Cruise control

[Dray]

The last trip I took I used the cruise control.  It seemed to work great.  Even better than I could do.  The cruise control maintained an even speed of course but also seemed to shift the automatic transmission at better times than if I wasn't using it.  

I was wondering if there's anything wrong with using a cruise control while towing?  

Is it easier on the transmission, engine when using a cruise control?

And by the way my mpg on the last trip (running the a/c most the time) was 18 mpg!  Good right?  That's the City mpg that was on the sticker when I bought it.  I'm talking about a Honda minivan.

[austinado16]

18 towing?  That's great man.

Towing with the cruise on shouldn't be a problem.  The only caveat being, is it okay to tow in top gear.  Some manufacturers don't want the transmission in that top gear or overdrive while towing, but I don't know about the Odessy.

['tiredTeacher]

I was wondering if there's anything wrong with using a cruise control while towing?

My owner's manual says don't do it ... BUT, I do if the terrain is relatively flat. The purpose of the "don't use cruise" while towing is to prevent repeated shifting out of overdrive, which puts excessive wear on the tranny. On a trip to the West (by gawd) Virginia mountains this week, I couldn't use the cruise control. On my trip to the Outer Banks, I used it all the time.

[dthurk]

Is your transmision a 4 speed, with overdrive as the 4th gear?  Would you be able to move your shift lever to a D3 position?  We have a Honda CRV with a button on the shift lever that disables the overdrive setting.  Now, this car is terrible for towing, only rated for 2000 lbs., but it has the towing setting on it.  If the CRV has it and if the Odyssey is rated for 3500 lbs. (as many minivans are), I would think Honda would have put some kind of overdrive disable on it for towing.  If that is the case, disable overdrive and use cruise control.

We tow our 6000 lb travel trailer with a Dodge Durango.  It has a tow/haul setting that disables overdrive and changes the shift points on the transmission.  We use cruise control as often as we possibly can with the tow/haul setting.  Helps with the gas mileage.  Wish we could get 18 mpg with our rig.

[haroldPE]

i believe we have the same drivetrain with our 04 VUE.  it's a honda v6.  tranny is not the best for towing.  it has a 5 speed OD, but you should be towing only in "I" (itermediate), which is 3rd.  4th is not selectable.

tho we towed around 9000 miles with the VUE, pulling close to 3500 lbs, was constantly watching the tachometer, the the tranny would love to disengage torque converter on slight hills, which can generate lots of heat.

all in all, tho, the VUE/honda engine performed great.  no real issues, except towing at around 3300 rpm at 65 mph in the "I" gear.  it bothers some, but this did not bother me, tho.

i am much happier with the new GM/saturn outlook, which tows like a dream compared with the VUE tranny.  it has a fully selectable 6 speed tranny, with a tow button that kicks up the electrical output and reduces gear hunting.  just leave it in OD and tow button takes care of it.

downside to the Outlook is the gas milage.  i miss the great mileage with the old VUE engine/tranny.  

Is your transmision a 4 speed, with overdrive as the 4th gear?  Would you be able to move your shift lever to a D3 position?  We have a Honda CRV with a button on the shift lever that disables the overdrive setting.  Now, this car is terrible for towing, only rated for 2000 lbs., but it has the towing setting on it.  If the CRV has it and if the Odyssey is rated for 3500 lbs. (as many minivans are), I would think Honda would have put some kind of overdrive disable on it for towing.  If that is the case, disable overdrive and use cruise control.
 
 We tow our 6000 lb travel trailer with a Dodge Durango.  It has a tow/haul setting that disables overdrive and changes the shift points on the transmission.  We use cruise control as often as we possibly can with the tow/haul setting.  Helps with the gas mileage.  Wish we could get 18 mpg with our rig.

[Dray]

i believe we have the same drivetrain with our 04 VUE.  it's a honda v6.  tranny is not the best for towing.  it has a 5 speed OD, but you should be towing only in "I" (itermediate), which is 3rd.  4th is not selectable.

tho we towed around 9000 miles with the VUE, pulling close to 3500 lbs, was constantly watching the tachometer, the the tranny would love to disengage torque converter on slight hills, which can generate lots of heat.

all in all, tho, the VUE/honda engine performed great.  no real issues, except towing at around 3300 rpm at 65 mph in the "I" gear.  it bothers some, but this did not bother me, tho.

i am much happier with the new GM/saturn outlook, which tows like a dream compared with the VUE tranny.  it has a fully selectable 6 speed tranny, with a tow button that kicks up the electrical output and reduces gear hunting.  just leave it in OD and tow button takes care of it.

downside to the Outlook is the gas milage.  i miss the great mileage with the old VUE engine/tranny.

Good info.  Thanks.  My TV (Honda Odyssey) is known, like you say, for having bad tranny's.  That's why I'm so concerned.  It seems to do well when I tow, even up the mountains.  But I have no gauges or way of telling the temp.  Is it hard to install a temp guage?  I will check my owners manual for info on keeping it in 3rd.

[dkutz]

I always use the Cruise control while towing.  As long as its flat, when you hit the hills, then no cruise.

[GeneF]

I have had tow/haul on my two Silverados.  I like to use cruise control but try to keep an ear out for how often the tranny is shifting.  If too often, I would take cruise off.

[austinado16]

Good info.  Thanks.  My TV (Honda Odyssey) is known, like you say, for having bad tranny's.  That's why I'm so concerned.  It seems to do well when I tow, even up the mountains.  But I have no gauges or way of telling the temp.  Is it hard to install a temp guage?  I will check my owners manual for info on keeping it in 3rd.

If they are known for bad tranny's try to find out what the cause of the failure is.  That way you can take steps now to avoid a very costly and trip ruining adventure.

Look into upgrading your transmission cooler to the largest you can fit, and then look into the possibility of installing a mechanical transmission temp gauge.

To sort of give you an example, the 700R4 automatic, like my Suburban most all GM cars and trucks used back in the day, had/have a horrible reputation for failure.  It was due to people towing in 4th(overdrive) which is actuated only by a brake band holding a drum in the transmission.  All that load would overheat the band, it would start slipping, burn up all it's friction material, and there you were on the side of the road.

[flyfisherman]

I fall in with the towing using cruise on level highway. I have an '02 GMC Sierra with a small V-8  and tow a smaller PU (GVWR 2100), which is usually loaded to near max, not to mention all the junk I carry in the TV. Anyway, when I start into the hills off comes the cruise and then into the mountains, dropping then down into 3rd.

But the big admonishment around these parts is not to use cruise control in the rain.



Fly

[AustinBoston]

But the big admonishment around these parts is not to use cruise control in the rain.

It is unsafe to use cruise control in rain or slippery conditions whether or not you are towing.

Austin

[brainpause]

It is unsafe to use cruise control in rain or slippery conditions whether or not you are towing.

Austin

Agree. Although I didn't wreck, I learned the hard way, in high school. I was driving a car load of parents to a distant basketball game, cruising in the rain on the highway. No one had ever taught me different.

We started up a hill at around 55mph and the front wheels (front wheel drive) started spinning. I immediately knew what was happening and lightly tapped the brake just to cancel the cruise control.

It can happen. It's not just hearsay.

Larry