[macintologist]

[removed oversize images --tooki]

I have cruise control on my 1990 Toyota Camry DX. I'm not sure how to use it and I don't want to experiment with it on the road, that could be dangerous.

Does all cruise control work the same on all cars? The top says "Accel Resume" or something to that effect, and the bottom one says Set Coast. So how would I set a Cruise control speed?

[ghporter]

Here goes:

When driving at a speed you want to stay at, use the "Set" control-this sets that baseline speed for the cruise control. If you want to accelerate from the set speed, use "Accel/Resume." If you are on cruise and need to go back to manual, tap the brakes (though some cruise controlls have a "release" or "disconnect" or something like it that disconnects the cruise control) and you're back on manual. If after that you want to resume your set speed (the last speed the cruise control was maintaining) then you use "Accel/Resume."

Clear? It's simpler than it looks.

[smacintush]

Crap. ghporter beat me.

[macintologist]

Thanks ghporter!

[AKcrab]

After cruise is "set" you can use "coast" to reduce the cruise speed, without turning it off. (You have to hold it in the coast position and the car slows slowly..)

[strokemouth]

You'll want to make sure you hit the switch to enable cruise control first. Driving around yanking on the levers won't accomplish much if the cruise isn't turned on in the first place.

And this is usually covered in your car's manual.

[dampeoples]

One more thing, there is usually a minimum speed that cruise can be set to, don't get all bummed out if you can't get it to work at 15MPH or something

[cjrivera]

Originally Posted by dampeoples

One more thing, there is usually a minimum speed that cruise can be set to, don't get all bummed out if you can't get it to work at 15MPH or something

I always thought it was 30mph, but I could be wrong.

[dampeoples]

Not sure, I don't even try lower than 45MPH. This might have even changed, or be different on different makes and models as well.

[Nodnarb]

My car's manual says 25mph is the lowest speed that they can be set to but I don't know if this is for all cars.

[Cold Warrior]

I've seen toyota vehicles accept cruise control at 25mph. That's the lowest I've seen any auto go.

[Cipher13]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Here goes:

When driving at a speed you want to stay at, use the "Set" control-this sets that baseline speed for the cruise control. If you want to accelerate from the set speed, use "Accel/Resume." If you are on cruise and need to go back to manual, tap the brakes (though some cruise controlls have a "release" or "disconnect" or something like it that disconnects the cruise control) and you're back on manual. If after that you want to resume your set speed (the last speed the cruise control was maintaining) then you use "Accel/Resume."

Clear? It's simpler than it looks.

Unless I'm reading you wrong, I believe you're incorrect. At least regarding Mazda's.

My car has three Cruise Control buttons: Set Coast, Cancel, Resume Accel. It also has an on/off switch.

Once the switch is on, to set a cruising speed, hit "Set Coast". If you wish to accelerate beyond your cruising speed, you can use the accelerator to overtake or whatever, then release it, and you will glide back to your set cruising speed. No buttons necessary.

To slow down, tap the brakes, or hit Cancel.

The Resume button is where we disagree. What it does is accelerates the car TO the set cruising speed, from anything below it; it isn't necessarily wise to use that button while stopped, as I don't know how your car will handle it (it may accelerate sharply). If you're doing 90 or so, and want to get back to your cruising speed of 100, hit it and it will take you there and keep you there... it isn't for accelerating beyond your cruise speed as you imply the first time you mention that button.

[tooki]

I think GHporter is spot on.

For one thing, the Resume function won't work from a dead stop -- you can't resume if you're below the minimum cruise control speed. (On my car it's around 25MPH.) On my car it'll also "forget" the resume speed if you come to a stop -- even if you do go back above the minimum cruise control speed, it won't let you resume.

Second, the Resume/Accel button most certainly does accelerate you beyond the set cruise speed. It accelerates the car and also raises the set speed. The set/coast button does the opposite: it lowers the set speed and lets you coast down to that speed (it will NOT apply the brakes, and in only a very few cars will it downshift to use engine braking).

tooki

[Goldfinger]

Lowest on our cars is 30km/h. I use cruise control mainly to make myself not go any faster than 10km/h above the speedlimit

[ghporter]

Cipher, if you "tap" the Resume button it should tell the cruise control to return to the set speed (assuming you're already moving above the minimum speed the system recognizes). However, if you "hold" the Accelerate/Resume button, it should increase the set speed, and accelerate the car to get to that speed. You are right though; I didn't make it clear that holding the Accelerate/Resume button changes the set speed. Sorry about that.

[IFLY2HIGH]

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cruise-control.htm

[ReggieX]

Read your manual?

[tooki]

That's crazy talk, Reg!

tooki

[smacintush]

Originally Posted by ReggieX

Read your manual?

It's 15 years old, what makes you think he HAS a manual?

[JHromadka]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Here goes:

When driving at a speed you want to stay at, use the "Set" control-this sets that baseline speed for the cruise control. If you want to accelerate from the set speed, use "Accel/Resume." If you are on cruise and need to go back to manual, tap the brakes (though some cruise controlls have a "release" or "disconnect" or something like it that disconnects the cruise control) and you're back on manual. If after that you want to resume your set speed (the last speed the cruise control was maintaining) then you use "Accel/Resume."

Clear? It's simpler than it looks.

If it's like my Celica, you can also pull the lever towards you to disengage cruise control without having to turn it off completely.

[tracemhunter]

[Keep your vitriol off our forums. --tooki]

[JoshuaZ]

Hmm... the best way to use cruse control is to turn it on, and then use your kneww to drive and then do something else with yoru hands. Like eat. Or play a gameboy. Not that I`ve ever done that, I just know people who do.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by tooki

That's crazy talk, Reg!

-t

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Whatever you do, don’t use cruise in traffic. Wait until you’re on an open stretch of road or highway with little traffic and few stop/starts- in these conditions cruise is a Godsend. You can also safely ‘experiment’ with it on an open road and see for yourself how it works and get the feel of using it. In high traffic, it’s foolish to even consider using it, especially if you’re not used to it.

[tooki]

Well, when I have to drive a lot, my knee starts to hurt, so I use cruise control a lot. I keep my foot near the pedals, to maintain control (since cruise control never overrides the pedals), but it saves me from having to maintain pressure on the accelerator.

tooki

[FulcrumPilot]

Does cruise control save on gas as compared to constant foot input? I have wondered about this.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by FulcrumPilot

Does cruise control save on gas as compared to constant foot input? I have wondered about this.

No.

-t

[tooki]

It does for some drivers -- cruise control tends to accelerate slowly, which saves gas compared to flooring it.

tooki

[Goldfinger]

Originally Posted by FulcrumPilot

Does cruise control save on gas as compared to constant foot input? I have wondered about this.

On older cars with less intelligent gearbox and engine management computers not really. But on modern cars it can save you gas. But if you have a steady foot it does't save much.

[villalobos]

Originally Posted by tooki

It does for some drivers -- cruise control tends to accelerate slowly, which saves gas compared to flooring it.

tooki

Are you sure. Mine accelerates as fast as it can, and it seems it's the same with the rentals I had. Cruise control does not really save gas IMHO.
Also is you have a manual clutch, tapping the clutch pedal will disengage it as well.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by FulcrumPilot

Does cruise control save on gas as compared to constant foot input? I have wondered about this.

It all depends. On a long highway trip I've found that cruise control saves me quite a bit. Instead of my speed varying-and requiring me to accelerate quite a bit when I notice I've slowed down-cruise control keeps me at a fairly constant speed, even with hills in the mix.

It also keeps me out of trouble with the law. I cruise at a speed that's "a little over the posted speed limit" (say 75 or so when the posted speed is 70), and I keep pretty close to that. But the guy in the red Eclipse who zips by me and then gradually slows down draws even more attention to himself-and away from me. I don't stand out because I'm going at a nice steady speed, while the people whose speed varies a lot are very easy to notice.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Goldfinger

But if you have a steady foot it does't save much.

With a steady foot (which was his premise), how can you save ANY money ?

Isn't the automatic at that point like a brick holding the gas down instead of your foot ?

Yes, acceleration is a different issue, but that has nothing to do with a steady foot...

-t