Just a general question here. What's with the reverse lockout? A few car companies other then ford have been putting them in lately, I just don't get why? Have people suddenly been throwing their cars into reverse while in 5th gear or something? Oops! Bah!

i think they are just trying to idiot proof cars.

but as the saying goes.... "make something idiot proof, and someone will just make a better idiot"

I don't see the point of them anyway. You can't shift from 5th to reverse with the reverse lock out removed anyway.

Seriously, reverse is spinning a completely different direction, it's not even POSSIBLE to engage it while moving. Although rev. lockout is the lesser of the two evils. BMW's method of pushing the entire shifter down and left of 1st is just ridiculous.

Haha, actually, the reason my old car is no longer running is cause I gave it to my friend, who tried to teach his brother how to drive on it, and he somehow slammed it into reverse while going like 40. However, I could have been lied to for some dumb reason. I think the lockout is good, I like how it looks.

I'm glad I don't have mine anymore.

Originally posted by knightm3
Although rev. lockout is the lesser of the two evils. BMW's method of pushing the entire shifter down and left of 1st is just ridiculous.
I test drove a vw beetle with this feature, i only had to use it like twice, but it annoyed the crap out of me.

Just a percaution all they want is someone doing something dumb and screwing up there car while its still under warranty

Originally posted by crazy_urn
i think they are just trying to idiot proof cars.

but as the saying goes.... "make something idiot proof, and someone will just make a better idiot"

Yea that's one of my favorit sayings

i play with the lock out on mine while im driving

i like it :) its "nifty"

On my test drive I had no idea there was one, but I managed to get it in there anyway. I guess I'm the better idiot.

Originally posted by staticprevails4
i play with the lock out on mine while im driving

I do too. Constantly!

Originally posted by staticprevails4
i play with the lock out on mine while im driving



I do too, that's the other reason I like it. It's funny when I let someone else drive my car (which is very very rarely), cause when they try to put it in reverse, they sit there for an hour not knowing how to do it.

Mine doesn't bother me any. I mean, seriously, how ofter are you shifting in reverse?

I like the lockout. On my previous Focus with SPI I had a couple times the urge to shift to the 6th gear. Once I was as close as getting to neutral and something, maybe an Angel :-), stoped my hand before further pushing down to the "6th gear".

I play with my reverse lockout, too. It's never been a bother, but I suppose somebody with arthritis wouldn't like it.

I agree that Ford's trying to idiot-proof the shifter, but I don't think it's such a bad idea.

Now a synchronized reverse gear - that's overkill. I always come to a stop, since I don't trust it to work. After all, first gear's synchronized, and I can't shift into it above about 2 mph. Why would reverse be any better?

Just another safety device for your car. I took mine off.
It's pretty hard to put in to reverse while driving unless you really tried.

Originally posted by rockthezx3
I do too, that's the other reason I like it. It's funny when I let someone else drive my car (which is very very rarely), cause when they try to put it in reverse, they sit there for an hour not knowing how to do it.

LOL! ^^^^^

My college's valet attendants initially kept pulling the car head-first into spots. They finally asked a few weeks later how to get into reverse..... I used "reverse" psychology on them...

I showed them how it's done...

Originally posted by rockthezx3
I do too, that's the other reason I like it. It's funny when I let someone else drive my car (which is very very rarely), cause when they try to put it in reverse, they sit there for an hour not knowing how to do it.

LoL all my friends look at the shifter and Don't get the whole European Style Reverse (where reverse is next to 1st gear) they get all confused and have no clue how to put it into reverse I wouldn't let anyone pull it out they would proly put it in 1st thinking its reverse and smash into something

reverse lockout has been around forever. First mustangs had a neat little chrome "T" below the knob to pull up to get reverse. Later shifters in fords had a spring loaded detent in the shifter to pull towards your knee to get it into reverse. later, pinto and mustang II shifters you had to push down and over to get into reverse. I was going to let a neighbor lady drive my car for a day cuz she was talking about buying a honda. Her hubby drove my car before and knew how to use it.. but didn't tell her. She couldn't get it in reverse and wouldn't drive it. she bought an accord [slap]

I never saw it as that annoying, its not hard to use. It is fun to mess with while driving also.

On the other hand.....
Ever since i got this car (used with 5k miles on it) its been increasingly more difficult to put it into 5th gear smoothly. I found out if i use the lockout it goes in perfectly.... Anyone else having this problem?

Im planning on taking it in for a service checkup soon anways.

LOL I play with mine all the time too. Anyone that's driven my car has the same problem, it is kind of hard to tell what the plastic ring is unless you know what your looking for.

Uhh, sorry to sound like a idiot but where exactly is this? I understand what it is meant to do But I havent noticed anything like that, probably because I dont know what to look for lol. Did the 2002 models come with it?


EDIT I just saw he said a plastic ring, hmm

I like the feature, but I don't play with it. I heard resting your hand on the shifter while driving is bad...kinda like resting your foot on the clutch.

paybax must have an autotragic...

No I don't think the 02's had it, well at least not until 02 1/2

Well that makes sense then. I'm pretty sure I dont have one.

I like mine! Like somebody else said, its fun to play with!

Originally posted by Egz
how ofter are you shifting in reverse?
every time i park my car, i back it in. may be strange, but its just me.

i am glad my spi does not have the lock out.

Yea, lmao its either backing in or backing out of a parking spot :) Hard to do one but not the other.

Originally posted by crazy_urn
every time i park my car, i back it in. may be strange, but its just me.

i am glad my spi does not have the lock out.

LOL. How'd I know that you'd be the one that said that?[:D]

Sometimes I pull the lockout collar up for every shift. Just for fun. I also fidget with it at lights.

Originally posted by smoknzx3
No I don't think the 02's had it, well at least not until 02 1/2

Mine is an 00 and has it.

One word...LAWYERS...love 'em

My '02 has the lockout, it was built in July of that year.

nah no lawyers. Just a gadgit. I don't understand why anyone has a hard time with it. I don't even notice it. I don't know of a Ford at least that doesn't have a lockout of some sort, from my 1965 mustang, 1972 ranchero, 1977 mustang, 1982 mustang.. all had a lockout... no big deal. simple and thoughtless to use. just like the key button to get the key out of the ignition for a lot of years. In fact I am suprized that feature isn't on the focus!

LOL, at the length of this thread!

This is straight out of the owner manual, SPI does not have reverse lockout, Zetec and 2.3 do have reverse lockout! Manual is a 2003.[:D]

Originally posted by vanace
just like the key button to get the key out of the ignition for a lot of years. In fact I am suprized that feature isn't on the focus!

Our Ranger has tha feature. Where you have to push back a switch to get it out.

Originally posted by knightm3
Seriously, reverse is spinning a completely different direction, it's not even POSSIBLE to engage it while moving. Although rev. lockout is the lesser of the two evils. BMW's method of pushing the entire shifter down and left of 1st is just ridiculous.
Is this a new feature? In my old Bimmer reverse was in the same place it is on the Focus.

People who insist on backing their cars into regular spots crack me the hell up. The only people that need to be backing into spots are people with big trucks, it's hard to get out sometimes if not.

Originally posted by eggyolk
People who insist on backing their cars into regular spots crack me the hell up. The only people that need to be backing into spots are people with big trucks, it's hard to get out sometimes if not.

You find that funny when people back into regular spots? It cracks you the hell up? Hmm...[slap]

Yes, someone at my office does it every day, and I find it amusing that his Accord needs to be in a parking spot backwards while everyone else is fine the other way, you don't find this amusing at all?

actually.. it is a little safer. You have a better view leaving forward than backing out. I back in my spot at work.. as does everyone around me, except the guys who can't back up lol.

Originally posted by smoknzx3
No I don't think the 02's had it, well at least not until 02 1/2

My '00 had it and I removed the sucker.\


Note its only on the manual transmission

Originally posted by focuszx3r
Note its only on the manual transmission

ROTFL!!!

I think its cool, it adds to the mistique of the car, kind of like the secret handshake that we in the inner circle of focus fanatics have-oops not supposed to talk abt that.

Either way, it's better than my buddy's 88 Mustang.

I got stuck in a parking lot when I borrowed it one day, and when I finally got out and gave it back I mentioned it.

"Oh, yeah, you have to shift into first before it'll go into reverse."

Well that's just dandy, huh? You'd never know there was something different until you're parked flat and don't feel the need to leave it in gear...

Originally posted by vanace
actually.. it is a little safer. You have a better view leaving forward than backing out. I back in my spot at work.. as does everyone around me, except the guys who can't back up lol.

they must be better at backing out of spots than you?

LOL