Just wondering if anybody has gone through this with both auto-stop and cruise control not working.

The auto-stop: even with the IMA fully charged (or just down one or two bars), the car won't go into auto-stop even, fully warmed up, after 30 miles of freeway. Then it will decide to go into auto-stop, but won't come out when I leave the brake pedal and step on the gas. They only way to get the engine to reengage is to shift into neutral (!). Then the next day, auto-stop will work perfectly.

Cruise control: very sporadic and getting worse. The car just won't go into cruise control. Turning the cruise on and off (the left button) has no effect. Again, some days are worse than others.

Both of these problems developed pretty close together, so I figure they might be related.

I've been in once and of course the car wasn't doing either of those things that day. Service said it might be related to the brake recall. After they did that, no problems for a solid week, then back again.

I'm trying to decide whether to bring it in before the big holiday week or to wait. Part of the decision is trying to figure out what it'll be like as it gets worse.

Thanks for any advice, folks!

 

geige:
What year and month is your HCH?

Also, when was your car last serviced by the dealer and what type of service did they perform?

Cheers;

MSantos

 

Auto-stop is closely related to the HVAC system, but many techs don't look there for faults. Make sure that your service looks not only in the engine and transmission controllers for faults, but the air conditioner controller as well. This is where my auto-stop issue was found.

 

Made in May 2006.

As to service, it's had two oil changes in 11/06 and 6/06. There was a recall service in 2/06, I think for the seat belt issue. Then two weeks ago, they did the brake pedal fluid recall.

 

Thanks, I'll ask them to take a look there.

 

This is nuts, but I was just able to cause both conditions to occur and go away by turning the lights on and off. I'll post the outcome when I bring it in for service.

 

Wierd. I'm interested to know what's going on.

 

I got the car back today. Apparently a rear brake light bulb had blown causing a short circuit. When I turned on the lights, the car's brain got a signal that the brake lights were on, therefore disabling auto stop and cruise control!

I hope this actually fixes it. I brought the car in a few weeks ago and they were hoping that doing the brake recall would take of it, which it seemed to for about a week.

It does make sense, though.

 

That's weird. I'm glad you got it all figured out.

 

"When I turned on the lights, the car's brain got a signal that the brake lights were on, therefore disabling auto stop and cruise control!"

Simply amazing. Cars are increadibly complex these days