Heated Auto Shifter Knob?

[YJdude]

Lots of Driver Skills Police patrolling the forum today....

I still can't wrap my head around all the Cadillac type luxury shit they put in wranglers now anyway, but if you want a heated shifter that's cool. Maybe a heated passenger grab bar?

Its your Jeep, put your hands wherever you damn well please. Unless I'm a passenger of course...lol

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[mgroeger]

Yes I realize this is a first-world problem and that I'm likely to attract all of the "electronics are bad" Jeepers, but hear me out.

Like I imagine most of you, I typically drive with one hand on the wheel, and the other resting on my shifter, even in an automatic. While the steering wheel is heated, the shifter knob is not, so my right hand is typically freezing in the winter, while my left hand is spoiled with the heated steering wheel.

Has anyone tried to add a heating element to the automatic shifter knob? It could be wired up to the heated steering wheel button, so no new switch is needed, but it would be nice if both hands could be warm.

- You know this is a Jeep right?
- Don't put your hand on the "cold" shifter knob.
- Ask a starving child in Africa to knit you a glove only for that hand.
- Put both hands on the wheel.
- Buy a Mercedes.

I'm probably missing a few but let's use this list as a starting point to shame you for your first world problem.

 

[Heimkehr]

Hold the palm of your right hand in front of the nearest dashboard vent. The vehicle's nuclear-grade heater will warm it up in a matter of seconds.

 

[Kllrbee]

Got to be a joke...
if not, this is truly pathetic.

 

[rcadden]

- You know this is a Jeep right?

Yes, I know it's a Jeep. No reason we can't be comfortable while crawling over rocks, splashing through mud, or exploring a snowed-over forest road.

 

[Jorginho 113]

Wear gloves or if you have the steering wheel heated option boom!! Sadly most people driving autos love to pretend they drive a manual and hold on to it for dear life lmao! And manual drivers never drive holding the shifter ?? so no need to get a heated shift knob IMO.

 

[mgroeger]

Yes, I know it's a Jeep. No reason we can't be comfortable while crawling over rocks, splashing through mud, or exploring a snowed-over forest road.

I am, for once in my life, at a loss for words. Bless your heart.

 

[Apexcars]

Just aim one or two of the vents at the shift knob and let it run for a couple of minutes. BOOM! Heated shift knob.

 

[Cux211]

Boy the op took a beating on this one lol, I don’t see the need for a heated shift knob and I don’t hang onto the knob either but I do drive with just my left hand always have for 31 years ??‍

 

[Ratbert]

I don't believe this. I've heard it over the years, and I've driven a stick since 1989. I think just having your hand on the shifter doesn't do anything. I think if you're putting pressure on it, it might. But I've put about 100,000 miles on every stick I've had and never had a transmission issue from doing that. Can anyone here say that they've worn out their tranny early from doing that? I'm genuinely interested.

It's an out of character video, but Engineering Explained knows his shit about vehicles. Any thoughts on why manufacturers warn against it in their manuals?

 

[AnnDee4444]

https://www.ebay.com/p/22010122383

 

[c20040215]

Why are you putting your hand on the shift knob? You should just hold you cellphone at shoulder height. That way the air vent can blow hot air to the back of your hand and you can text and scroll through social media at the same time while you drive.

 

[snapper692]

Just keep a spare set of gloves in your purse for when your shifter is too cold! ? ?

 

[Thane]

... great, more feature bloat. Add another line on the sticker...

Maybe you could add an RGB LED ring that changes color based on knob temp so you won't be startled.

 

[Heimkehr]

It's an out of character video, but Engineering Explained knows his shit about vehicles.

Any thoughts on why manufacturers warn against it in their manuals?

Years ago, I owned and showed MGBs. It was well-known within that owner community to avoid resting one's hand on the shift lever when driving, something very easy to do in the model's cozy interior.

The abbreviated height of the B's shift lever meant that resting one's hand on the shift knob created downward pressure that, over time, was confirmed to cause accelerated wear on the shift fork(s) in the gearbox. This was authenticated by relevant photos of disassembled transmissions. Damaged shift forks can affect the operation of the synchronizers, which will in turn affect shift quality. A cascade effect.

So, there it is.

The foregoing is a data point of one, but it's also well-proven. How or even if this matter crosswalks to the Aisin in the current-gen. Wrangler isn't anything I personally care about (my JLU has the 850RE); I'm just passing on my related experience.

If any of the OEMs actually warn against it in their Owner's Manuals, that should add a bit of necessary context here.

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