Runaway Cruise Control!! (Or maybe an old dog that doesn’t know the new tricks!)

[TSAINTS1115]

One more thing I won’t have to worry about with my XL model.

When life hands you lemons.................

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[TSAINTS1115]

Hopefully, Instinctively, most drivers would reach and turn off ignition or put it in neutral. Are Mavericks push button ignition or key fob ?

Switching the engine off will kill the power steering.

 

[The Weatherman]

That's good to hear. I'm assuming when this happens the ACC or cruise can be defeated by just braking as well? I've got older drivers in family that have no idea how to disable these things if toggled on by mistake.

Yes. Brake will disengage.

 

[villageidiot]

When life hands you lemons.................

i dont like cruise control, usually fall asleep when i use it.

 

[Highflyer]

I just had a disturbing situation occur with my Lariat Lux cruise control.

While running at 70mph with the Cruise engaged I went to accelerate using the Cruise + button. The truck did accelerate, however when I released the button it did not adjust to that speed. It continued to speed up until I disengaged the system. Thinking that was a fluke, I repeated the procedure and sure enough the truck continued accelerating to 85+ forcing me to disengage the Cruise completely again.

I will report this to my local service manage, but wanted to let others know this could happen to you.

Drive safe.

This is probably user error for the most part. For some background, I work in the automation field controlling tier 4 engines for various use cases in the oil and gas sector. What typically happens when you press up or down on cruise control a signal wire is registered by a board either in the steering wheel or somewhere else. The board converts the signal from the button press into a hexadecimal string that is injected into the j1939 communications. So on a speed up button press, the message would tell the ECU to "speed set point +1". The ECU would then increase RPM to match "current speed" to the "speed set point". Now it is possible for points of failure to occur. The button or switch on your steering wheel could make contact for far too long like a failing relay that gets stuck closed. Typically, the wires should be fine unless someone has spliced into j1939 communications for aftermarket mods or something and the resistance on the wires change.

In your instance, I believe that holding the button down is sending "speed set point +1" messages over and over again for the duration you are holding it down. This communication standard is pretty quick so there is no telling how high your speed point is being set by holding the button. From factory there are safety parameters established in the ECU to protect drivers from doing anything crazy. One being that you cant go over a maximum point on the speed set point. It is probably limited. Much like you can not engage cruise control at lower mph because there is also a minimum limit to speed set point.

The only time I would be concerned is if you pressed the button once and your engine begins to run away. You have a contact not operating correctly and I would seek out a dealer maintenance department for a fix. Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give some background on the process that occurs when you press those buttons so that you have a better understanding in case this happens. This way you can talk to a maintenance guy about it to diagnose things quickly.

 

[CACTI_HYBRID]

If it's too easy to do this, even if the driver operates the system differently than it indicates, it's hazardous and Ford needs to fix it. Kinda like burning yourself on overly hot McDonald's coffee. Ford is looking at lawsuits regardless of what the manual instructs. Things must be "idiot proof."

 

[Naranjita]

If it's too easy to do this, even if the driver operates the system differently than it indicates, it's hazardous and Ford needs to fix it. Kinda like burning yourself on overly hot McDonald's coffee. Ford is looking at lawsuits regardless of what the manual instructs. Things must be "idiot proof."

This same condition exists pretty much with every vehicle with adaptive cruise control. But I do think it could be helpful that it could be limited to not go up more than 10 MPH with a + button hold down, and not just keep going up and up indefinitely while holding down.

 

[OhLeo]

I had the exact same thing happen recently in a Toyota 4Runner rental. I believe if you hold it down it counts up more quickly than the car can actually accelerate. I just switched to 1 click per 1 MPH increase desired. Problem solved. If the car could only read my mind....

 

[MimiE]

Yep, this was in ACC mode. I have learned from all the replies that I’m old fart. The vehicle Cruise Control systems I’ve had would let you hold to accelerate and release at the speed you wanted.

Who knew you had to read the manual to learn how to use the thing you’ve used for the past 50yrs.

Hey, Old Farts need love too. Also trucks. Lol

 

[MakinDoForNow]

i dont like cruise control, usually fall asleep when i use it.

I cannot sleep behind the wheel as my vehicle operating monitor screams at the smallest variance in allowed procedures but she cooks really well

 

[grumpyunk]

GOT IT! It's called adaptive cruise control because you have to ADAPT to it. Those guys at Ford have taken great effort to throughout explain thing and appropriately name them.

The instructions posted say you can hold down the "+" button until you reach the desired speed, then release.
As I understand, that is what you did, but your vehicle kept accelerating.

It should be inspected as it is NOT working as described.

Look under "Changing the set speed".
tom

 

[Hack]

Try tapping + button and when reaches desired speed tap set button. I hope tap of + just adds something like 0.1 mph so if you want 0.5 added tap 5 times. If hold down + button for 2-3(?) Seconds it goes into increase mode until set is tapped (or held?) Have you read manual?

On my two Honda CRVs, you get +1 mph per tap. (May be different in km/hr, mode.)

 

[RonFLA]

While running at 70mph with the Cruise engaged I went to accelerate using the Cruise + button…

Is this a humble brag or a hard flex?
Flaunting Cruise Control to us XL owners is just plain mean. LOL! In all seriousness, hope it gets resolved for you.

 

[Hack]

Yep, this was in ACC mode. I have learned from all the replies that I’m old fart. The vehicle Cruise Control systems I’ve had would let you hold to accelerate and release at the speed you wanted.

Who knew you had to read the manual to learn how to use the thing you’ve used for the past 50yrs.

Old farts rule!

 

[Mymaverick2021]

Try tapping + button and when reaches desired speed tap set button. I hope tap of + just adds something like 0.1 mph so if you want 0.5 added tap 5 times. If hold down + button for 2-3(?) Seconds it goes into increase mode until set is tapped (or held?) Have you read manual?

Each time you tap the resume plus button it will go up one mile an hour, Least it should

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