on the right side of the center gage console, between speedometer and tachometer, sometimes it shows me what gear the transmission is currently in. it shows numbers from 1 to 10 (I have 2017 F-150) but other times it is not on, so it shows nothing. in the picture below, the numbers are missing and the truck is in drive. is this normal operation or is something wrong with the display?

 

Welcome to the site..

On your gear shifter,, use the ‘Select to Shift’ buttons of +/-

By using the + button ‘only’ it will cycle the indicator with button pushes between Compass to Gear positions/ranges and visversa.
By using the - button it will cancel out or de-Select up shifting into what ever higher gear you eliminated. Use the + button again to add them back into the stacked range and/or full back to Compass only...

If gear ranges were de-selected, the default with the key cycled Off/On will be a full range option on restart, although if Compass was selected prior to shut down, it remains, or gear positions depending on where you left it..

 

thanks for the info. I must be touching the buttons when I shift the truck into drive. now that I know this information the gear numbers show up all the time. thanks again.