09-28-2006, 07:01 PM
The cruise control uses the speed sensor (usually mounted on the tranny), so wouldn't wheelspin make the system think that the speed is above where it should be? The cruise control should close the throttle plate at that point.
I think this is entirely false and it really IS an urban legend. This has been passed around the Internet over and over since 2002. As we all know, hardly anyone in the general public knows anything about how a car works... let alone the cruise control system.
Is it good to use your cruise control in the rain? Of course not. I just don't think it will cause the car to accelerate unabated when the tires lose traction.
Here's a quotation from popularmechanics.com:
I think this is entirely false and it really IS an urban legend. This has been passed around the Internet over and over since 2002. As we all know, hardly anyone in the general public knows anything about how a car works... let alone the cruise control system.
Is it good to use your cruise control in the rain? Of course not. I just don't think it will cause the car to accelerate unabated when the tires lose traction.
Here's a quotation from popularmechanics.com:
Quote:URBAN LEGEND
The legend has been related to us by all manner of people, including a couple of state police officers. Using the cruise control in rainy or slick conditions will make your car speed up uncontrollably, until you lose control and crash. It's a myth. Engaging the cruise will not make the car speed up. The cruise will attempt to maintain a steady speed. If the wheels lose traction and the car starts to slow down, the cruise will speed up the engine to attempt to accelerate back to the set speed. This will make the drivewheels spin more briskly. The vehicle speed will go slower, regardless of how furiously the wheels spin. If you have a rear-wheel-drive car, the effect is to destabilize the vehicle, and you probably will spin out unless the vehicle regains traction in a reasonable length of time. A front-wheel-drive car with spinning tires will attempt to continue in a more or less straight line--which will make steering control dodgy at best.
Heavy rain or snow makes use of the cruise control inadvisable, but such conditions certainly won't make your car accelerate to ludicrous speeds while you hang on for dear life. If the cruise is engaged and you perceive a loss of traction, the best bet is to tap the brake to disengage the system, and then add just enough throttle to maintain steering until the vehicle slows down to a more appropriate speed.