[Civiltechyyc]

I'm driving a 2012 Rav4 I4 Sport. When cruise control is activated and we reach a slight incline the car will drop a gear or two and REALLY go hard on the acceleration. Is there a way within the software (Tech stream?) to adjust this? I'd like it so it wasn't so nuts on trying to maintain a few km/hr.

 

[JuneBug]

No, the cruise control cannot be adjusted with Techstream. It must be the I4. My V6 doesn't do that.

 

[DVS]

My V6 doesn't do that either.

.

 

[KSNancy]

Our I4 behaves the same, in hilly roads I try to feed a little gas to accelerate before hitting the hill. Of course that does away with the whole reason for having cruise control....

 

[ravenuer]

We had a 99 Forester that did that in hilly country. I never used the cruise in that car unless it was a flat interstate.

 

[Blogson]

My V6 when using cruise control is weird - generally on highways when it ever smells that an uphill grade is coming it downshifts although it could easily pull the grade in 5th gear, but doesn't have to be aggressive about maintaining speed. But in town, driving at 28 mph with the cruise control switched on it will lock the torque converter even on a moderate uphill grade and continue on at 1100 rpm.

 

[pico]

Blogson, is your cruise control in any way linked to GPS?
.

 

[FixIt]

My wife's 2010 I$ does that. We took a road trip through hilly country last year, and she kindly hollered at me not to accelerate so hard, not knowing my foot was not on the go button.

 

[Civiltechyyc]

Thanks everyone. From some further searching this is just the nature of a I4 engine. The V6 is able to keep the engine speed closer so the gear drop isn't as dramatic. Next trip to the mountains will just be done without the Cruise on.

 

[Blogson]

Blogson, is your cruise control in any way linked to GPS?
.

It isn't linked to GPS. It has acted as it does for the past three years or so. Prior to that it either didn't do so or much less likely I didn't notice, but I generally pay rather close attention to what the engine and gearbox are doing.

 

[CB91710]

The first time it downshifts, pop the trans down one gear out of OD.
It'll jerk once, then drop back into the selected gear and stay there.

Cruise doesn't know you're climbing a hill, just that you went far below the set speed. It "floors" it, which causes you to accelerate ABOVE the set speed, so it drops off and the trans goes back into OD, where it again drops below the set speed.

Holding the trans down out of OD gives it enough torque to maintain without the constant up/down.

 

[normkol]

My previous Mariner V6 used to do that, it would kick down and the revs would hit 5k, you'd think the car was trying to take off.

My Rav V6 is much more subdued, even when it kicks down, the revs never go over 3k.

 

[stonebuster]

I have a 2009 V6 and it overreacts on grades. I have had many vehicles with cruise and never had one as sensitive as my RAV4. It is so unsatisfactory I just disengage it in hilly country.

 

[pico]

Although I have the V6, I grew up with manual and when the computer acts stupid with shifting, depending upon the grade I just shift down to 4th or 3rd - gas mileage bedamned.

 

[Blogson]

I have a 2009 V6 and it overreacts on grades. I have had many vehicles with cruise and never had one as sensitive as my RAV4. It is so unsatisfactory I just disengage it in hilly country.

I disengage my V6's cruise control in hilly and mountainous territory as well. It does have a tendency to overspeed the RAV by 2-3 mph on uphill grades after the trans. downshifts, and where we live that can result in a speeding ticket.

 

[jsusanka]

Our 2015 XLE's cruise control is terrible. The slightest incline and it is down shifting. Really isn't too encouraging and makes you want to avoid it like the plague.

 

[Kevin40g]

Perhaps turn the OD off in hilly areas, seems to work for me in other vehicles. Since I live in a flat area, I don't think I've noticed any issues.

 

[louis_liu]

My 2010 rav4 (2.5L) is same

 

[hero danny]

My V6 doesn't do that either.

.

V6 FTW!!!

It probably has something to do with that 4 speed transmission...

 

[stonebuster]

My V6 doesn't do that either.

.

V6 FTW!!!

It probably has something to do with that 4 speed transmission...

Yet I have a V6 with a 5 speed transmission and it does do it. Straight that some V6's do and some don't. Maybe it's the year. Mine is a 2009.