn't work well for when you are actually driving and need 4WD immediately.
I remember my 1973 Ford having the ignition switch on the left. Our Chevy's were on the right in pickups until 73 when they went on the steering column.
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