Accidentally hit the engine start/stop at 15mph… what now?

I was crossing the Canada-US border, and while I was putting my passport near the wireless charger, I accidentally pressed the engine start/stop button while going about 15mph. It made a terrible grinding noise and then shut off. I restarted the engine and drove off with no issues. My question is, what was that grinding noise? Should I get the truck checked out by the dealership? It seems fine, no weird noises or issues since.

That grinding sound was probably the truck trying to go into park while moving. I’m surprised it even did that. I had a similar experience going much slower and accidentally spun the gear selector. The truck just gave me a warning message.

@Nova
Same here! I did it on the highway, and the truck just flashed a warning at me. Gotta love the smart truck systems.

Jules said:
@Nova
Same here! I did it on the highway, and the truck just flashed a warning at me. Gotta love the smart truck systems.

Thanks for sharing! That puts my mind at ease in case it ever happens to me. I’m okay with my truck scolding me as long as I don’t have to replace a transmission.

@Clare
Just be careful. These electronic park modules aren’t the best. I wouldn’t test them too often.

Harlem said:
@Clare
Just be careful. These electronic park modules aren’t the best. I wouldn’t test them too often.

Noted! Definitely won’t push my luck.

@Clare
I agree. I’m not a fan of how easily that gear selector moves.

Noel said:
@Clare
I agree. I’m not a fan of how easily that gear selector moves.

That’s one of my biggest complaints too. It should lock into place.

Oli said:

Noel said:
@Clare
I agree. I’m not a fan of how easily that gear selector moves.

That’s one of my biggest complaints too. It should lock into place.

It would be nice if you had to press it down to shift, and some kind of ‘stop’ at Park so you know you’re there.

It was probably the starter motor trying to kick in while the engine was already running. If you’ve driven an older car with a key ignition, you’ve probably done this before. It doesn’t usually cause any damage.

@Nova
This sounds like a hybrid, though. They don’t have a conventional starter motor. Surprised there wasn’t a failsafe to prevent that from happening. Ford should probably update the design.

Vann said:
@Nova
This sounds like a hybrid, though. They don’t have a conventional starter motor. Surprised there wasn’t a failsafe to prevent that from happening. Ford should probably update the design.

Yeah, I agree. In my Dodge Charger, if I tried to turn off the engine while driving, it would just tell me to put it in park first. I expected the Maverick to do the same.

@Lane
I’ve turned off my car while in Drive before, and it automatically shifted to Park. A push-button start should definitely have a lockout at speed. Crazy that Ford might’ve missed that.

Tory said:
@Lane
I’ve turned off my car while in Drive before, and it automatically shifted to Park. A push-button start should definitely have a lockout at speed. Crazy that Ford might’ve missed that.

I rented an F150 that would shift itself into Park if you turned the key off. Thought it was a neat feature.

Vann said:
@Nova
This sounds like a hybrid, though. They don’t have a conventional starter motor. Surprised there wasn’t a failsafe to prevent that from happening. Ford should probably update the design.

Hybrids don’t have a starter button, they use a key like the old days.

@Chen
Lariats do have push-button start.

@Nova
The sound was more like the truck being forced into park or the parking brake turning on, not like a starter trying to engage.

Lane said:
@Nova
The sound was more like the truck being forced into park or the parking brake turning on, not like a starter trying to engage.

Did the truck lurch or shudder, or was it just the sound? How long did it last? Were you in Drive the whole time?

@Vann
The truck came to a complete stop instantly, so it definitely lurched. It felt like it was slammed into park at 15mph. After that, I had to restart it and put it back in Drive, but it ran perfectly fine for the rest of my 4-hour trip with no noises.

@Lane
That sounds wild. I’d take it to the dealership just to be safe. If you’re due for an oil change, ask them to check for any metal shavings in the oil. Better safe than sorry! Good luck!