# Am I overusing cruise control in my 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** slk-class, mercedes-benz\ **Created:** [July 27, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780 "2018-07-27T18:49:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bob35](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bob35](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bob35)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/1 "2018-07-27T18:49:37Z")
I continually use my cruise control in town as well as on the highway. I use it to slow down and speed up keeping my distance. Am I ruining my cruise control by overuse? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/2 "2018-07-27T19:01:32Z")
No, you are’t ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 2:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/3 "2018-07-28T14:28:03Z")
Check your owner’s manual and see if Benz provides a safe minimum operating speed for the cruise control. If nothing I see there, you can likely continue this practice. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/4 "2018-07-28T14:32:54Z")
I believe around 25mph has traditionally been the minimum cruise control speed for Benzes I’ll go off-topic I don’t think it’s wise or safe to use cruise control within the city . . . not MY city, anyways Too many cars, too many distractions, have to be attentive and ready to slam on the brakes or swerve out of the way at a moment’s notice ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/5 "2018-07-28T15:51:10Z")
I would feel somewhat at risk driving my plebian class Chevrolet in urban traffic using the cruise control but I rarely use cruise even on the interstate. Are Mercedes Benz automobiles really given “class” categories? Which model is the maker’s ‘untouchable?’ ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/6 "2018-07-28T18:19:02Z")
No you aren’t going to wear it out, just maybe driving other people nuts. I never use it in town. It is designed for over the road use on long distances to relief foot pressure. In town it is usually hard to keep a constant speed and likely will reduce your attention to changing traffic patterns. You can anticipate traffic slowing down or coming to a quick stop but your cruise can’t. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/7 "2018-07-28T18:54:26Z")
> [@Rod\_Knox](#): > > Which model is the maker’s ‘untouchable?’ Clearly, it’s the outcast Chrysler. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/8 "2018-07-28T19:40:29Z")
That’s how I use the cruise control in my mother’s car, to control my speed so I don’t accidentally exceed the speed limit. Could the buttons wear out sooner than they otherwise would? Sure, but that’s what they were put there for. In urban traffic it can be dangerous to do anything that might slow your reaction time to an unexpected hazard, but in other environments it’s perfect safe. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/9 "2018-07-28T20:36:31Z")
I use my cruise control much like you do. Twelve year old car, no problems. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/am-i-overusing-cruise-control-in-my-2011-mercedes-benz-slk-class/121780/10 "2018-07-28T21:03:12Z")
Newer cruise controls can react to traffic, I do not know how low our Rav4 cruise control goes but it will adjust speed while using cruise control,