Cruise Control

[Unregistered]

How can we get warning labels permanently placed in vehicles WARNING all of the dangers of using the Cruise Controls? Warnings should be boldly viewed just like the AIRBAG warnings,and NOT buried in an owners manual!

[Unregistered]

What dangers?

[papooses]

I've heard CC shouldn't be used in bad weather {rain & snow}.... Not sure what kind of visible warning there could be, though, especially since CC is one of those things that can be added on after a car is bought ~ my mom's car didn't come with it but Zeibart added it a year later.

[Unregistered]

The dangers for use of the cruise control do include road and weather conditions...Water in any form on the road creates dangerous conditions. When the CC is engaged, the driver is unaware that the car attempts to accelerate to the set speed, while not having the proper traction on the road surface. This is a deadly situation in the hands of an experienced driver let alone an inexperienced driver. Most cars come with the CC option and are frequently used in all types of driving situations. A warning really should be displayed advising drivers of the potential danger or warn against it's use on poor road surfaces. As stated before, the airbag warning is now in use. This is a very serious issue and there have been many accidents and fatalities due to cruise controls use.

[Unregistered]

Are there accident studies by the NHTSA or anyone else you could reference regarding cruise control and accident propagation.

I have used my CC in the rain on countless occasions without issue.

[CPSDarren]

Most warnings and requirements of this type originate with the Department of Transportation or the NHTSA. You can visit their websites at http://www.dot.gov and http://www.nhtsa.gov .

[papooses]

Originally posted by Unregistered
I have used my CC in the rain on countless occasions without issue. I don't usually like using mine for some strange reason, but especially so after I saw a news report on TV & in the paper about families that were in accidents solely because they used CC in rain storms, which caused them to lose control of their vehicles :o

[Unregistered]

If I search on the internet, there are claims that driving in the rain with CC will cause hydroplaning. I guess I just don't see how this is tied to the CC being on. Can someone explain how the CC would increase the likelihood of hydroplaning?

[papooses]

When the CC is engaged ... the car attempts to accelerate to the set speed, while not having the proper traction on the road surface.

[Unregistered]

I guess I still don't get it.

For that scenario and in order to generate any significant acceleration or torque at the drive wheels, you'd have to set the CC speed, then disengage it, slow down considerably, and then hit the automatic reset to try and bring the vehicle back up to speed.

I don't see any difference between taking those actions with CC or just using the normal pedal inputs to achieve the same thing. So how is the CC causing anything?

[CPSDarren]

Perhaps the concern is that drivers would be less likely to notice they were hydroplaning if their feet were not getting any feedback from the pedals? Unlikely, perhaps, but perhaps it is more of a distracted driving issue than one related to the actual implementation of the cruise control...

[trishlynne]

That's my thought Darren, that it's more of a distracted driver issue.

I NEED cruise control when I'm on long trips. I use it solely to avoid speeding, otherwise, I have a tendency to leadfoot. I can be much more attentive to driving, when I'm not constantly staring at the speedometer.

But I don't use it in bad weather, because I'm generally varying my speed so much that it's just not useful.

[joolsplus3]

I checked this out on www.snopes.com....yup, it's true... http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/wetroad.asp

[Unregistered]

Using the CC on the highway, long trips, is an ideal situation, however, the CC is being used at other times while driving. One of the most dangerous situations, is when the resume button is used to get back to the previous set speed and the road conditions are not ideal for it's use. If the roads are slick, black ice, an unknown situation...and the CC is resumed after a stop, the car will spin out of control because the rear tires are spinning to get to the set speed. There are probably many accidents when the CC was being used, and were not noted that CC was involved, unless there was an investigation....Yes there is some data here and there, supporting this dangerous issue however, not enough in my opinion. This is a very new topic on safety issues....In the meantime, warn as many people as you can of the safe usage of CC! You may save a life...

[Unregistered]

The use of the RESUME button on the CC, may present a very dangerous situation. If the roads are not dry or free of water, ice, oil, the engine/wheels attempt to approach the prior set speed on very hazardous conditions. This scenario will catch any driver, experienced or not, off guard. The car can spin out of control, a series of 360's. A warning is definitely required because it will save lives.

[Unregistered]

It is really VERY necessary to spread the word on CC. Whenever there is a warning of danger, an explanation should be readily available to each and every one of us, again, not buried in an owners manual. This warning should also be included in Driver's Education courses! We all need to hear and read more about this HIDDEN DANGER before we make the wrong decision. It will save lives... this is a fact!

[UlrikeDG]

I guess I just thought this was common knowledge and common sense. I'm pretty sure it's something I was taught in drivers' ed over 10 years ago, and I know I've heard it from several different sources since then.

[Unregistered]

Yeah, I just don't get this. And I definitely don't buy the 'buried in the owner's manual' argument.

That's what the owner's manual is for. Instead of requesting more warning tags everywhere, why not suggest people take the time to review their owner's manuals? There's a lot of helpful information 'buried' in there.

[papooses]

Originally posted by Unregistered
That's what the owner's manual is for . . . why not suggest people take the time to review their owner's manuals? AGREED ~ most people I know IRL never bother to look in their vehicle owner manuals & very few people I know IRL take the time to do the defensive driving course every 3 years :mad: I missed some vitally important info in my owner's manual the first time I looked at it, but I like to read through it at the beginning of every winter JIC & the last 3 times I've taken the defensive driving course I've learned something new! If more people did these 2 simple things we'd all be much safer....

[Unregistered]

Are warnings of the DANGERS of using cruise control, included in every manual for every model of car?

[Admin]

While this is a relevant topic, please do not continue to begin new threads when additional comments can be added to this current thread. I have now merged two threads into this one, and I will delete any additional ones in new threads- especially if they do not add any significant content.

[Marty]

My husband uses CC especially on long trips, I'm not so comfortable with it, I feel like I'm not totally controlling my vehicle. Two weeks ago while driving thru' the Rockie Mountains in my Surburban, I had to react to crashes that had taken place ahead of me, I didn't have CC actived at the time, to make a long story short, my vehicle began to fishtail as I switched from accelarator to begin breaking, and we had a nasty rollover.
No one was hurt, thank God. If I had actived the CC I would have probably set it for 70 MPH as it was before the accident I had been going under the speed limit due to the terrain, and if I had the CC and going 70 MPH I don't know what the outcome might have been. Anyone have any input?

[Marty]

Where can I contact to take a defensive driving course, I'm in Oklahoma. I had a rollover accident in a Surburban and I'm currently looking to replace the Suburban with a Tahoo with Stabily Track. I feel the need to take a defensive driving course.:confused:

[UlrikeDG]

Check with your local AAA. If they don't have anything, your auto insurance provider might.

[Marty]

Thank you for your input. I will check with AAA & Ins. provider.

[UlrikeDG]

Also, they may call it something else - "advanced driving" or "severe weather driving" or something else. I'm almost positive that one of the techs who posts on a different board took a course through AAA a year or two back. She said it was great, and highly recommended it.