Hey all, got a question regarding cruise control.

I'm wondering if it's normal behavior to have it cut out on it's own in a fairly specific situation? You helped a bunch with my prior transmission post, so here goes another one. =). Brief forum search didn't seem to turn up much.

Anyway . . . situation is climbing a grade-with the likely need for 4th gear (and maybe 3rd)on the freeway. Between 50/55mph and about 70mph. If I come to a curve in the road, coupled with still climbing, the cruise will shut itself off automatically. Not a gentle hill, more along the lines of I need more power. It does it in either regular "D" or sport shift mode with 5th selected as the highest gear available. I recall reading something in the manual about a 10mph cut-off. As in the truck won't keep cruise engaged if it thinks the speed can't be maintained. I need to go back and see if I'm remembering that right. But this happens before I've dropped even 2 or 3 mph and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this? Thanks for the feedback. It was very helpful last time!
-Matt

Never had that happen on mine, and I'm insanely OCD about using my cruise control. I hate it when mine drops to 4th so I usually preempt it by disengaging mine before it gets to that point and using my foot. But when I do leave it alone it's never disengaged like you suggest. That just sounds odd. Now it is entirely possible if the curve is causing enough side force the VSC is kicking in and disengaging it.

^^ x2

I am pretty OCD about cruise also and always disengage it prior to coming up to a large hill and use my foot.

An odd story about cruise control to relate. A couple of years ago I rented a Corolla and drove to North Dakota. On the way home I was doing a scenic drive and came to an area with steep downhill slopes. The cruise control actually downshifted on the downhill slopes to slow the car. I hated that as well and began to disengage the cruise on that car in order to avoid that. I would rather have it coast and increase the speed on a downhill slope.

I'm pretty sure it's just the car's computer telling itself to not give any more throttle until the car straightens out. Most cruise control systems won't keep providing power through a turn past a certain degree of sharpness (very scientific wording, I know)


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Thanks for the ideas. I'm wondering about the VSC/stability also. If it's kicking in, even without any light in the dash. Was wondering if maybe anyone else had similar experience . . . I don't think of myself as that much of a speed racer. It's a 4runner and I came from a Ford Ranger and Kia Sportage-not exactly sports cars. Might have to have the dealer check it anyway.
-Matt

I'm actually pretty impressed that the 4Runner downshifts to maintain selected speed on downgrades. If you wanted to maintain speed on flats and uphills, why not downhills? Also, you shouldn't have to 'disengage' the CC to speed up, you just need to press the pedal on the right to increase speed. ;)

Not sure that the 4Runner does downshift on downgrades, I was driving a Corolla in the story I related.

As for disengaging the CC, I did it not do it to speed up, but to prevent the unwanted downshift, which to me is as annoying as the downshifting while going uphill when the CC is on.

My 4Runner downshifts in CC.

Mine also does on downhills. But usually only if they are long fairly steep ones that make it want to accelerate (the kind truckers hate). It usually downshifts to decelerate on mine at around 5 mph over what I have it set at.

i have a similar problem with my 2013 4Runner, where the cruise control will randomly disengage ('Set light' goes off, cruise ON light stays on). i can reset the cruise speed and it will operate properly for a while, then will disengage again.

Is this a fault in the cruise control or computer?

It could be the brake release switch acting up or connector loose.

Every vehicle I’ve owned with factory cruise control, including my ‘18 SR5, has:

a.) Kicked off if vehicle speed drops a certain point below cruise set speed.

b.) Changed gears if automatic transmission.

c.) Disengages cruise control but did not shut off the system.

As for curves, I’ve not experienced that yet. If I see an upcoming curve that I think will require me to slow down, I disengage cruise control myself.

I have not experienced this and i have done a lot of highway miles on some very twisty hilly roads in WV and BRP. One time i did hit the CC button off by mistake as i was going around a curve though.