Cruise Control

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by randylud, May 7, 2008.

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    randylud Randy

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    Ok, I had a 2006 Camry with standard gas engine and no frills of any amount. It was leased anyway so I just went for stripped down. However, like all the cruise controls I have ever used in any kind of vehicle, the cruise worked like this:
    1.Turn on cruise control
    2. Drive to a speed above 25 mph and set control.
    3. Disengage or cancel the cruise control by tapping on brake peddle.
    4. Disengage or cancel the cruise control by pulling back on the lever used to set it, at least on the Toyota.
    5. After a stop, or just clear traffic situation, press resume and the cruise would re-engage and take the car back to set speed from before.
    6. All other functions like accel, decel, on/off work as you would think.

    Now, on the Prius, all of the above happen, with the exception of item 5 with respect to stopping. If I stop my Prius, if the wheels stop turning, the resume feature will not work. I have to accelerate back to the speed I want and re-set the cruise control point. No, I do not mean that I turned the control off when I stopped, just had to stop for a traffic light, traffic, cow, moose, etc. Resume will not function in any situation unless I happen to be moving on the road and disengage the control but do not stop the car and then resume will take me back to the set speed if I use the resume function. Now, why would Toyota change a perfectly good cruise control system in favor of one that works like I have described? I have even asked my dealer's service department about it and they said it was supposed to work that way. The owners manual dose not specify this performance, it just says that resume will take you back to set speed if you are above 25 mph, no mention about having been stopped or not.
    Do any of you have a similar situation, or one that is like the Camry I used to drive? I am wondering if this is the way Prius is designed or is mine not working correctly? I admit to being skeptical.
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    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    Both of my Prius work that way. I've also noted that if you pull the lever back to cancel cruise control it doesn't reset it, which I think the Camry did, IIRC. That is, you accelerate to 40, push the lever down to set CC at 40, cruise for a while, pull the lever back to cancel, slow to 30, push the lever up to resume, and your speed climbs briskly back up to 40. No footwork.
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    jensor New Member

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    My cruise control will not resume once I stop for any reason. I have to reset it.
    I had an 1987 and a 1995 Camry that behaved the same way.
    Jack
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    KC Prius New Member

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    Having to reset the cruise control after falling below 25mph seems to be common to all Toyotas. My Prius is the fourth Toyota I've owned and the cruise control had to be reset after each stop. I'd like to be able to resume a set speed after slowing down, but Toyota seems to believe that their way is better.
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    jensor New Member

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    I hope some one can figure out a way of over riding this so the system doesn't lose it's memory and can resume.
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    thecoook New Member

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    Whew! I thought it was just me! Our '08 is the same way, first car I have ever driven where "resume" is not necessarilly certain. I've just given up and manually get up to speed desired and click down. At least its consistent.
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    randylud Randy

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    Thanks for the replies, I am glad to know my Prius is not goobered up. My Camry did resume after a stop, maybe it was a fluke, huh? LOL
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    pbpuzzle New Member

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    Seems like I was told that if there was a 10 MPH change (slow down) the CC automatically cancelled itself & must be reset.
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    Buckland New Member

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    I've been able to slow down quite a bit and resume, but every time I come to a complete stop, for sure I have to go through the whole procedure again. It's no big deal, but it says something when that's all we have to complain about.

    Buck
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    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    It resets after about 10 mph speed change. Why? Ask your lawyer. Toyota is worried about lawsuits, and unintended acceleration is a quick way to get sued. Personally, I think it's stupid.

    Tom
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    randylud Randy

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    Yes, that is probably it, and in this insane world of suit hungry lawyers, I do not blame Toyota. I think is is stupid too, kind of like the hot coffee suit that hit McDonald's. Did that woman really think that putting the hot cup of coffee between her legs was a smart thing to do? You have to put some brain cells to work in this life, and it leads to better decisions and outcomes.
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    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    It is the first cruise control I've ever had which works this way but I can live with it.
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    RhythmDoctor New Member

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    My 1989 Camry cruise control worked the same way you describe your Prius. (Still waiting for my own Prius.)
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    JHSmith Camry Hybrid Owner

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    The '07 TCH CC works the "normal" way all my cars since my first car ('72 Fury II) have.

    Once enabled (above ~25 mph), it retains the set speed in memory until the car is turned off. Set it at 45 mph, speed up to 65 (or slow down to ~30), hit resume, it adjusts the car's speed back to 45. Even after from a dead stop, once above ~25, hitting RESUME will bring the car back up to speed.

    That being said, the '07 TCH manual DOES say that "When vehicle speed drops 16 km/h (10 mph) below the set speed, the cruise control is canceled and the set speed is erased from memory." This is NOT true, at least with the TCH.

    IMHO, the way the Prius' CC is designed makes NO sense. (Erasing set speed from memory.)
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    rsforkner New Member

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    My 2007 Camry also worked in the traditional way. I have to add the "going stupid" of the cruse control to my list of annoyances with the Prius. I can live with it but don't have to like it.

    Bob
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    jensor New Member

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    I hope one of the techies on the forum can figure out how to keep the cruise control from losing its memory every time it drops below 25 mph.
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    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I solved that problem quite a while ago. I use my right foot to bring the Prius up to the target speed, then push down on the CC stalk with my right hand. It works every time. ;)

    Tom
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    Tomes New Member

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    This works the same way with my 98 Sienna. I have always considered this one of the few major flaws in Toyotas.
    "It's not a flaw, it's a feature"
    It's a flaw.
    Tomes
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    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    Keep your speed above 40km/h, easy.
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    Whiteyprius New Member

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    WOW! Is that the criteria it uses? I've been wondering - sounds like others have been wondering. too. I'm quite elated that there is too some rhyme & reason. Thanks!!!

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