2010 RT Cruise Control issue

[Phil]

I have 4900 miles on the bike and am its second owner. My dealer is closed Mondays so I thought I'd ask here....

I can easily turn the cruise control on & off. The screen confirms that. BUT... when I SET (push down on the switch) at most any speed, it will only engage about 20% of the time (confirmed by the screen going to a green SET. I've tried lots of combinations of SET and RESUME as well off then on. No change.

Sound like a warranty issue?

[NancysToy]

Almost anything that does not work properly is a warranty issue. Just be sure it is repeatable enough for your dealer to be able to duplicate it so he can chase it.

[SpyderFun]

..... Just be sure it is repeatable enough for your dealer to be able to duplicate it so he can chase it.

Intermittent electrical malfunctions are the absolute worse to trouble shoot!
Mechanics/Technicians can not fix it if they can not find it.

[stillriding]

I have 4900 miles on the bike and am its second owner. My dealer is closed Mondays so I thought I'd ask here....

I can easily turn the cruise control on & off. The screen confirms that. BUT... when I SET (push down on the switch) at most any speed, it will only engage about 20% of the time (confirmed by the screen going to a green SET. I've tried lots of combinations of SET and RESUME as well off then on. No change.

Sound like a warranty issue?

I had to deal with the same problem for months before my Spyder Tech convinced BRP that there was, indeed, a problem. At first the cruise control switch was replaced, but the problem continued. Finally the issue was solved when they replaced a whole bunch of "electrical stuff" including both the left and right switch pods (on the handlebars) and the "innards" of my display screen...all under warranty. Problem solved. If the same stuff regarding your screen is replaced you'll end up with -0- miles on your odometer, but BRP will know your actual mileage. I had the dealer provide a letter showing the mileage when the work was done to avoid problems when/if I sell or trade my Spyder. I wouldn't want to be accused of changing the odometer because once the new owner had it plugged into the computer at a Spyder dealer, the true mileage would be revealed. I had ridden 4600 miles when the work was done.

[Phil]

I had to deal with the same problem for months before my Spyder Tech convinced BRP that there was, indeed, a problem. At first the cruise control switch was replaced, but the problem continued. Finally the issue was solved when they replaced a whole bunch of "electrical stuff" including both the left and right switch pods (on the handlebars) and the "innards" of my display screen...all under warranty. Problem solved. If the same stuff regarding your screen is replaced you'll end up with -0- miles on your odometer, but BRP will know your actual mileage. I had the dealer provide a letter showing the mileage when the work was done to avoid problems when/if I sell or trade my Spyder. I wouldn't want to be accused of changing the odometer because once the new owner had it plugged into the computer at a Spyder dealer, the true mileage would be revealed. I had ridden 4600 miles when the work was done.

GREAT ammo! Thanks much. I'll print and take this with me when I take it in.

[dadof4]

Is this an SE5? On my semi-auto in 5th gear I have to be going 45mph for the cruise to work. If I go below 45mph and the cruise is on it will switch off. In 4th gear I must be going at least 40mph and in third at least 35mph for the cruise to work. My dealer was not even aware of this "feature" as the manual indicates it will work above 15mph. Perhaps the 15mph is for first gear???

[Phil]

Is this an SE5? On my semi-auto in 5th gear I have to be going 45mph for the cruise to work. If I go below 45mph and the cruise is on it will switch off. In 4th gear I must be going at least 40mph and in third at least 35mph for the cruise to work. My dealer was not even aware of this "feature" as the manual indicates it will work above 15mph. Perhaps the 15mph is for first gear???

Good point. I did try it in several different gears and speeds... randomly. I did remember that there were minimums, but this is a great reminder. I'll definitely try it at these minimums.

[2NFrnt]

I have 4900 miles on the bike and am its second owner. My dealer is closed Mondays so I thought I'd ask here....

I can easily turn the cruise control on & off. The screen confirms that. BUT... when I SET (push down on the switch) at most any speed, it will only engage about 20% of the time (confirmed by the screen going to a green SET. I've tried lots of combinations of SET and RESUME as well off then on. No change.

Sound like a warranty issue?

Phil, I think I have the same issue as you, but have discovered that the switch is rather picky. If I manage to get my right thumb into the correct position to push the switch down while holding the throttle I hold the button down too long and that seems to void the activation. If I reach over with my left hand and just give the switch a quick push it always works. On mine a quick jab at the switch seems better than a longer hold. I also have discovered that if I push and hold the switch up to the resume position it will set about 90% of the time. Just my 2 cents worth.

Sam

[Phil]

Phil, I think I have the same issue as you, but have discovered that the switch is rather picky. If I manage to get my right thumb into the correct position to push the switch down while holding the throttle I hold the button down too long and that seems to void the activation. If I reach over with my left hand and just give the switch a quick push it always works. On mine a quick jab at the switch seems better than a longer hold. I also have discovered that if I push and hold the switch up to the resume position it will set about 90% of the time. Just my 2 cents worth.

Sam

Hey Sam- That all sounds familiar. I haven't tried the reach over approach yet though Call me chicken! I'm adding this to the investigation list for the dealer. I really need to figure out if this is unique to a few bikes or if its a design issue.

[stillriding]

Is this an SE5? On my semi-auto in 5th gear I have to be going 45mph for the cruise to work. If I go below 45mph and the cruise is on it will switch off. In 4th gear I must be going at least 40mph and in third at least 35mph for the cruise to work. My dealer was not even aware of this "feature" as the manual indicates it will work above 15mph. Perhaps the 15mph is for first gear???

Mine is an SE-5 and I was aware of the limitations depending on which gear it was in. Mine wouldn't even set at 65 mph in fifth. Plus, the accelerate and decelerate features wouldn't work.

[Phil]

Is this an SE5? On my semi-auto in 5th gear I have to be going 45mph for the cruise to work. If I go below 45mph and the cruise is on it will switch off. In 4th gear I must be going at least 40mph and in third at least 35mph for the cruise to work. My dealer was not even aware of this "feature" as the manual indicates it will work above 15mph. Perhaps the 15mph is for first gear???

Sorry Dadof4, Yes... this is an SE5

[johnnyg]

First like every one say 45mph, try this, hold your speed at 50, use your thumb touch the button once let go, if it holds, it's working, Now if you want your speed to go up or down, touch the button one time up or down then WAIT, your speed will either move up our down, ONE MPH ONLY EITHER WAY. Give it time to work ! Once your on flat ground you'll see the speed change [again give it time to work] Try it two or three times and you'll see how it works If you hold the butten more then a second it will not work. JC

[Jornie1]

Just to let you know... I have had the exact same problem that you have described. I lived with the problem for 2-3 months and finally called my dealer and had them order a new switch. The dealer informed me that they had already replaced 2 or 3 C/Control switches. Today, finally, I took my RT in for a Cruise Control switch R&R. Problem solved... Len

I have 4900 miles on the bike and am its second owner. My dealer is closed Mondays so I thought I'd ask here....

I can easily turn the cruise control on & off. The screen confirms that. BUT... when I SET (push down on the switch) at most any speed, it will only engage about 20% of the time (confirmed by the screen going to a green SET. I've tried lots of combinations of SET and RESUME as well off then on. No change.

Sound like a warranty issue?

[Phil]

First like every one say 45mph, try this, hold your speed at 50, use your thumb touch the button once let go, if it holds, it's working, Now if you want your speed to go up or down, touch the button one time up or down then WAIT, your speed will either move up our down, ONE MPH ONLY EITHER WAY. Give it time to work ! Once your on flat ground you'll see the speed change [again give it time to work] Try it two or three times and you'll see how it works If you hold the button more then a second it will not work. JC

Thanks JC. On the basic 'how to', I have that down. You are 100% correct on doing the 'tap' and wait rather than holding like I can on my car. I still say that the switch in touchy and should be replaced.

I rode SpYdee to work today and tried the ideas from 'dadof4'. That SEEMS to be the secret... BUT even then it was not 100%. So... there seems to be a relationship more to RPM than MPH. But it really was weird having a 35mph SET point in 3rd gear burning lots of gas in a residential street on which I normally use 4th or 5th. I'd love to find a way to adjust that. I use cruise on residential streets to help me stay at the speed limit all the time.

I sent this thread to my dealer and he's getting with Can Am so I don't have to leave it 2 weeks while they try things. HUGE help gang. Thanks so much!!

[dadof4]

What bugs me is if you set it at 45/46mph in 5th is as soon as you hit an incline and it dips below 45mph it kicks off. The same is true for the other gears with their respective MPH levels. You think they would have programmed it like a home thermostat with an on-off cycle gap.

[NancysToy]

Your rpm at 45 mph in fifth would be very close to the automatic downshift point. The cruise has to kick out before that for safety reasons. Even though it is set for a specific speed, it cannot respond quickly enough to control your speed if you suddenly go down a gear. It would hold the same throttle setting momentarily, speeding you up...perhaps dangerously. Keep the rpm up and you will have no problem. This machine was not made to operate effectively at 2,500-3,000 rpm.

Cruise was meant for the highway, not city streets, IMO.

[Phil]

Your rpm at 45 mph in fifth would be very close to the automatic downshift point. The cruise has to kick out before that for safety reasons. Even though it is set for a specific speed, it cannot respond quickly enough to control your speed if you suddenly go down a gear. It would hold the same throttle setting momentarily, speeding you up...perhaps dangerously. Keep the rpm up and you will have no problem. This machine was not made to operate effectively at 2,500-3,000 rpm.

Cruise was meant for the highway, not city streets, IMO.

That does makes sense. I just tend to get lead-footed in town and love the speed nanny. Oh well... not a biggie now that I understand.

Thanks!

[GeoffCee]

Cruise was meant for the highway, not city streets, IMO.

My Honda Civic car with its stick-shift transmission is the only experience I have of cruise control, (I don't take delivery of my Spyder RT until March next year), and I agree that cruise is best reserved for the highway.

Cruise settings in my Honda are instantly cancelled whenever I touch the brake pedal or change gear, both of which I do too often in town traffic for cruise to be a really effective driving aid. On the highway, though, cruise is useful for maintaining a legal speed or as a control when I am attempting to maximise fuel economy.