Cruise control
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Originally Posted by KRConvert
I'll throw in my 2 pennies...
I already took my new King Ranch back to the dealer twice for this same reason. Took it up with the service manager the second time because I didn't want to believe it. Both times my invoice was marked with the same analysis, "Design characteristic of new transmission functions". Their short answer is that the overdrive gearing has changed enough that there is virtually no drag on the engine, so no compression braking. They could only suggest I take it out of overdrive on the steeper descents. Sure enough, that helps but not too much.
snip
Between the hill test and the dealer explanation, I've decided to live with the "flaw", and instead treat it as a "feature" of the new Ford. Every car/truck I've owned has had some characteristic that you just have to accept, just like family...
I already took my new King Ranch back to the dealer twice for this same reason. Took it up with the service manager the second time because I didn't want to believe it. Both times my invoice was marked with the same analysis, "Design characteristic of new transmission functions". Their short answer is that the overdrive gearing has changed enough that there is virtually no drag on the engine, so no compression braking. They could only suggest I take it out of overdrive on the steeper descents. Sure enough, that helps but not too much.
snip
Between the hill test and the dealer explanation, I've decided to live with the "flaw", and instead treat it as a "feature" of the new Ford. Every car/truck I've owned has had some characteristic that you just have to accept, just like family...
You can 'coast' with these trucks on even a slight downgrade. You can also maintain speed with very very little throttle. Those of us who grew up with freewheel (old style overdrives) get darn good mileage, especially on the freeway.
Chris
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From: Along Lake Erie
Our pool car here at work (a Freestar) has that same feature.... for the record, I hate it! It forces you to use the brakes all the time. I'll sacrifice the extra mile per gallon in exchange for doing the brakes less often.
-Joe
-Joe
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From: Nawlins
Originally Posted by ChrisAdams
It is a feature. A great feature. It's not the overdrive, it's the 'freewheel' action of the torque converter. And it really helps on gas milage when you use it correctly.
You can 'coast' with these trucks on even a slight downgrade. You can also maintain speed with very very little throttle. Those of us who grew up with freewheel (old style overdrives) get darn good mileage, especially on the freeway.
Chris
You can 'coast' with these trucks on even a slight downgrade. You can also maintain speed with very very little throttle. Those of us who grew up with freewheel (old style overdrives) get darn good mileage, especially on the freeway.
Chris
What's the best way to drive these for best gas mileage though? On and off the throttle? I'm so use to just keeping a little gas going on the throttle to keep the truck up to speed from my old truck. Not sure I have to drive the same way anymore.
Wow, you're driving a vehicle and the thought have having to turn overdrive off or use the brakes. Ohh No!
I wonder how the service people feel having to deal with stuff like this though.
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From: Lancaster, PA
Originally Posted by Intel486
I wonder how the service people feel having to deal with stuff like this though.
My guess would be it would make them less likely to investigate a 'real' problem thoroughly.
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From: Ky/Va Mountains
Originally Posted by GIJoeCam
Actually there are a couple of systems on the market currently that will actuate the brakes to maintain a max of 5 mph over the speed.... those are typically the systems that also have active cruise control that will actually reduce speed and brake in response to a slowing vehicle in front of them. I believe it was the high-end Mercedes vehicle I remember seeing it on, but I could certainly be mistaken.
Needless to say, a Ford truck is NOT one of them.
-Joe
Needless to say, a Ford truck is NOT one of them.
-Joe
Distronic
The Distronic Adaptive Cruise Control is the world's first adaptive cruise control. A radar sensor in the grille can pinpoint the location of a moving car ahead of you. Distronic can automatically adjust the throttle - and even apply up to 20% of the car's braking power - to help you maintain the following distance you have selected.
Its good stuff, and just a $3200.00 option on the benz.
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Originally Posted by 04 RED LARIAT
From the S500 mercedes....
Distronic
The Distronic Adaptive Cruise Control is the world's first adaptive cruise control. A radar sensor in the grille can pinpoint the location of a moving car ahead of you. Distronic can automatically adjust the throttle - and even apply up to 20% of the car's braking power - to help you maintain the following distance you have selected.
Its good stuff, and just a $3200.00 option on the benz.
Distronic
The Distronic Adaptive Cruise Control is the world's first adaptive cruise control. A radar sensor in the grille can pinpoint the location of a moving car ahead of you. Distronic can automatically adjust the throttle - and even apply up to 20% of the car's braking power - to help you maintain the following distance you have selected.
Its good stuff, and just a $3200.00 option on the benz.
And it still wouldn't work coming down a steep grade. Oh well, features you don't need are a luxary car mainstay.
Chris
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From: TN
That stuff makes sense now, thanks guys. I didn't really know what the meanings of your terminology were before gijoe posted that explanation. I can live with it being that way, I just wanted to know for sure. Since I still drive both trucks regularly, I understand and can feel the differences in what everyone is talking about on the new ones having less drag.
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Originally Posted by Sandog53
The Ford 500 with the cvt will keep speed downhills. I love my new 500.
The 500 does not slow down going down real hills.
The two most traveled passes in the US are within 50 miles of my house, the 3rd is 75 miles, and NO cruise can hold going down them, not even the MB.
For the record, they are the I14 (out of the LA Basin) I5 (the Grapevine) I15 (Cajon pass)
Now for steep try setting the cruise coming down from Tioga Pass, to Lee Vining.
Now that's a test on a cruise
Chris
Kidding of course, no driver should ever expect a cruise to work in mountain country, or even anywhere that isn't flat as a Kansas pancake.
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From: Mayflower, AR
I just went out and tried this like GIJoe said. I put my 05 XLT at the top of a huge hill, put her in neutral and away she went. I saw very quickly that this truck had very little rolling reistance. As the pace quickend, it became quite evident that this truck was rolling too fast for me to run along beside anymore. As a last ditch effort, I grabbed for the door handle and lost my balance. As the back tire rolled over my legs, and the truck became a dot on the horizon, only then did it occur to me that I'll bet that experiment was supposed to be conducted while sitting in the driver's seat. I'll soon post pics of my NEW truck, and these cool crutches. All in the name of science I guess... 
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Originally Posted by PiggNFord
I just went out and tried this like GIJoe said. I put my 05 XLT at the top of a huge hill, put her in neutral and away she went. I saw very quickly that this truck had very little rolling reistance. As the pace quickend, it became quite evident that this truck was rolling too fast for me to run along beside anymore. As a last ditch effort, I grabbed for the door handle and lost my balance. As the back tire rolled over my legs, and the truck became a dot on the horizon, only then did it occur to me that I'll bet that experiment was supposed to be conducted while sitting in the driver's seat. I'll soon post pics of my NEW truck, and these cool crutches. All in the name of science I guess...
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From: Pikesville, MD
Originally Posted by PiggNFord
I just went out and tried this like GIJoe said. I put my 05 XLT at the top of a huge hill, put her in neutral and away she went. I saw very quickly that this truck had very little rolling reistance. As the pace quickend, it became quite evident that this truck was rolling too fast for me to run along beside anymore. As a last ditch effort, I grabbed for the door handle and lost my balance. As the back tire rolled over my legs, and the truck became a dot on the horizon, only then did it occur to me that I'll bet that experiment was supposed to be conducted while sitting in the driver's seat. I'll soon post pics of my NEW truck, and these cool crutches. All in the name of science I guess...
Nicely done.
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From: Nawlins
Originally Posted by ChrisAdams
Kidding of course, no driver should ever expect a cruise to work in mountain country, or even anywhere that isn't flat as a Kansas pancake.
Kanses isn't flat. It's got some small rolling hills... If you want FLAT, then drive on down here
The biggest incline I have to drive is over the GNO (big bridge out here)
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I would like to suggest another point onther than just rolling resistance that causes the newer f150's to coast down hill faster. they weigh considerabely more and I suspect the overdrive gear is a higher gear and the transmission won't shift down. between these things and the transmission slipping more as mentioned earlier it makes alot of sense it will increase speed down hill more so than other vehicles. I don't think it would have been too hard for ford to program the computer to shift down if it got 5 mph over the set cruise speed. I bet they just didn't think of it. I bet if they get enough complaints they will eventually program it that way.
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From: Northern California
I'll put in my agreement with a previous poster who said that some vehicles have that capability, and some don't. Ford trucks (mine included) will not and cannot prevent the truck from speeding up while going down a hill of any moderate grade.
With that being said, I previously owned a 2000 Dodge Dakota, v6, auto. THAT vehicle would in fact down-shift (by itself, via cruise control) if the decending grade resulted in gaining speed beyond a few MPH. And it worked great. On most hills, it kept the speed pretty close to where the cruise was set... Of course, on very steep decents, ONLY brakes could slow it down. That is one thing (and probably the only thing) that I miss on the Dodge. You'd think it would only take a simple tweak of the PCM/ECM from Ford to get our trucks to respond the same way... And yeah, I understand the reasoning of allowing it to just coast, but why would anyone NOT want it to down-shift to prevent going too fast???
With that being said, I previously owned a 2000 Dodge Dakota, v6, auto. THAT vehicle would in fact down-shift (by itself, via cruise control) if the decending grade resulted in gaining speed beyond a few MPH. And it worked great. On most hills, it kept the speed pretty close to where the cruise was set... Of course, on very steep decents, ONLY brakes could slow it down. That is one thing (and probably the only thing) that I miss on the Dodge. You'd think it would only take a simple tweak of the PCM/ECM from Ford to get our trucks to respond the same way... And yeah, I understand the reasoning of allowing it to just coast, but why would anyone NOT want it to down-shift to prevent going too fast???