Using cruise control

[JRTJH]

Chris199,

I would certainly not suggest to you that you should change your regimen for driving and towing. That is strictly your call, however, both of the references I found (the same as the ones you identified) in the Toyota owner's manual are found in "caution" boxes. They are safety suggestions, not mechanical limitations of your Tundra. Ford makes the same statement on page 267 of the F150 owner's manual and also on page 260 of the 2012 F350 owners manual.

If you are having as much discomfort from towing without cruise, having to wear special shoes and 2 socks to cushion your heel from pain, I'd urge you to talk to your service manager and get his take on using the cruise control.

Many of us who own Ford trucks routinely use cruise (or as Ford likes to call it, Speed Control) when towing. All of our owner's manuals have essentially the same statement as your manual.

Don't think that I'm suggesting that you disregard your manual, rather, I'm trying to say that the references to not using cruise are contained in clearly marked boxes related to "safety" not to operation of the mechanical system. Those statements, I believe, are put there to keep lawyers out of Toyota's pocket in the event someone falls asleep while towing with the cruise control engaged. They aren't there because something bad will happen to your truck if you push that button while the trailer is connected.

Check with your service manager, see what he says, I'm betting you'll be pleasantly suprised.

[chris199]

I'll do it! There have been many times when not in heavy traffic that cruise would have come in handy!

[JRTJH]

Keep us posted, I'd really like to know what he says....

[LittleJoe]

Cruise will cost you 1-2mpg on anything but level ground when towing.Cruise does not anticipate hills, and applies too much throttle , too late, then doesn't back off at the top.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by LittleJoe

Cruise will cost you 1-2mpg on anything but level ground when towing.Cruise does not anticipate hills, and applies too much throttle , too late, then doesn't back off at the top.

I agree with you about not being able to anticipate hills, but the newer cruise control programs do "back off at the top". In fact, in Tow/Haul mode, my F150 not only backs off at the top, it downshifts the transmission to use the engine decelleration as a brake to prevent overspeed on the downhill side. The computer program does that automatically as a part of the cruise control without any intervention from the driver.

While the cruise control is not "perfect" it has been improved significantly in the past few years. Today's version, at least in Ford vehicles, is nothing like the "push button magic" I had in my 99 Superduty.

Lincoln just came out with a "cruise/guide" feature in some 2013 models that not only anticipates slower traffic in front of you and automatically slows down, it also anticipates when you're too close to the lane edge and uses the steering to move the vehicle back to center lane. No, it's not an autopilot system, but it is approaching being able to anticipate traffic conditions and accomodate those conditions. It's not here yet, but it's only a matter of time before cruise will anticipate hills. Mine already accomodates the downhill side.

As for mileage loss, last summer travelling from Michigan down through Ohio, Illinois, Nebraska and Kansas, (all relatively flat states) there was no appreciable difference in towing with cruise and towing without it. However, because of the crosswinds that sometimes were upwards of 50MPH gusts, I felt uncomfortable using cruise in windy conditions. When the winds were calm, it was a great feature and a "right leg saver."

[chris199]

Here's the verdict....called 2 dealers and got the same feedback....

No reason to not use cruise on my 12 Tundra while towing a TT. One dealer said that there may be some herky/jerky behavior when the truck accelerates when it senses it is going too slow. I don't think I will use it much in traffic...on I-81 in VA, for example.

Will give it a try on the open road this spring and summer and see what happens.

I thank you, my wife thanks you, and my right foot thanks you!



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[JRTJH]

Im glad to hear the verdict you got from Toyota, that's exactly what I thought they would say. My guess is that if there's a million Tundras out there towing, I'm betting all but 1 or 2 are using cruise.... I'm sure that with a little "right foot teasing" you'll even learn to anticipate hills by helping the cruise a little going up and letting the cruise do its thing going down.... Now you've got something to look forward to this spring... besides, you'll have twice as many socks to wear before you have to head home and do the wash <wink> LOL

[chris199]

That's what I get for reading the directions!

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[LittleJoe]

JRTH
What I meant by not backing off at top is,,,,,,,,veh comes over crest of hill under heavy throttle from playing catch up on the hill, and doesn't back off as soon as you would if driving by foot for a smooth transition from power application to coasting and or engine breaking going down.

This type of behaviour is worse in rolling type hills that are not too long of climbs.

My BIL has a 2008 F350 that exhibits the same tendencies as above and will throw a overboost code on a fairly regular basis.(pulling 40 TH) If he drives by foot, it never throws the code.( I realize this is neither here nor there so to speak, but just an example)

I will have to check out how my sons new 3500 Denali acts on cruise while pulling his tri axle open range.

Not sayin don't use cruise, just be aware of situations where it is really not fitting the bill.

[JRTJH]

I've never experienced an "overspeed" situation at the crest of a hill with my F150. As soon as the truck starts accellerating (1-2 MPH) the cruise releases the accelleration and the truck maintains the set speed (within the established +/- range). I did keep accellerating on the downhill on a regular basis with my 93 F250 and my 99 Superduty.

For many, the "idea" of using speed control is just to turn it on and forget the throttle. In actuality, driver intervention is still needed, whether it's to tap the brake when approaching a slower vehicle or easing down the accellerator a little in "anticipation" of a hill.

Current cruise control programs don't anticipate hills, nor does mine slow down for traffic. Mine does, however, remove accellerator input at the crest of a hill and engage the transmission to downshift in an effort to help slow the downhill run if it's needed. This only happens in the Tow/Haul mode. That part of the system is disengaged in the conventional transmission mode.

I never had a fault code on my Superduty from the cruise control, so I can't speak to that comment, but I don't have a turbo on my F150 and have seen no behavior such as you describe when cresting a hill. My cruise control program is nothing like the old "ball chain vacuum driven accellerator puller" that used to be on vehicles. The newer computer controlled systems interact with the engine, the speedometer and the transmission much differently than the antiques did. It is a given fact that future systems will interact even more and will anticipate many more driving situations.

I find that since I don't get up and move around the cabin (even with the seatbelt sign off), I'm pretty much held "captive" in the driver's seat. So, when looking out that "big HD window" as Saabdoctor likes to refer to the windshield, when I see a hill ahead, I just ease my foot onto the accellerator and encourage the anticipation of a hill just like I would if the cruise were turned off. Then, the truck acts just like it would if I were not using cruise. It might work with your system as well, but cresting the hill, your system is still most likely "limited" in ability to compensate. Mine isn't.