Tow Vehicle Cruise Control

My 2013 Tacoma cruise control does the same thing. Annoying! I use CC while towing on level to moderate hills, but turn it off on the roller coaster highways. I can essentially maintain the same speeds uphill by careful application of the accelerator. 

Yes I've learned when I see a hill coming to kick the cruise off.   I use it a lot to rest my foot, old age has a way of making things get stiff or sore quickly
Like said it will downshift as many gears as it needs to in order to keep the speed up, even if that means redline!  Crazy.   I think if it can't get it on the next gear down or maybe two it needs to reduce speed or give up and drop out. 

As for resting my foot etc- I'm looking into a second gas pedal on the left side-  I know I've seen them in cars modified for amputees etc...would be nice to switch feet occasionally in places where cruise control just isn't practical.


I'm bummed Toyota is dropping the FJ-  just a few changes and I'd be considering a new one.

Hate the fact the rear door windows don't open, my dogs hate it even more.

Remove the large blind spots and swap those dang outside mirrors.  The mirrors could be made to rotate 90 deg so they could either be tall or wide depending on what was needed*.

Slope the windshield some to improve fuel mileage and reduce rock damage..we have had two stone stars already in 40,000 miles...my 96 pickup has 200,000+ and has none!  The windshield people will tell you that is one of the hardest to change and the trim is frequently damaged requiring replacement.  Guess what, the trim doesn't come painted, so it really gets expensive.

If I had my dreams they'd put about a 3L turbo diesel in it, and offer a 6 speed manual ( I would consider one of the new 7 or 8 speed automatics)  that did not require full time 4wd, still want 4wd just don't want it ALL the time as that hurts fuel mileage.

And of course- FIX the cruise control. 

* For those that don't know off roaders generally prefer a tall mirror so they can see exactly where the tires are in tricky situations.   On the road a wide mirror is preferred to see that small car next to you so you don't change lanes into him, and in our case to see around that trailer you are towing.

Man, I wish I still had my 1974 FJ40 I bought brand new back then, for a mere $4000,  it had a better cruise control that I put on it.

Originally posted by Budward Originally posted by techntrek The Sienna, and probably the FJ, is really just designed for passenger loads.  Add the extra stress and the computer doesn't deal with it right. It does the same thing even if just the driver, no load, no towing. What baffles me the most is Toyota hasn't fixed it...all is computer controlled, can't be but just a few bits in the code to change it..but nooooo. I'm serious it would almost keep me from considering another Toyota.  Had them in the past and they didn't do this.  None of the Hondas/Fords/Chevys/Dodges I've owned or driven for many miles (company cars)  have done this...

I agree.  I've argued that the crappy cruise control on the FJ is a recall issue.  It annoys the bejeebers out of me that it will drop 3 gears sometimes when going up even a moderate hill.  You're going along at 70 and the tach is at around say 2200rpm.  All of a sudden the tach goes to 5500 or 6 frigging thousand!  And you're right, it's not about towing.

I mostly don't use cruise control when towing because of this.  Maybe I would in Kansas.  Wouldn't keep me from buying another FJ, but it is the worst cruise control I've ever encountered.

I installed a couple of those DIY cruise controls back in the day.  They worked very well.

TT

I use cruise as often as possible. BMW x3 135i. No problems.

Depends on which vehicle I'm driving and what the terrain is like.
Our Toyota FJ Cruiser has the worst cruise control I've ever experienced.  Many other Toyota owners complain about it too on several different models.
When it downshifts to maintain speed it accelerates beyond the setpoint by 4-5 mph.  Annoying as can be.  Don't understand why Toyota does it this way and why they have ignored owner complaints about it for years.
So I don't use it in hilly terrain as, depending on how close to the speed limit you drive, it could get you a ticket!

My 96 Ford diesel pickup has a really good cruise control, it stays where you set it and if it has to downshift it NEVER goes beyond the set point.

Back in the 70's I used to put my own cruise controls on as they weren't that common then.  They had a vacuum operated servo that pulled on a throttle cable, connected with a bead chain to the carb or throttle body butterfly lever.  One had to install magnets on the drive shaft to measure the speed for the control box. 
They were adjustable and worked much better than Toyota cruise controls 40 years later!

I'd slap one on my Toyota in a second except it doesn't have a place to attach a throttle cable as it is an electric stepping motor that works the throttle and I'm not even sure anyone even still makes them..