Cruise Control Loses Setting

[fastfinger]

My 2002 SC430 seems only to be able to set the cruise control at 40 mph and above --- and always cancels itself out when I come to a stop. It works fine at highway speeds... but whenever I come to a full stop the settings are canceled out and I am unable to resume previous setting forcing me to manually set them again. Is this normal or do I have a faulty sensor?

[1990LS400]

I don't think I've ever driven a Lexus or Toyota vehicle on which the cruise control did not lose the set speed after coming to a stop. The set speed in both our LS and Camry is lost when the car speed drops below 25 mph (40 km/h) as documented in the owners manuals of both cars.

What does the owners manual for your SC say?

[mdames]

My 2002 SC430 seems only to be able to set the cruise control at 40 mph and above --- and always cancels itself out when I come to a stop. It works fine at highway speeds... but whenever I come to a full stop the settings are canceled out and I am unable to resume previous setting forcing me to manually set them again. Is this normal or do I have a faulty sensor?

All cruise control units are designed that way. Most only operate over speeds of 40 mph. That's the point behind cruise control. You wouldn't normally use it on streets where the speed is 40mph or less since you can't really cruise there - too much stop and go. You need it on the highway. There's nothing wrong with your cruise control. It was designed that way. The manual should also verify what I'm saying.

[1990LS400]

All cruise control units are designed that way. Most only operate over speeds of 40 mph. That's the point behind cruise control. You wouldn't normally use it on streets where the speed is 40mph or less since you can't really cruise there - too much stop and go. You need it on the highway. There's nothing wrong with your cruise control. It was designed that way. The manual should also verify what I'm saying.

"All cruise control units" are NOT designed that way. Maybe I know this from driving waaay more rental cars than the average person.

The 25 mph minimum cruise control speed Toyota/Lexus uses is typical if there is any minimum at all. One aspect I have always liked about Ford vehicles is that they do not lose the set cruise control speed after coming to a stop or dropping below a defined minimum speed.

I use cruise control almost every day on low speed surface streets here in Kansas -- unless I happen to driving in our twice a day "rush minute" stop and go traffic. I especially use cruise control in the long 25 mph school zones common here -- best way to keep my "lead foot" under control. But I also use cruise control on the typical 35 and 45 mph boulevards in Kansas City ... I probably haven't driven down Kansas City's Ward Parkway without the cruise set at 35 mph since I got my first car with cruise control back in the 1970s. I've even installed aftermarket cruise control -- often ones from Dana -- on a number of cars back when cruise control was not available or a hard to find factory option.

I've never been into altering the basic electronics of a car ... but I wish I knew an easy way to keep the cruise control from losing its setting when my speed drops below 25 mph. Does anybody know how?

[carlexes330]

My 2002 SC430 seems only to be able to set the cruise control at 40 mph and above --- and always cancels itself out when I come to a stop. It works fine at highway speeds... but whenever I come to a full stop the settings are canceled out and I am unable to resume previous setting forcing me to manually set them again. Is this normal or do I have a faulty sensor?

once you brake then the cruise control will disengage have you tried pressing resume once almost upto sped? That usually works

[fastfinger]

All cruise control units are designed that way. Most only operate over speeds of 40 mph. That's the point behind cruise control. You wouldn't normally use it on streets where the speed is 40mph or less since you can't really cruise there - too much stop and go. You need it on the highway. There's nothing wrong with your cruise control. It was designed that way. The manual should also verify what I'm saying.

"All cruise control units" are NOT designed that way. Maybe I know this from driving waaay more rental cars than the average person.

The 25 mph minimum cruise control speed Toyota/Lexus uses is typical if there is any minimum at all. One aspect I have always liked about Ford vehicles is that they do not lose the set cruise control speed after coming to a stop or dropping below a defined minimum speed.

I use cruise control almost every day on low speed surface streets here in Kansas -- unless I happen to driving in our twice a day "rush minute" stop and go traffic. I especially use cruise control in the long 25 mph school zones common here -- best way to keep my "lead foot" under control. But I also use cruise control on the typical 35 and 45 mph boulevards in Kansas City ... I probably haven't driven down Kansas City's Ward Parkway without the cruise set at 35 mph since I got my first car with cruise control back in the 1970s. I've even installed aftermarket cruise control -- often ones from Dana -- on a number of cars back when cruise control was not available or a hard to find factory option.

I've never been into altering the basic electronics of a car ... but I wish I knew an easy way to keep the cruise control from losing its setting when my speed drops below 25 mph. Does anybody know how?

:)

EXACTLY my point. And it only works when in the DRIVE 4 position. My old 1996 BMW convertible's cruise control retains the setting no matter if I lower my speed or come to a stop .. a simple touch of resume at anything above 20 mph does the trick to get back to my speed zoned controlled traveling speed! The stalk is also a wonder - just a press and it's on - no button to look for - - wish Lexus would use the BMW system. I can't get any info on altering the setup to avoid the speed setting kill of Toyota. Thanks for the great posting though.