2007 Base Model Cruise Control Problem

R4W SPONSORS

RayRay · Posted: July 30, 2007, 4:05 pm Post subject:

I bought an 07, 4cy, 2 wheel drive rav4 in May and I'm having the same problem you have described. When I have three people in the car and go up a hill with the cruise control on, set to 61 or 62 mph, the car down shifts dramatically and then upshifts only to downshift again , and then back and forth again until I hit cancel. It is as if a lunatic was at the wheel. I was shocked when this happened several times and took it to the dealer. They said they couldn't duplicate the problems I was having and said that as far as they could tell the cruise was working as it is supposed to. They went on to say that the cruise is really "single minded" and reacts to the speed reached, which I took to mean that they sympathized but weren't going to do anything about it.

My wife and I have driven several diffent types of cars for many years and never have had a problem like this with cruise control. I'm positive it isn't a learning thing. I completely understand that the car will downshift when going up hill, but the up and down bucking like a rodeo horse is rediculous.

On a recent trip to Minneapolis, I traveled relatively flat land at freeway speeds (72) and noticed another situation where this problem occurs. If I cancel the cruise because I'm trapped behind a slower car in the right lane and there is another vehicle to my left, I can't just hit resume when the vehicle to my left passes like I would in any other car. Here is what happens, I'm behind a slow vehicle in the right lane, hit cancel on the cruise and drop from 72mph to about 65 mph. When the vehicle to my left passes, I normally nudge the cruise to resume and expect a smooth acceleration to 72. With my new Rav4, however, when I hit resume, it is like kicking a horse you are riding in the nuts. The car revs up to high rpms and acts as if I have floored the gas pedal. This happened with just two people in the car.

In all of the above cases the average weight of the occupants works out to about 180 pounds each, so it's not that I'm driving an obesity wagon.

Please let me know how your pursuit of a remedy turns out. I relieved to find out that someone else has this problem. I hate to have to raise cane at the dealership, one of the reasons I bought a Toyota is because I thought I wouldn't have to. I'm positive this isn't something that I can live with, however.

flyingn · Posted: July 30, 2007, 4:35 pm Post subject:

Ill bet Toyota will come out soon with a reflash of the CC programming..
_________________
========
Defender of the 4 banger!!!!

http://tinyurl.com/7zoma <= website!

mlmcgahee · Joined: 24 Jul 2007 Posts: 2 2007 Red Base 4 cyl

Many of us are having this RAV4 cruse control issue..

See the thread at:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f142ee...

Mike

RayRay · Posted: August 13, 2007, 3:50 pm Post subject: web page cannot be found

It is good to know the problem isn't only in my car. If enough people speak up, perhaps they will fix it. When I click on the townhall link listed above, however, I get an error message saying the web page cannot be found.

mlmcgahee · Joined: 24 Jul 2007 Posts: 2 2007 Red Base 4 cyl

Try this one..... It should work....

Link

Mike

RayRay · Posted: August 13, 2007, 4:18 pm Post subject: Thanks

Thank you for that link. It is a relief to find others with the same problem. I'm going in to my dealer tomorrow for a second visit. I'm bringing along the web links and case numbers of others so that he can see it isn't just me.

Dana · Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 1 2007 4.3

I am in Memphis TN, and am experiencing the same exact thing. Is your problem intermittent? I took mine to the dealer the first time at about 11k miles, and of course they could not find a thing. I just took it in again at 15k hoping that the problem would go away. My problem is intermittent. The tech that went for a ride with me today was able to experience it with me. He did reprogram the computer for some TSB concering cold starts and said that MAY solve the problem because he test drove it agiain on the same road as before and it did not happen. When I was in the Rav later, it went WILD. It was actually worse than before. Later that night I went to work and it worked perfectly. I will give it a few more try's but if it happens again, it's going back to the dealer with al etter to corporate. I'll keep in touch.
_________________
Dana

RayRay · Posted: August 14, 2007, 4:14 am Post subject: check link

My cruise control problem is not really intermittent, but it is sometimes hard to recreate on-the-spot. It depends on the hill, the weight in the car, and the speed I am going. Looking at the big picture though, there is no doubt that this cruise control isn't working properly. I'd encourage you to check out the link above that mlmcgahee posted. I found others there with the same problem as well as good information about contacting Toyota and getting a case number. The more of us who do so the better.

4ever · Posted: August 14, 2007, 8:31 am Post subject:

These are electronic cruise controls and not of the old vacuum type. If you set 65 on your cruise it is going to try as hard as it can to keep at 65mph so you will get a lot of gear changing in order to hold your speed. This problem seems to be most prevalent with the I4 motor / transmission setup. Possibly there could be a software fix that would allow a larger speed window so there wouldn't be the gut wrenching down shifts and engine screams.The old vacuum systems were lazy and would let the car slip back 5 - 7 mph on hills before adjusting the throttle.
_________________
4ever

Old Age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative. (Chinese proverb)

desertguy · Posted: August 14, 2007, 10:04 am Post subject:

I just slap my shift lever over to 3rd when climbing a big hill, but leave it in cruise. When climbing from Phoenix to Flagstaff it ends up being around a 6,500 foot climb and I have no trouble with the trans hunting. Besides, it's fun to pretend I have a stick shift again. Smile

Glideslope · Posted: August 14, 2007, 5:33 pm Post subject:

JulPat · Joined: 11 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

Rav4 Cruise control problem. : I bought an 07, 6, 4 wheel drive rav4 in last July. I'm having the same problem you have described. When I go up a hill with the cruise control on the car down shifts dramatically and then upshifts only to downshift again , and then back and forth again until I hit cancel. But it don't do so when we don't have the cruise control on it. My father in law has a Corrolla 07 and it does the same. And a friend of mine own a Camry 07...also the same problem. Last week, the Toyota dealer told us that is normal. This is the new Toyota cruise control. He also have told us that we must not use it when the road is not flat. (We were not very happy with this answer!$%?@&) When there's small hill or very small hill on the road we must remove the cruise control. According the dealer, another problem with the new cruise : the vehicule goes accelerate when going down the hill. According to us this is a major problem with the cruise. We have it on our Rav 4 but don't use it : it's more expensive on the gas if we use it and it not very good for our nerves. But you can be sure that I'm going to tell the dealer to do the best that I can to fix the problem. (Sorry for my english, my first language is french).

amazonkid · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Posts: 1 2007 Blue V4/2Wd base model

We also have the cruise problem with only the very slightest incline. At times it absolutely is like the rav is having a spasm, and sends the rpm reving wildly. Turn the cruise off, and it drives like a dream. Took it to the service dept with the second oil change at 6,000 miles and they found no problem, just that it happens on an incline. Any other vechicle that I've ever driven, the cruise had no problem going up even a steep hill speeding up and regulating itself. Figure we've got awhile till warranty is out and hopefully this is something that can be remedied.

The G Man · Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 4677

It has to do with the control loop of the cruise control. If the cruise control sees a 1 or 2 mph diff. between the set speed and the set point. How fast does it react? If the control gives it a little more gas and it still doesnt increase your speed, it give it some more gas. Finally, it will just downshift. The reason why some car spasm out and some doesnt has to do with the grade of the hill you are climbing, power to weight ratio and the cruise control's programming.