When may a driver safely use cruise control?
Using cruise control in heavy traffic, near large numbers of exit and entrance ramps, or when roads are slippery from rain, snow, or ice is not recommended. This could require the constant resetting of the cruise control to the point you are distracted, increasing your risk of being involved in a crash.
Where does the cruise control signal come from?
The cruise control takes its speed signal from a rotating driveshaft, speedometer cable, wheel speed sensor from the engine’s RPM, or from internal speed pulses produced electronically by the vehicle. Most systems do not allow the use of the cruise control below a certain speed – typically around 25 mph (40 km/h).
How do you set cruise control on a car?
Just press the gas pedal to bring your car up to the new speed, and hit the “SET” button again. This will set cruise control at the new speed. If your car has a +/- button for cruise control, press this when you want to raise or lower your car’s speed. Reserve cruise control for the open road.
Why is it dangerous to use cruise control on hills or?
The cruise control can’t see them either. Ford’s manual states: “When you are going downhill, your vehicle speed may increase above the set speed. The system will not apply the brakes. Change down a gear to assist the system in maintaining the set speed.” That hill warning is there because the car companies are “worried about runaway vehicles.”
When to change the speed of cruise control?
Change the cruise control speed when necessary. For instance, perhaps you have been driving using cruise control on a road where the speed limit is 55 miles (89 km) per hour, and then you enter a zone where the speed limit increases to 70 miles (110 km) per hour.
Once you are at the desired speed, hold your foot on the gas pedal. Set the cruise control by pushing the cruise on/off button, then take your foot off of the gas. If you maintain the same speed, your cruise control has been activated.
Change the cruise control speed when necessary. For instance, perhaps you have been driving using cruise control on a road where the speed limit is 55 miles (89 km) per hour, and then you enter a zone where the speed limit increases to 70 miles (110 km) per hour.
The cruise control can’t see them either. Ford’s manual states: “When you are going downhill, your vehicle speed may increase above the set speed. The system will not apply the brakes. Change down a gear to assist the system in maintaining the set speed.” That hill warning is there because the car companies are “worried about runaway vehicles.”
When to use cruise control on dry roads?
We tell our teenagers to set the cruise control and drive a safe speed but we don’t tell them to use the cruise control only when the pavement is dry. The only person the accident victim found, who knew this (besides the patrolman), was a man who had had a similar accident, totaled his car and sustained severe injuries.