06 LGT cruise control - NOT!!

[Ric]

Was the German guy who set cruise control in his campervan, then went down the back to make a cup of coffee, just an urban myth?

[WizzD]

No cruise control system that I'm aware of will brake a car to maintain the cruise control set speed. It's just not how they work. They can add throttle to maintain speed but cannot brake to reduce it. Cruise is not integrated into the transmission controller to downshift to slow, nor should it be.

 

The plain truth is in situations like this, you should not be using cruise. It says so right there in the manual. It is meant for flatter terrain with mild curves. If you're on such demanding roads I would hope that you are driving your car rather than riding in it.

 

If you want something fancier you'll need a car with the laser cruise control. It can accelerate and brake automatically but you'll need a $70k+ car to wrap it in.

 

I can't say I agree. My 03 WRX used to brake and slow the car down. I haven't really used in on my 06 LGT, when I do, I'll post results. To me, it should speed the car up hill and brake it down hill to MAINTAIN same speed.

 

I don't know, maybe I'm an idiot too, as everyone is making it sound like. Ease Up!

[STG]

At least you're not as bad as the guys on the Powerstroke forums that complain their F250 diesels won't hold cruise on a 7% grade while towing 15,000 lbs.

 

Funny thing - The F250 manual says the not to use the cruise control on steep grades. Nobody reads.

 

Your WRX didn't brake on cruise control. You may have felt engine braking on a manual transmission, but the cruise control didn't apply the wheel brakes.

[STG]

I can't say I agree.

 

I don't know, maybe I'm an idiot too, as everyone is making it sound like. Ease Up!

 

You don't agree with the owners manual. Congratulations!

 

If you think your WRX applied brakes under cruise control, you may very well be an idiot!

[05SubFXT]

Was the German guy who set cruise control in his campervan, then went down the back to make a cup of coffee, just an urban myth?

Funny thing is I don't know if this is the same guy, but apparently he sued and won the case. He actually thought that cruise control drove the vehicle for him.

[MangoGT]

I was told that my..... is operating as designed!!

 

According to Subaru dealers, our cars were designed to not work at all. For some reason any problems that customers have are listed under "as designed" or "working perfectly."

[STG]

Funny thing is I don't know if this is the same guy, but apparently he sued and won the case. He actually thought that cruise control drove the vehicle for him.

 

THIS IS AN URBAN MYTH.

[BDII]

should have bought a Manuel

[STG]

should have bought a Manuel

 

Slavery has been abolished. Besides, Manuel has a wife and kids.

[STG]

According to Subaru dealers, our cars were designed to not work at all. For some reason any problems that customers have are listed under "as designed" or "working perfectly."

 

If you read the posts by Shutterbug, you'll finf out that he's mad because his cruise control won't hold a speed downhill. He further states that the mountain roads he drives on are posted at "only" 6% grade.

 

The cruise control works as desined. 6% is a steep grade.

 

Here's what page 7-53 of the Legacy 05 Owners Manual says:

 

WARNING

 

Do not use the cruise control under any of the following conditions. This may cause loss of vehicle control:

 

driving up or down a steep grade

 

driving on slippery or winding roads

 

driving in heavy traffic

 

6% is a steep grade. Steep enough to post and warn truckers to use low gears. Steep enough to warrant emergency escape lanes for vehicles with overheated brakes.

 

Mountain roads are, by definition, winding.

 

The dealer can read the manual. Shutterbug can't.

1. 
   

[BDII]

Slavery has been abolished. Besides, Manuel has a wife and kids.

 

Manuel says,

 

"you should have bought me":lol:

[RabidMonk]

The Legacy is at a natural disadvantage to a similar-powered v6 when engine braking. The AT is at a further disadvantage to an MT.

 

That said, many vehicles DO have the CC programmed to downshift when going down a steep grade. Even the humble Isuzu Rodeo will do so.

 

It would be inexpensive for Subaru to do the same, as it requires no additional hardware - only some minor reprogramming of the CC logic. It is too bad to see Subaru missing such small, inexpensive details at this price point.

[STG]

6% is the maximum allowable grade per the American Association of State Highway and Transpotation Officials in their publication A Policy on Design Standards - Interstate System.

 

Slight grade, indeed.

[RabidMonk]

Wow. I never claimed that CC was a viable substitute for an attentive driver.

 

However, it doesn't seem unreasonable to desire that Subaru add such an easy feature to the CC logic - especially when many competing vehicles do.

 

Besides, the CC in an AT Legacy will downshift when going uphill in an attempt to maintain speed. Sarcasm aside, why is it such a horrible idea to do the opposite to maintain speed when going downhill? Seems like a huge double-standard to me . . .

[STG]

Wow. I never claimed that CC was a viable substitute for an attentive driver.

 

However, it doesn't seem unreasonable to desire that Subaru add such an easy feature to the CC logic - especially when many competing vehicles do.

 

Besides, the CC in an AT Legacy will downshift when going uphill in an attempt to maintain speed. Sarcasm aside, why is it such a horrible idea to do the opposite to maintain speed when going downhill? Seems like a huge double-standard to me . . .

 

The only double standard here is comprehension. The thread starter complained of the CC not holding on slight grades marked 6% and further complained about the dealer saying that's normal.

 

A 6% grade is as steep as you will find on any interstate and most highways. Here in Wyoming there's a road marked at 7%. It has brake test areas and runoffs every mile. The signs say ALL vehicles use low gears.

 

The owner's manual says don't use it under the conditions presented by Shutterbug.

 

The dealer is correct.

 

 

As far as the transmission down shifting to hold speed, I suggest you drive your AT Legacy down a 6 or 7% grade and downshift manually to try and hold speed. You will red-line in 5th, followed by red line in 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st gears.

 

[Ric]

Besides, the CC in an AT Legacy will downshift when going uphill in an attempt to maintain speed.

It's not the CC causing the downshift, it is the transmission.

The CC is ONLY controlling the accelerator (ok "throttle" to you guys).

The transmission will downshift going uphill even if you are NOT using the CC, but it won't downshift going downhill when you back off. It's exactly the same when CC is active.

[GZoomer]

Sorry to here that it doesn't work the way you thought it should. I agree that for the price they are now asking for a Legacy GT it should work to keep you at the speed you set, Even it it needs to hit the brakes. It seems that this is a common feature on dodge/Jeep trucks. I however have never owned a car or truck that crusie worked that way. Perhaps putting it in a low gear would help. I put it under growing pains for subrau as they try and move into the near lux market.

[RabidMonk]

I wanted to avoid a stupid quote fest, but since that appears to be what you want . . .

The only double standard here is comprehension.

No. The double standard is your implication that it would be somehow unsafe for the CC to initiate a downshift to hold speed downhill when the transmission will plainly downshift when going uphill with CC engaged.

 

There is nothing inherently dangerous about allowing CC to initiate a downshift when going downhill. Plenty of other vehicles do so, which is amazing considering how many lawsuits you sarcistically predict from such a situation.

 

The thread starter complained of the CC not holding on slight grades marked 6% and further complained about the dealer saying that's normal.

Then perhaps you should have quoted the thread starter with your sarcastic reply. I never stated that the current behavior was not correct for a Legacy. Your response implies that I have done so, but I have not.

 

A 6% grade is as steep as you will find on any interstate and most highways. Here in Wyoming there's a road marked at 7%. It has brake test areas and runoffs every mile. The signs say ALL vehicles use low gears.

Congrats for having a road in Wyoming with a 7% grade. Irrelevant, but nice to know.

 

The owner's manual says don't use it under the conditions presented by Shutterbug.

 

The dealer is correct.

Again, I never said it was operating incorrectly, nor did I suggest that people rely on CC on a 6% or 7% grade. You seem to enjoy correcting me for statements I have never made.

 

I made three rather simple points:

 

1. The Legacy 4cyl engines (with or without turbo) will not engine brake as well as 250HP naturally aspirated v6.

2. The Legacy AT will have less ability to engine brake than the Legacy MT.

3. The Subaru CC logic could be easily and inexpensively improved to initiate a AT downshift to assist in holding speed on a decline, as many other vehicles already do. This would help overcome the weakness of the Legacy AT's engine braking.

 

If you are going to criticize my post, at least criticize a point I made, rather than correcting me for claims I have not made.

 

As far as the transmission down shifting to hold speed, I suggest you drive your AT Legacy down a 6 or 7% grade and downshift manually to try and hold speed. You will red-line in 5th, followed by red line in 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st gears.

 

Again irrelevant. The point I made was that the CC logic could be improved, not whether or not it was appropriate on a 6% grade. Why do you continually try to win a point that was never contested?

[STG]

Dearest RabidMonk,

 

 

Besides your huge ego, just what makes you think ANY of my posts are in response to your single post?

 

The facts are that I refered to the thread starter (Shutterbug), NOT you.

 

Shutterbug believes her CC should function in circumstances specifically mentioned in her owners manual as being unsuitable for cruise control.

 

Shutterbug believes the problem lies in John Elway's service department, not Subaru.

 

Shutterbug blames John Elway because the conditions under which she chooses to use CC are warned against by Subaru. She wants readers to stay away from Elway because they tell her that the CC won't work and should not be used as she desires.

 

The only thing John Elway is guilty of is not tattooing the manual on Shutterbug's forehead backwards so she could read it every time she glances in the rearview mirror

 

Shutterbug believes that a 6% grade isn't very steep.

 

My posts regarding 6% and 7% grades show that 6% is a recongized design maximum on interstates and that 7%, or just one more percent that her not-so-steep 6, is borderline. The relevancy is obvious.

 

Never did Shutterbug accuse John Elway of claiming the CC would work as she believes it should. She accuses the dealer of poor service because they will not fix what is not broken and, evidently won't redesign the cruise control for her. And, since she posted that her husband was angry about this issue, we can only presume that he can't read either.

 

There is only one conclusion here:

 

You can lead a buyer to Subaru, but you can't get her to read or understand the manual.

 

I can only hope that someone from John Elway sees this thread. Shutterbug's accusations against the dealership are probably actionable.

[RabidMonk]

Besides your huge ego, just what makes you think ANY of my posts are in response to your single post?

You quoted my post. The first line in your post insultingly referred to mine. That would appear to meet the definition of a response to my post.

 

The facts are that I refered to the thread starter (Shutterbug), NOT you.

Yet you quoted me in your reply, NOT Shutterbug. If your intent is to refer to the thread starter, quoting the thread starter would seem a more logical approach.

 

That said, I have re-read my reply and it was more harsh than I had intended. For that, I apologize.

 

I have never disagreed with the assessment that Shutterbug's CC is operating correctly. I've stated that several times now. I'm not sure how many other ways I can say it. Why you continue to refer to me while trying to make that point confuses me to no end.