[mdwilson]

Hello Gang, I love reading from this forum, and love my 2008 RTS Ridgeline. I have an issue I wonder if I can somehow set some custom programing on the cruise control? The issue is that I can set my cruise at 80mph, (welcome to Montana), as a climb a hill on the highway the actual speed will slow down to 75 MPH, before it will downshift to accelerate to 80 MPH again, can I set my cruise to kick in when the speed drops only a few mph below the set speed?

side question, I took my dash off, and bumped my gas gage needle, and now when it read half full, the tank is basically empty. I tried to set it, again with my finger, by pushing it to wear I thought the gas level was, but it's not right. THe light works correctly when it is running out. Can I flash the board to reset it?

thanks for all the awesome answer, I hope someone can post an answer, let me know if I didn't clearly describe the background to me questions! thanks~!

 

[Dnick]

I think you're outta luck hoping for a 'custom' adjustment on your cruise control (Joe???).

And I've no clue on your fuel gauge... sorry, but I'm 'empty' too in this case!

 

[chiph]

That's how the cruise control works. I-10 through the panhandle of Florida has lots of rolling hills and it would do that every time. I got fairly bad MPG through there as a result, and ended up driving without cruise on.

Technically, without something like one the forward-facing radar/lidar units used on the collision-avoidance systems, there's no way it could predict a hill, so it's always reacting to hills vs. anticipating them.

Chip H.

 

[Carsmak]

It's one of the common complaints and other Honda's have the same issue. More than anything the Cruise or Transmission waits too long to kick down compared to other vehicles. And I have no real suggestions on your Fuel Gauge.

If you take it apart the dash again some photos may help. Unsure if it is a part that can be replaced. Also you may have bent the indicator and there may be no fix except to replace it. Good Luck and keep us posted...

 

[zroger73]

The cruise control algorithm is part of the PCM programming. I believe some custom PCM programming has been tinkered with for the 2006-2008 PCM, but the newer PCM in 2009-2014 is challenging enough to "hack" that I've not heard of any custom programming for it. Either way, it is highly unlikely that any of the few people that do custom programs care much about how the cruise control operates. I'd say your question and request is as far as that will ever go.

 

[mdwilson]

Thank you all the reply! I will get some pictures soon! I will for now, predict hills and bump my speed faster on the steering wheel controls pre-hills and down on the way down the hill. I really appreciate this forum! all the best, happy driving!

 

[chiph]

You know you can just use the gas pedal to accelerate up a hill, and let the cruise control handle it down the hill (provided it's not too steep!)

Chip H.

 

[feetdry]

Take it from someone who drives MT, ID, WY, ID, OR and WA at 80 plus in those three eastern states with an 08 RTL with 200,000 on the clock and driving about 95 per cent of the time on CC. Take it from someone who is out there, that is the way these Honda's work. I drive at 5 over on CC most of my miles.

 

[rollinhonda]

Take it from someone who drives MT, ID, WY, ID, OR and WA at 80 plus in those three eastern states with an 08 RTL with 200,000 on the clock and driving about 95 per cent of the time on CC. Take it from someone who is out there, that is the way these Honda's work. I drive at 5 over on CC most of my miles.

I pretty much follow your pattern on the open road including the +5. I know there are serious hypermilers out there that cringe at the thought of over-revs when climbing grades, etc. with CC on versus modulating the pedal manually until floating over the crest. And that's fine. Maybe for some it is an art form.

For me it comes down to being practical. I would not be driving a brick anyway if trying to squeeze out the last drop of fuel in the most efficient manner.
Call it compromise if they want, I call it being pragmatic and more interested in enjoying the ride and being alert to road hazards while minimizing the work I need to put into it.

 

[SpeedPunk]

You know you can just use the gas pedal to accelerate up a hill, and let the cruise control handle it down the hill (provided it's not too steep!)

Chip H.

What he said!

 

[Jonb]

Definitely one of my biggest complaints about Honda is the CC, both my RL and my wifes civic do it. I honestly thought something was wrong with the RL when I first got it because my previous GM vehicles did not do this at all

I hate being the guy on the highway that is constantly changing speed even though I am using CC. On flat land you set the CC to 70, going up a hill you slow down to 66-67 then at the peak of the hill it will speed up to 72 then settles back at 70 once on flat land again. It is truly annoying.

 

[rollinhonda]

I can't say I've experienced a lot of variation maybe 1 or 2 mph for a short time on the steepest grades, and In CA we have lots of long climbs and descents on major highways.
I don't think it can be totally avoided due to the momentum of the vehicle as is responds to changing forces. It seems the CC does a decent job.

 

[carlson03]

Definitely one of my biggest complaints about Honda is the CC, both my RL and my wifes civic do it. I honestly thought something was wrong with the RL when I first got it because my previous GM vehicles did not do this at all

I hate being the guy on the highway that is constantly changing speed even though I am using CC. On flat land you set the CC to 70, going up a hill you slow down to 66-67 then at the peak of the hill it will speed up to 72 then settles back at 70 once on flat land again. It is truly annoying.

Weird, wife's old Torrent SUV did something very similar to the RL...the RL does take a few mph's before kicking in, my Accord does too, only about 2 it seems like...the best was my previous Mercedes, uphill and downhill, all of them would keep their speed exactly at the crusing speed, was awesome. BTW all, at what mileage left in the tank does the fuel light come on? I was at 39 miles left and it still wasn't on, but went ahead and filled up.

 

[Jonb]

Weird, wife's old Torrent SUV did something very similar to the RL...the RL does take a few mph's before kicking in, my Accord does too, only about 2 it seems like...the best was my previous Mercedes, uphill and downhill, all of them would keep their speed exactly at the crusing speed, was awesome. BTW all, at what mileage left in the tank does the fuel light come on? I was at 39 miles left and it still wasn't on, but went ahead and filled up.

To be fair both GM vehicles were 450hp+ modified muscle cars(camaro and GTO) they rarely had to downshift on the highway and took little effort to go up a hill. The GTO with an auto pretty much sat in the TQ sweet spot on the highway so 400+ft lbs were on tap instantly. It was a pretty common occurrence to pass vehicles as soon as we came to a hill even thought we were cruising together for miles prior to the hill at the same set speed.

 

[Uncle Festus]

BTW all, at what mileage left in the tank does the fuel light come on? I was at 39 miles left and it still wasn't on, but went ahead and filled up.

Mine comes on with 35 - 45 miles of range left, seems to vary depending on the mpg you get for the last tank or two. You will notice that the calculated range when you fill up will vary the same way...

 

[rollinhonda]

Mine comes on with 35 - 45 miles of range left, seems to vary depending on the mpg you get for the last tank or two. You will notice that the calculated range when you fill up will vary the same way...

So do you get more advanced warning if your mileage sucks?

 

[Uncle Festus]

So do you get more advanced warning if your mileage sucks?

Not sure - my mileage has been pretty good so far. The last two weeks I have been driving back and forth from Dallas on the expressways, more traffic than I experience on my normal commute. Had maybe 15% crawling bumper-to-bumper traffic but most of the miles have been with reasonable traffic, speeds 70-80 mph, lots of speed up - slow down action like everywhere there is heavy traffic. Filled up yesterday, 401.9 miles on tank, 19.610 gallons = 20.49 mpg, not bad considering the speed variation.

 

[Heli ATP]

Mine comes on with 35 - 45 miles of range left, seems to vary depending on the mpg you get for the last tank or two. You will notice that the calculated range when you fill up will vary the same way...

If I let it go that low I limit myself to 30 miles after the light comes on. I believe the light comes on at 3.3gl, and I wouldn't like to have less than a gallon remaining before I fill up.

 

[Ourfarm09]

Hello Gang, I love reading from this forum, and love my 2008 RTS Ridgeline. I have an issue I wonder if I can somehow set some custom programing on the cruise control? The issue is that I can set my cruise at 80mph, (welcome to Montana), as a climb a hill on the highway the actual speed will slow down to 75 MPH, before it will downshift to accelerate to 80 MPH again, can I set my cruise to kick in when the speed drops only a few mph below the set speed?

side question, I took my dash off, and bumped my gas gage needle, and now when it read half full, the tank is basically empty. I tried to set it, again with my finger, by pushing it to wear I thought the gas level was, but it's not right. THe light works correctly when it is running out. Can I flash the board to reset it?

thanks for all the awesome answer, I hope someone can post an answer, let me know if I didn't clearly describe the background to me questions! thanks~!

Try taking the needle off of the fuel gauge a re positioning it.