1990 Dodge Grand Caravan Cruise Control very aggressive

[newsgroups]

I've got a 1990 Dodge Grand Caravan with the 3.3L V6 engine. The cruise control has always been very aggressive on this van - if it starts loosing any speed at all, it will downshift and practically floor the gas. Every other car I've driven has been much more gentle about accelerating and will wait a bit before downshifting. This van has always been like this, but I'm wondering if there is any adjustment I can use so it doesn't slam on the gas quite so hard. Thanks, Eric Kotz

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

I've got a 1990 Dodge Grand Caravan with the 3.3L V6 engine. The cruise control has always been very aggressive on this van - if it starts loosing any speed at all, it will downshift and practically floor the gas. Every other car I've driven has been much more gentle about accelerating and will wait a bit before downshifting. This van has always been like this, but I'm wondering if there is any adjustment I can use so it doesn't slam on the gas quite so hard.

Usual cause of this behavior is binding or maladjusted cruise servo-to-throttle cable.

DS

 

[maxpower]

If the vehicle operator **repeatedly** presses and releases the SET button with their foot off of the accelerator (a "lift foot set" to begin speed control operation), the vehicle may accelerate and exceed the desired set speed by up to 5 MPH (8 km/h) and then decelerate to less than the desired set speed before finally achieving the desired set speed.

The speed control has an adaptive strategy (ability to learn) that compensates for vehicle-to-vehicle variations in speed control cable lengths. When the speed control is set with the vehicle operators foot off of the accelerator pedal, the speed control "thinks" there is excessive speed control cable slack and adapts (learns). If "lift foot sets" are continually used, the speed control overshoot/undershoot condition will develop.

To "unlearn" the overshoot/undershoot condition, the vehicle operator has to press and release the SET button while maintaining the desired set speed with the accelerator pedal (not decelerating or accelerating), and then turn the speed control switch to the OFF position **(or press the CANCEL button, if equipped) after the speed control has been engaged for 10 seconds or longer.** This procedure must be performed approximately 10-15 times to completely unlearn the overshoot/undershoot condition.

 

[Matt Whiting]

I've got a 1990 Dodge Grand Caravan with the 3.3L V6 engine. The cruise control has always been very aggressive on this van - if it starts loosing any speed at all, it will downshift and practically floor the gas. Every other car I've driven has been much more gentle about accelerating and will wait a bit before downshifting. This van has always been like this, but I'm wondering if there is any adjustment I can use so it doesn't slam on the gas quite so hard. Thanks, Eric Kotz

My 96 and 03 vans are the same way. They downshift with very little added throttle. It isn't just the cruise control, it is the engine/transmission control programming. The cruise doesn't make it downshift any faster than your foot pressing the throttle.

Matt