Cruise control dropping out...

[Chris T]

My Grenadier has had a couple of longer runs down to Cairns and back, when I used the cruise control. It seems to work well. It drops out automatically if you touch the brakes, as it should

However, mine drops out all the time. If I go over a bump or cattle grid, it drops out. That's understandable and not a worry. Some times it drops out for no reason I can figure. Worst of all, if there is a gusty wind around, it can drop out very quickly, from a few second to a few minutes and I have to press the reset button. The last 75 km home tonight, it must have dropped out 20-30 times on a road that is smooth and flat. This is really irritating - does anyone else have this behaviour?

Yes this happened to me a few time driving down the highway as well.

I wasn’t doing anything when I cut out. It seemed to correlate with the car accelerating up hill to maintain speed and then it cut out. The first time I thought I did something but then it occurred a few times after but then stopped occurring.

Very strange.

 

[Jean Mercier]

I saw 30 and wondered is that even a real speed

On this topic - none of the vehicles I have owned ever had a dropping out of the cruise control... I'll see how this goes on the road north of Gympie in the longer trips and out to the Aunts house over bumpy regional one lane roads!

30 km/h is probably a real speed for a Grenadier, don't forget off-road

What disturbs me is that Cruise Control stays on when I switch from automatic gear to manual gear (gearing down for instance). It should go off when you do that.

 

[ericge]

Latest update: my Grenadier has been in for a software update. Driving down to Cairns (about 300 km of open road plus some busier stretches) the cruise control dropped out 30 times...

The good news is that for the return journey, after the update, it 'only' dropped out 6 times. Progress of a sort, I suppose.

 

[DenisM]

I'm confused in that the local Bris. dealer seems to be sticking to the story that Ineos Australia hasn't released the full s/w update.

Do you know what was updated and can you get info. on yr. current S/w version?

EDIT: @ericge : do you know whether the Bloomfield track is open?

 

[ddv]

I'm confused in that the local Bris. dealer seems to be sticking to the story that Ineos Australia hasn't released the full s/w update.

Do you know what was updated and can you get info. on yr. current S/w version?

EDIT: @ericge : do you know whether the Bloomfield track is open?

There are two elements to the software update. The first element upgrades the headunit and is indicated by the software version 1946. This update will address many of the random error messages that come on the infotainment unit and includes some enhancements. This update has been installed on some vehicles (including mine).

The second element is an update of the various ECU modules. This is a more complex update procedure and currently has not been implemented in Australia.
So the Brisbane dealer's statement is correct - the FULL s/w update has not yet been released but a partial update is available (at least via some dealers)

 

[AnD3rew]

I experienced this a little as well, pretty sure that it happens with a bump in the road and my strong suspicion is that it drops out when the ESC activates. I can certainly understand the logic of that. I haven’t experienced it in other cars, maybe it is a little over sensitive but maybe the live axle setup makes a heavy vehicle a bit more sensitive at speed to esc activation.

 

[ericge]

I'm confused in that the local Bris. dealer seems to be sticking to the story that Ineos Australia hasn't released the full s/w update.

Do you know what was updated and can you get info. on yr. current S/w version?

EDIT: @ericge : do you know whether the Bloomfield track is open?

Sure it's open - no rain expected.

 

[alvan]

There are two elements to the software update. The first element upgrades the headunit and is indicated by the software version 1946. This update will address many of the random error messages that come on the infotainment unit and includes some enhancements. This update has been installed on some vehicles (including mine).

The second element is an update of the various ECU modules. This is a more complex update procedure and currently has not been implemented in Australia.
So the Brisbane dealer's statement is correct - the FULL s/w update has not yet been released but a partial update is available (at least via some dealers)

I can confirm this. I got the full update and it is a quite complex procedure, performed with assistance in remote by Ineos. Five ECU updates and one for the headunit. Total time around two hours, but the result is spotless. Since then (one month ago and more than 1000 km) no error at all.

 

[TD5-90]

I would assume a sensor/sensor power (fuse, cabling, contact problem) problem. Brake or clutch.

AWo

Clutch...

 

[emax]

...

Defender driver down to the bones.

 

[emax]

The cruise control switches off below < 30 km/h.

Since the speedometer is (technically seen) not a real time device, it might sometimes look like switching off too early at 30 or 31 Kmh as there is a small delay between measurement and rendering on the display. And I had a few situations where it looked like not switching off at 29 Kmh (due to delay).

 

[Outlander]

I can confirm this. I got the full update and it is a quite complex procedure, performed with assistance in remote by Ineos. Five ECU updates and one for the headunit. Total time around two hours, but the result is spotless. Since then (one month ago and more than 1000 km) no error at all.

Did you find any improvement after the ECU update, like fuel economy, or power increase, etc?

 

[Tinerfeño]

Just a guess: As there are control buttons on steering wheel they are wired through the same lead spiral as airbag and audio controls. This is usually of same flat type as used in computers, etc. It is possible that there is a manufacturing fault and the bump causes faulty wire sending improper signal to cruise control ECU. I've seen this happening on Land Rovers (Disco 2, 3, and 4, and Range Rover Sport).

This may not raise fault code but if diagnostic equipment can show live values it may be possible to see it happen when steering wheel is turned and possibly buttons activated at the same time.

 

[Gareth]

First long trip in our new Trialmaster - 500km of highway driving - and cruise control was starting to drop out every 10 mins or so. Open road, no interaction with brake or steering wheel controls, could reset and carry on.
No idea why...

 

[ericge]

An update to this topic: The control module mounted on the steering column failed - I gather this is a glitch that is being dealt with. I pulled the fuse to the wipers (permanently working) and drove to Cairns very carefully (330 km) with warnings that brakes and steering may not be performing properly. Our Cairns dealer Westco took a new unit out of vehicle they had just received and got us back on the road to Townsville in not much more than and hour - our thanks to the guys there - Nathan and Fabrice.

The new control module had no impact on the cruise control drop-out which average out at somewhere between every 10-15km. This issue has been escalated up the chain and hopefully will eventually be corrected. One piece of information that must mean something, but I don't know what. Driving north about 150 km from Cairns, you pass through a very small place called Mary Farms. The approach to the bridge is a long sweeping curve which you can happily take at 100 kph. The last three times I have driven this road, cruise control had a double drop-out in exactly the same place on this curve. Can't be a coincidence, but what does it mean?

 

[emax]

If side forces exceed a limit (which is defined or configured in the firmware and can not be changed by end users) the cruise control drops out. So it seems so that it works as designed. It is the same in my 24 yr. old Merc W203.

One can however question two things here:
- is it a good design?
- is the side force limit configured too low?

The latter one is strongly dependent from the driver's skills, but even more from how the cargo load is distributed in your car: A higher roof load will for example need a lower limit. They (the firmware developers) will however always go for the worst case and assume a driver with low driving skills.

 

[bigleonski]

First long trip in our new Trialmaster - 500km of highway driving - and cruise control was starting to drop out every 10 mins or so. Open road, no interaction with brake or steering wheel controls, could reset and carry on.
No idea why...

Yep, 2,200km over 4 days and days 3 and 4 the cruise control dropped out periodically for no apparent reason.

 

[Clark Kent]

Yep, 2,200km over 4 days and days 3 and 4 the cruise control dropped out periodically for no apparent reason.

Had this happen for the first time last weekend (11,000 on the odo). Two possible contributions I can identify:
1. I had just filled my (diesel) tank to first click about 10 mins earlier; and
2. I was travelling at 100km/h on a section of B road that was uneven and causing a lot of sideways pitching (rolling).
The discussions about a possible fuel level sensor issue and an ESC intervention seem valid.
Potential for the high fuel level to splash back on a sensor? Unsure why that would be an issue.
ESC overly sensitive to roll motion at speed?

 

[DaveB]

Yep, 2,200km over 4 days and days 3 and 4 the cruise control dropped out periodically for no apparent reason.

Mine has dropped out occasionally if I hit a large pothole, sharp bump or sudden sideways movement due to poor quality road surface.

 

[ericge]

If side forces exceed a limit (which is defined or configured in the firmware and can not be changed by end users) the cruise control drops out. So it seems so that it works as designed. It is the same in my 24 yr. old Merc W203.

One can however question two things here:
- is it a good design?
- is the side force limit configured too low?

The latter one is strongly dependent from the driver's skills, but even more from how the cargo load is distributed in your car: A higher roof load will for example need a lower limit. They (the firmware developers) will however always go for the worst case and assume a driver with low driving skills.

My worst trip for drop-outs did come when I had some heavy flat-pack kitchen cupboards on board - right at the back of an otherwise empty vehicle i.e. a badly distributed load. Other trips are just two people and hand luggage but still have drop-outs every 10-15 km