If your vehicle has cruise control, the lever is located on the right side of the steering wheel.
With cruise control, you can maintain a speed of 25 mph (40 km/h) or more without keeping your foot on the accelerator. This can really help on long trips. Cruise control does not work at speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h).
Caution: Cruise control can be dangerous where you cannot drive safely at a steady speed. So, do not use the cruise control on winding roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire traction can cause excessive wheel slip, and you could lose control. Do not use cruise control on slippery roads.Setting Cruise Control
Caution: If you leave your cruise control on when you are not using cruise, you might hit a button and go into cruise when you do not want to. You could be startled and even lose control. Keep the cruise control switch off until you want to use cruise control.
- Press the ON-OFF button at the end of the cruise control lever. The CRUISE light on the instrument panel cluster will come on. See Cruise Control Light for more information.
- Get up to the speed you want.
- Move the lever down to -SET and release it.
- Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose the cruise control is set at a desired speed and then you apply the brake. This will shut off cruise control. But you won't need to reset it.
If the vehicle speed is 25 mph (40 km/h) or greater, push the lever up to +RES (Resume/Accelerate). Your vehicle will go right back up to your chosen speed and stay there.
On some vehicles, the cruise control set speed is erased from memory if the vehicle speed goes below 25 mph (40 km/h).
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are three ways to go to a higher speed:
| • | Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed. Move the lever down to -SET. Release the lever and the accelerator pedal. You'll now cruise at the higher speed. |
| • | Move the cruise lever up to +RES. Hold it there until you get up to the speed you want, and then release the lever. |
| • | To increase your speed in very small amounts, move the lever to +RES briefly and then release it. Each time you do this, your vehicle will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster. |
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using cruise control:
| • | Push and hold the lever to -SET until you reach the lower speed you want, then release it. |
| • | To slow down in very small amounts, push the lever down briefly. Each time you do this, you'll go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower. |
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you may have to step on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake or downshifting to SECOND (2) or LOW (L) takes you out of cruise control. Many drivers find this to be too much trouble and don't use cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are several ways to turn off the cruise control:
| • | Step lightly on the brake pedal or push the clutch pedal, if you have a manual transaxle. |
| • | Press the ON-OFF button again. |
| • | Pull the cruise control lever toward you. |
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your cruise control set speed memory is erased. On some vehicles, the set speed memory is also erased when the vehicle speed drops below 25 mph (40 km/h).
