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"B" shifting disables the cruise control?

Discussion in 'Knowledge Base Articles Discussion' started by Prius77094, Jun 5, 2008.

  1. Prius77094

    Prius77094 New Member

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    This my first post. I purchased my 08' Prius (Touring Edition package #6) 10 days ago. I am thrilled so far. I bought it at Autoway Toyota in Pinellas Park, Florida. I was visiting family there, so I pre-ordered the car a few weeks earlier and picked it up when I got there. Then, I proceeded to put over 1000 miles on it in about 12 hours, driving it back to my home in Houston, Texas. The turn by turn GPS sure was helpful...

    Anyway, I searched the posts to see if my question was already answered, but I couldn't find anything. So here's my question: Has anyone else experienced the cruise control being disabled after using the "B" shifter position? I have used the "B" to brake coming down hills, very small hills since I live in Houston, Texas. After using the "B", the cruise control is totally disabled and cannot be reset unless the power button is shut off and restarted. I won't be using the "B" for braking anymore since I've read posts here that indicate it is not useful under normal driving conditions, in an area such as Houston. Any ideas why the cruise control is disabled? Is it a glitch or is it purposeful? Thanks, Bill J.
     
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I haven't seen that, but then I have no reason to use B mode. I've played with it, but never on cruise control. You should never have to shut off and restart cruise control, so if that is true you have discovered a bug. I'll give it a test and see. Are you sure you had to shut off and restart the cruise, or would setting it again do the job?

    Tom
     
  3. Prius driver

    Prius driver New Member

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    Hills in Houston? I lived there 25 years and don't remember any hills. :confused:
    Except maybe the interchange stack ramps off the toll ways. Those are pretty high up there.

    Anyway it would be normal for the engine break to shut off the cruise control.
     
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    But not normal to require a power-off/power-on cycle of cruise control, if that's really what the OP meant.

    Tom
     
  5. Prius driver

    Prius driver New Member

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    Ok you can tell I'm still a Prius newbie. I was assuming he meant power for the cruise control not the Prius itself. I forgot the little round thing I push every morning says Power on it.
    :)

    Im still confused about hills in Houston :eek:
     
  6. Prius77094

    Prius77094 New Member

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    Yes, I mean it totally disables the cruise control, requiring the power button to be totally shut off and then restarted. I tried turning the cruise control on and off, several times, with no luck. The only remedy I found was to pull over, shut off the car, restart, and get back up to speed and re-engage the cruise control. It worked fine after that. In summary if I use the "B" position, even with cruise control turned off, it disables the cruise control when turned on, making the setting of the cruise control impossible.
    The hills I were referring to ARE the freeway overpasses. Those are hills to me! I thought that using the "B" would give regeneration without wear on the brakes, I was mistaken. Bill J.
     
  7. Prius driver

    Prius driver New Member

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    Those good ol'e Houston Hills :) Makes me miss home.

    Sounds like a glitch in the system. Probably could be fixed at the dealer if one wanted to and if Toyota has a solution.
     

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  8. Prius77094

    Prius77094 New Member

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    "....restart, and get back up to speed and re-engage the cruise control."

    I should have said "engaged", not "re-engaged"
     
  9. Prius77094

    Prius77094 New Member

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    Hey! Your attached picture is the steepest grade in the area! I live about 5 miles from that "mountain":)
     
  10. Prius driver

    Prius driver New Member

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    Sorry I'm getting off your subject but it does help bump the thread. That pic must be on an early Sunday morning. I don't remember the traffic being that light.

    On a rare clear day it is neat to see the downtown skyline from atop the 290-Beltway interchange. It is also fun to bring out-of-towners on top of that interchange and watch them say holy crap this city is huge.

    I hope you find some answers to you B shift question.
     
  11. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    In my 2004 cruise cuts out but can be re-engaged without powering down.
     
  12. Prius driver

    Prius driver New Member

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    Ditto on that with my 2008 Prius. Going 65 with cruise on the way home from work I placed the gear in B. The cruise went off but I was able to re-engage without power down.

    Hey Prius77094 did you happen to be under 25 MPH when trying to engage the cruise control?

    Cruise control doesn't work under 25 MPH unless you perform the hack.
     
  13. Prius77094

    Prius77094 New Member

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    Oops, I thought that was the I-10 @ Beltway 8 Interchange, which is where I live near. I guess there are several big hills in Houston.

    I'll wait for some responses to my thread to see if anyone else has been having the experience with the cruise control on the 08' Prius. I will eventually take the Prius in for service, then I will see if they can fix that problem, provided that it is an actual defect. Thanks for the replies!
    Bill J.
     
  14. Prius77094

    Prius77094 New Member

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    No, I've engaged (or tried to engage) the cruise control above at least 65 MPH. If I don't use the B shift, the cruise control works just fine. But if I use the B shift beforehand, the cruise control will not work. If I use the B shift, I can still turn on the cruise control, as indicated by the icon on the dash. It just won't let me set the CC. It is starting to sound like a glitch..
    Bill J.
     
  15. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    The alternate answer is, don't use "B". It certainly isn't needed in Houston.
     
  16. Prius driver

    Prius driver New Member

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    Yea back in the day the I-10-beltway was the tallest exit ramp in North America. This makes me miss home. Go anywhere in TX and find such a great road system (Especially Austin and Dallas make me puke)
    :sick:

    Although this does not give it justice here is a pic.

    Another bump in this thread. Anyone else experience the B shifting disables cruise control problem?
     

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  17. jammin012

    jammin012 The man behind The Man

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    Take It In For Service, This Is Not Normal.
     
  18. Danny Hamilton

    Danny Hamilton Active Member

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    It is definitely starting to sound like a glitch. I hate to ask such an obvious question, but after you "use the B shift", you are shifting back into "D" right?

    My experience in my 2007 has been that if I switch to "B" while CC is engaged, it disengages CC while leaving the "Cruise" light lit on the dash. If I then shift back to "D", cruise does not automatically resume. However, if I've shifted back into "D" and tap the CC stalk down to "Set" the current speed, it will re-engage. I haven't needed to turn CC off and back on, and I certainly haven't needed to turn the vehicle off and back on.

    If I use "B" prior to using CC, as long as I remember to shift back into "D", CC works normally, without needing to turn anything off (CC or vehicle).

    Now, what I have occasionally experienced is forgetting to shift back to "D" after having shifted to "B". In this case I'll try and set CC and even though the "cruise" light is still lit on the dash, CC won't engage. Eventually it dawns on me that I've got the vehicle in "B". Shifting back to "D" fixes the issue. I suppose turning the vehicle off would fix the issue as well (because it would force the car out of "B").
     
  19. eclipse3g

    eclipse3g Junior Member

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    Tested mine today. Going 45 with cruise on I placed the gear in B. The cruise went off as expected. Shifted back into D and was able to use the cruise control without any problems.

    If you are still having problems time to take the car in for servicing as something isn't working as expected.


    Good part is this problem on your car can be easily reproduced so they should be able to figure it out.
     
  20. Prius77094

    Prius77094 New Member

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    Sorry, I was away from the computer for a couple of days.

    I did not realize that when the car is shifted into "B", the car stays in B unless it is shifted back into D.
    Geez, all I had to do was look at the shift display next to the speedometer! Anyway, I Shifted into B and then shifted into D and the cruise control works just fine. So it was nothing more than human error causing the problem. I sure am glad I found this forum, I would've taken the car in for service for nothing.
    Thanks again for the replies, you've all been a big help!
    I have a few more questions, please look for my new threads.
    -Bill J