Releasing Cruise Control with Brake

Me, too. I also notice that the brake lights come on only after fairly far pedal travel (compared to my US cars). Is this typical of Toyotas (this is our first)? Sounds like a simple design revision to move the switch closer to the center of pedal travel arc.

 

I find using the stalk easier to control the Cruise control.

It was a slight learning curve, unlearning going for the brake pedal first.

The stalk is so much easier to deal with once it becomes normal to use with some practice. Tap it back to disengage and tap it up to re-engage. Simpler than the other Cruise Control systems I've used on Volvo's and GM's. It is just little different and after a while you just get use to using the stalk over the brake to disengage.

After three plus months of ownership I have begun to like Toyota's CC system. Still it doesn't control the speed as well as my present 97 and my old 87 Volvo. It creeps up and down one or two mph for no reason.

 

When slowly depressing the brake pedal in the garage, at about 1/4" I hear a click-swoosh sound and then about another 1/4" depression the brake light comes on. That is a lot more travel then other cars for the pedal to travel before the light comes on. What is the click-swoosh sound?

 

No not typical as far as I have observed, I have owned a couple of other Toyotas and had a Corolla loaner car recently and the brake activated cruise control cut out switch acts just like it does on cars manufactured by other companies. I had my Prius in for the dealer to adjust the switch but they said they couldn't do it because of the brake lights. That's just BS so I'll adjust it myself when the weather gets warmer.

 

I can come to a stop with light pressure and my brake lights will never come on. I can hold my car at a light with the brakes and there will be no brake lights displayed. I think I will run it down to the dealer....

 

That's the same problem alright. Hope you have better luck with the dealer than I did, be sure to let us know what happens.

 

No, what is abnormal behavior is using the brake pedal to disengage the CC when no braking is called for because of traffic ahead. Disengage the CC using the control stalk on those occasions. The car response will be smoother.

 

I have the same problem with cruise control not releasing until brake pedal is pressed very far. It either throws the passenger's head forward, or it will allow the car to slow initially with brakes, but then accellerates again when brakes are released. Very dangerous problem.

I took the car to my local dealer and they kept it for 2 days before telling me that they could not replicate the problem. They have to be kidding me. Anyone who drives this car can replicate the problem on the first try. It is that scary.

Has anyone received any satisfaction from the dealer on this issue?

I have placed a call to Toyota Experience Center. They gave me a 10-digit case number and said someone will return my call within one business day.

-Troy

 

Please let me know how this goes. I too have complained about this, and brought it to my dealer to have it looked at. They were also unable to recreate it, although I have had three friends try, and all three were able to do it as well.

This is really getting frustrating.

 

I wish I had seen this thread earlier. I had a similar problem with my '07 and fixed it:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...red-out-why-i-m-being-tailgated-so-often.html

 

I noticed the heavier pedal as well. I thought it was just another feature of the prius like the joy stick shifter that requires an extra button for park. No big deal on the cruise, I just got used to disengaging with the stalk and tapping my brakes so drivers behind me could see I was slowing.

But it is a bigger deal if my brake lights don't go on with the brakes. Do you know if the fix is the same as on the Gen II. I'm going to check with my dealer tomorrow to see if he can adjust my brake lights.

 

Update: I brought my 2010 Prius II to a second dealer and they said the same thing as the first dealer. After keeping my car for a few hours, they told me that it was working exactly as designed and that there was nothing they could do to adjust the travel in the brake pedal with reference to releasing the cruise control.

I told them that it could become a safety issue especially while driving up a steep hill with the cruise control set. The car actually fights to speed up while depressing the brake pedal until it either abruptly slams on the brakes -- throwing everyone forward in the process -- or you release the brake pedal completely without the CC disengaging, resulting in unintended acceleration.

They just repeated that nothing could be done to adjust the pedal or switch.

I am expecting a return call from Toyota on Tuesday, 1-19-10, regarding this issue. I will keep pressing them until I receive a satisfactory response. I will keep posting any updates to this forum as I receive them.

-Troy

 

Thanks brick, that was a good write up. I looked under the dash and found the switch, I think it's the same setup you described for the Gen2. What may be different is getting the lower dash apart to get to it.

I think the fact it is hard to get to may be the reason so many service departments are telling us that "it looks fine to us" or worse yet "there is no way to adjust it".

 

Every car is different, so I wish people would learn how drive their cars

I drive 3 different makes, they are all different
It just every operating system is different, but basic does the same thing

It just like a design build job of a building, no two group of engineers will come up with the same design, but they started out with the same requirements

LEARN YOUR CAR

 

OK, based on another thread on this forum, I found it incredibly easy to adjust the sensor, but I'm curious why Toyota would have it so ridiculously insensitive to brake pedal input. Anyway, if you have two working hands, a phillips screwdriver and a flashlight, you can do the adjustment all by yourself. Really, or pay me $100 and a plane ticket and I'll do it for you.

Anyway, the procedure is: you remove the dash panel that has the tire pressure adjustment switch (2 phillips screws and a push release (plus the release for the wires for the switch)). Then you look under there at the brake pedal. Toward the rear of the car you'll see a green switch body going into a brown holder on some other metal brake holder thingy. Push the brake down and toggle with the white solenoid to verify this is what you want to adjust.

Once you've verified this, it's as easy as rotating the green thingy counterclockwise a quarter turn, moving it out a smidgen, and then rotating it clockwise to get the setting you want. Verify by sitting in the drivers seat and hitting the brake pedal to make sure where you want the brakes to light up at.

Take a test drive, verify the cruise shuts off when desired and then button it all up and be on your merry way.

Too easy.

Cheers!
Bryce

 

Well done!

Bob Wilson

 

Probably covered by someone else, but I pull the stalk towards me to cancel, take over the gas pedal, then maybe turn off the CC.

 

That works just as you said Bryce. But I'm glad I read your post before I tried it, I am no mechanic. I was all set to try and turn the brown thing which might have broken it, and I didn't see how easy it was to get the black dash panel off.

Mine was adjusted for about 1.2 cm of pedal travel before it activated; after the adjustment it is about .5 cm. Now I can release the CC with the brake pedal before the brakes are applied and cars behind me will see brake lights as soon as I push the pedal down. Much better.

 

Bryce,
Taking off the dash panel and rotating a green thingy.
That's so cool.
That's so Old School.
That's so . . .
So . . .
So ANALOG!

 

We need a small stepper motor to move the green thingy.

Tom