Cruise control power up?

[ke4unr]

Ok, inquiring mind wants to know...why do FoMoCo products, at least the couple I've owned require that the cruise control be powered on everytime the vehicle is started?

I don't have to do this with my current GM or other products I've had over the years. Well, to be more specific, I can leave the stalk mounted slide switch in the ON position.

Yes, I agree it may seem nit-picky, but first is there a valid reason for this? Second, is there a way around - to SAFELY have the cruise control powered on at startup of my '04 LS?

Btw, for safety's sake I do want a way to power OFF the cruise control. Never have needed it, but who knows...

 

[beaups]

I'm guessing it's for safety reasons. since the controls are wheel mounted the 2 step process probably helps them avoid an accidental press of the accel button. That said, you could "probably" wire a trigger to the clockspring module to automatically flip the "on" button on startup.

 

[Jim Henderson]

Yeah I kind of wonder about the Ford method. GMs, at least the ones I have used, are very convenient, usually all you need to do is use your pinkie to set the speed and then the thumb on the "paddle" to raise or lower it. There is an off function on the GMs stalk but it does not turn itself off everytime you stop the engine.

I am guessing that Ford and Nissan shared designs or it is just a coincidence that the controls for Ford and Nissan are very similar in location and operation. Even the Mercury Villager, a joint Ford Nissan minivan has the more Nissan like controls.

The only difference I have seen between Nissan and Ford, is that the two Nissanstype controls I have owned had the on off switch somewhere on the dash board.

I vaguely recall reading somewhere that Ford had to do it different because GM had patented the operation style of their control. Could just be a beer induced memory.

A minor irritation with the Ford design is that the LS has the radio controls on the wheel, while my Ford truck has the cruise control where the LS volume control is. I am always speeding the truck up when I really just wanted to make the radio louder. Wonder if that excuse will work if I get pulled over.

I prefer the GM design.

Jim Henderson

 

[SoonerLS]

Ford's cruise control has always worked this way, AFAIK. The first Fords my parents had with cruis control, back in the '70s, had the cruise control on/off on the left side of the wheel, with the resume/accel/coast control on the right side. That's the way every Ford I've owned other than my LS has been, so I have the opposite problem from Jim--I keep finding myself turning down the radio when I want to slow down...

And I prefer the Ford design; that's what's normal to me.

 

[ke4unr]

Well, the safety issue sounds reasonable to me. I hadn't really thought it through. Cruise controls mounted on the stalk are a bit harder to accidentally press. I think my best bet would be to leave the clockspring well alone. It's just not worth it.

Fortunately I haven't had the problem of getting it confused with other controls.

A minor irritant I'll quickly get over... thanks for your time.