Has anyone seen a handle for the drivers side? I have heard if the truck is availibe in other countries (where the driver is on the right) then the handle is on the other side?

 

Supposedly there's an airbag in the drivers side pillar, thus no grab handle.

 

I find it "curious" that Ford found the driver needed that air bag but the passenger didn't. Losing the grab handle was one of the stupider things Ford has done.

 

My 97 doesn't have one, but our 01 had one. Odd.

 

x2 the airbag is in there

Plus, I have heard of numerous cases where the ones on the '04-'08s failed, causing the driver to bust their ****, so maybe they simply decided to do away with the feature rather than reengineer it.

Btw, I'm 5'8" and weigh about 200, and have never worried about mine letting go.

 

My '10 XLT came with a circular one that also doubles as a steering device.

 

It's not just a Ford thing. The newer Chebbies don't have a D/S grab handle either. I'm glad my truck doesn't a have grab handle on the D/S A-pillar. If it did have one I wouldn't have been able to mount my boost gauge there.

 

when i read the title i was thinking ... if im the passenger the driver better be holding on to the steering wheel lol

 

My thoughts were similar. If there is a time for the "Oh ****" handle the driver better be turning it to try to get out of the problem.

 

Eliminating the grab handle on the driver side is most likely only a cost cutting and weight reduction measure. If Ford gets enough complaints they will include he grab handles again and jack the price up. Then those that don't use the grab handle can complain the cost increases are to much.

 

i miss that handle every time i get in and out of the truck. after owning this truck for over a year my hand instinctively goes for the grab handle every time i get in and out.

 

I use my drivers side grab handle every time I get in and out. I'm 22 also, I am just not too agog at the thought of sliding out of the drivers seat and eventually deforming the cushion shape. Same reason I will not remove step bars.

 

I'm 63 and disabled; I NEED that handle! My next truck had better have a sturdy steering wheel because guess what's going to get used as a grab handle?

 

The only reason i really wanted the handle was like Darren said "deforming the cushion shape" I would love to have one and would pay for it. If it was a option.

 

The grab handle was removed to reduce redundancy. There already is a grab handle in the door that you can use as well as a steering wheel and running boards. The reason there is no "oh crap" handle is because it is understood that both hands should be on the wheel.