Cruise control question
Discussion
davepoth said:
My Mum's last 1.3 CDTi Corsa (and nowhere near the top spec) had cruise. I was quite surprised to find it TBH, seemed a little out of place on a small hatchback.
Yup, it's all in the ECU nowadays and it does'nt matter if auto or manual box. On many VAG cars, it is cheaper to retro fit than to order from new. Just needs a switch or the original steering column stalk, a wire to the ECU and someone with VAGCOM to unlock the functionality in the ECU. Snowboy said:
What happens on a manual if you’re in 5th in cruise control at 70, and you encounter a bloody big hill that requires 4th gear?
Obviously in an auto it will change gear for you.
But it in a manual that's not an option?
Your car struggles on in 5th gear trying to keep 70mph, If you change down it will turn the cruise control off.Obviously in an auto it will change gear for you.
But it in a manual that's not an option?
My signum has it, its quite a handy little gadget for eating up the motorway miles that I never really considered before I had it in this car.
Upper end Mk2 Focii have it as standard, believe it's just a case of swapping the steering wheel for one with the appropriate buttons on the lower end of the range.
From experience with a 2 litre diesel Focus CC, if you set it up to cruise the same way as you would driving manually then it'll normally have enough grunt to maintain speed on almost any gradient. Really steep roads tend to get twisty fairly quickly, so you'd need to drive manually over these roads anyway. The manual states that cruise shouldn't be used with a caravan on the back, probably because labouring the engine is a real possibility.
Snowboy said:
What happens on a manual if you’re in 5th in cruise control at 70, and you encounter a bloody big hill that requires 4th gear?
Obviously in an auto it will change gear for you.
But it in a manual that's not an option?
Normally if you feel it bogging down, pressing the clutch will disengage cruise, you can throw it to a lower gear then press resume. TBH, I doubt the cruise in a traditional auto (i.e. a torque converter/fluid coupling box) would ever produce a kick-down unless you engaged it at well below the set speed. Electronically controlled automated manuals are a different kettle of fish, obviously.Obviously in an auto it will change gear for you.
But it in a manual that's not an option?
From experience with a 2 litre diesel Focus CC, if you set it up to cruise the same way as you would driving manually then it'll normally have enough grunt to maintain speed on almost any gradient. Really steep roads tend to get twisty fairly quickly, so you'd need to drive manually over these roads anyway. The manual states that cruise shouldn't be used with a caravan on the back, probably because labouring the engine is a real possibility.
Snowboy said:
What happens on a manual if you’re in 5th in cruise control at 70, and you encounter a bloody big hill that requires 4th gear?
Obviously in an auto it will change gear for you.
But it in a manual that's not an option?
When I am on the way home every night from LHR, after 22.00, of course the roads are quiet, I stick the cruise on as soon as I am on the M40. Sometimes 75, sometimes 80. There is a fair hill past J2, and the car just flies up there no probs. Then, it is a diesel with loadsa torque..Obviously in an auto it will change gear for you.
But it in a manual that's not an option?
Snowboy said:
What happens on a manual if you’re in 5th in cruise control at 70, and you encounter a bloody big hill that requires 4th gear?
I think its time for a new car if it needs to change down on Motorway/dual carriageway hills to maintain 70. I've never had a car that needed that.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff