Anyone else not too impressed with cruise-control system in their 4th gen?

[kickinasphalt]

I have my 05 V6 since January and have taken two 700 mile round trips in the last two weeks so I have gotten some seat time. My gripe is with the cruise system. For example, I would be in a 55 zone using the throttle and would speed up to 70 hit the set button the release the throttle slowly (not just let off). The vehicle would start slowing down then would realize it should be going 70 and downshift to speed back up to 70. It did this many instances and would do this if I was just hit resume after reaching my target speed. I'm just curious if others have noticed or its just me. I'm coming from a 03 Accord 4cyl before the 4R and that vehicle had the smoothest engine,tranny, and throttle I've ever experienced.

 

[juneau92]

I haven't had any problem with it slowing down and then figuring out it should be going faster at all. I've really never come across an easier cruise system than on the 4Runner.

 

[Kmvreter]

...My gripe is with the cruise system. For example, I would be in a 55 zone using the throttle and would speed up to 70 hit the set button the release the throttle slowly (not just let off). The vehicle would start slowing down then would realize it should be going 70 and downshift to speed back up to 70. It did this many instances and would do this if I was just hit resume after reaching my target speed...

Never experienced those symptoms; nice and smooth transition. But my gripe with the system on the '04 is the setpoint isn't retained in memory if you go below 25 mph (40 Kmh.) They changed this for '05.

 

[greasefingers]

The symptoms you describe only happen to me if I were to try and set the cruse control while traveling up or downhill.

 

[jeober]

My issue is the rather abrupt downshifting to maintain speed. Up a hill the cruise control tries to maintain speed too exactly. I understand that the same speed is the cruise control goal. However, when I drive with the pedal I, without thinking, let the speed sag slightly to prevent downshifting. I wish the cruise control could be slightly tolerant and allow some speed drift and not suddenly apply 240 horsepower to correct (a little exaggeration here).

 

[Sac State]

My cruise has always worked perfectly. I wish they would have put the controls on the front of the steering wheel instead of behind it on a separate stalk. There are blanks on the right side of the wheel were this could be accommodated.

 

[Koz]

I think you need some time using this system. This system will drop into a passing gear to get back to the set speed if you hit the resume. On the new Lexus the trans will downshift if you gain speed going downhill, to maintain the set speed. Whenever there are differences in systems, some people dislike or love the change, give it some more time.

Koz

 

[OUTRNNR]

One thing I disliked about the cruise control in my 4Runner was when cruising at highway speeds and encountering a hill, the speed would come off the setpoint by about 3-5 mph, the computer would realize it and instead of adding just enough throttle to speed back up in 5th or even 4th gear (if needed), it would wildly downshift all the way to third, blow past the setpoint, shift to 4th and slow down to the setpoint and shift to 5th. If the hill was long enough it would even repeat this process back-to-back, instead of just grabbing 4th and maintaining speed. This REALLY annoyed me...

 

[TheBlueWave]

One thing I disliked about the cruise control in my 4Runner was when cruising at highway speeds and encountering a hill, the speed would come off the setpoint by about 3-5 mph, the computer would realize it and instead of adding just enough throttle to speed back up in 5th or even 4th gear (if needed), it would wildly downshift all the way to third, blow past the setpoint, shift to 4th and slow down to the setpoint and shift to 5th. If the hill was long enough it would even repeat this process back-to-back, instead of just grabbing 4th and maintaining speed. This REALLY annoyed me...

I hear that, I don't use the cruise on hilly terrain. I feel my brain is smarter than the vehicle's so I regulate the speed on my own until I come to flatter ground or more gently sloping hills.

 

[TRD04RUNNER]

my work fine. i get up to the speed i want hit set and and my mph stay their my speed dont drop like ur saiding.

 

[Uneek]

My gripe with cruise control is it tries and holds the speed too much, instead of helping acheive better fuel economy. The engine has enough torque to get back upto speed in overdrive. So if I have it set at whatever speed, once I get to an incline the tranny will drop a gear or two out of overdrive to get back up to the set speed. What I do is cancel cruise when I get an incline and just control the speed myself, then when the incline has passed, I'll hit resume again.

 

[Koz]

My gripe with cruise control is it tries and holds the speed too much, instead of helping acheive better fuel economy. The engine has enough torque to get back upto speed in overdrive. So if I have it set at whatever speed, once I get to an incline the tranny will drop a gear or two out of overdrive to get back up to the set speed. What I do is cancel cruise when I get an incline and just control the speed myself, then when the incline has passed, I'll hit resume again.

You could also pop it into 4th and leave the cruise on. I cruise at high speeds (70 mph min) and the trans very rarely has to downshift.

Koz

 

[Falls]

Mine works great , no complaints

 

[Briz65]

I have done several long distance, 500+ mile, trips. I only noticed it when i was going up hill. Otherwise I have had no problems. good luck.
MSG BRIZ

 

[pat161]

Mine is a 3rd gen but I have the same downshifting issue. Driving around MA the cruise works fine, the hills around here are neither overly long nor incredibly steep. Heading up 89 and 91 into VT is another story. My truck basically drops into 3rd for every single hill, I can't stand having it go into 3rd every mile or so. I just don't use it in those conditions and using the pedal I may need to hit 3rd once, other than that unlocking the TC gives me plenty of power. I did like the system better in my 00 2.7 5 speed, then it had no choice over downshifts.

 

[westwind1124a]

I noticed the uphill downshift as well. It used to get me pretty mad. However, I noticed if you feather the throttle before it downshifts it will stay smooth and in the high gear with no speed variations.

 

[JB.]

I love thumbs up, thumbs down threads. Anyone never experiencing first-hand the 4runner cruise control would have no idea what to think.

It's kind of exciting when it downshifts to third near the top of an uphill, shoots you over the top,:bugeye: and then upshifts so it can't slow you down on the other side. I often still use it on hills, though. I've gotten in the habit of tapping the speed up on the downhill approach and then giving it three or four slowly spaced taps down as it climbs.

 

[broncosi]

My gripe is with the cruise system. For example, I would be in a 55 zone using the throttle and would speed up to 70 hit the set button the release the throttle slowly (not just let off). The vehicle would start slowing down then would realize it should be going 70 and downshift to speed back up to 70.

i have a 98' and thought it was just mine because it was older and not so responsive. I know exactly what your talking about though. When i first set cruise sometime it takes a loss of 10 mph for it to catch it and then my engine takes off downshifting and flooring it of course killing my gas milage.

The worst was i had my cruise on and a cop was behind me(i had just had the flowmaster installed) and i hit a hill and my speed dropped so he slows down behind me and then the cruise catches and floors it and my exhaust goes balls to the wall and i hit the brakes trying to catch to cruise as i crest the hill at and head down im going about 10 over and speeding up fast because my cruise doesnt have braking. By now im sure im getting pulled for iradic movements and driving. Finally he does pull me for not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign about 3 miles back and lets me off with a warning:bash: