# Why Does My Cruise Control Have An Off Button? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535 "2014-08-11T16:54:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![raweber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@raweber](https://community.cartalk.com/u/raweber)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/1 "2014-08-11T16:54:58Z")
Seriously. I’ve never, in my entire 30-year driving life, ever wanted to turn off my cruise control. Cancel, yes. Off, no. Heck, turning it on is one more bothersome step before I get to pedal-less driving Nirvana. Not to mention the times (because I between work and home I drive three different cars with the cruise controls in different locations) where I’ve accidentally turned the cruise completely off. Then, instead of just hitting resume, I have to get back up to speed manually and reset the cruise (once I’ve found the button to turn the darn thing on again). So, really, can someone give me a real answer (possibly technical) as to why it is possible to turn a cruise control completely on or off? Rob Weber Suffolk, VA ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/2 "2014-08-11T17:03:50Z")
> Not to mention the times (because I between work and home I drive three different cars with the cruise controls in different locations) where I've accidentally turned the cruise completely off If you can accidentally turn it off then you don’t want someone to accidentally to turn it ON. Cruise control is nice when on long trips…but NOT for commute traffic around big cities. Boston is the worse I’ve driven in…but I’m sure there are many just as bad. The cruise on our Toyota’s - I guess it’s possible to turn them off and on. But not likely. Wifes 87 and 96 Accord…it was very difficult to turn it off accidentally…it was located on the dash. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2014, 5:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/3 "2014-08-11T17:17:16Z")
Controlling engine speed with the accelerator pedal never seemed very taxing to me. I am amazed at drivers who feel compelled to weave through traffic and tailgate cars in their efforts to keep their cruise locked in. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/4 "2014-08-11T17:27:33Z")
I would not want a cruise control that you couldn’t turn off. It’s for safety. There are times that cruise control is not needed and in those times…I want the cruise control off. ---
**Author:** ![meanjoe75fan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meanjoe75fan/32/552_2.png) [@meanjoe75fan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meanjoe75fan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/5 "2014-08-11T17:58:13Z")
It’s like a safety on a gun…it prevents accidental operation of the cruise control. System OFF…System ARMED…System ON. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 6:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/6 "2014-08-11T18:05:48Z")
If you were teaching someone to drive, you might want the cruise control to be off when driving in the city after getting off the highway to prevent accidental acceleration. ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/7 "2014-08-11T19:07:08Z")
You keep one thumb at the ready… when you see the cop…OFF !..and instantly begin to slow with no brake lights to give yourself away. ---
**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:** [August 11, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/8 "2014-08-11T21:26:32Z")
You should never use cruise control in low traction conditions, so turning it off can prevent accidental usage. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/9 "2014-08-12T00:20:09Z")
I use the on/off button. The only time I use the cancel button is when I expect to resume the same speed again after needing to slow for a bit. I could just tap the brakes but when I see someone flash their brake lights on the freeway, that to me is a warning that a hazard is ahead so I never tap the brakes unless no one is around in back of me. I’ve got auto on lights too but have an on/off switch for them. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/10 "2014-08-12T03:23:18Z")
It is unsafe to engage the cruise control when the roads are slick. If you can turn it off, it won’t be accidentally engaged. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 3:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/11 "2014-08-12T03:39:41Z")
I would hope that the cruise on/off button cuts power to the cruise circuitry in a fail-safe way, in case there’s a malfunction. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/12 "2014-08-12T03:51:33Z")
Really? Sometimes you want to end the CC without stepping on the pedal. It sounds as if you have issues about non issue items. You have a rant about an extra button. Don’t like it, don’t use it. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/13 "2014-08-12T03:55:02Z")
_circuitsmith wrote: I would hope that the cruise on/off button cuts power to the cruise circuitry in a fail-safe way, in case there’s a malfunction._ Now that you mention it, I vaguely recall a discussion here where a sticking accelerate button was suspected. With a problem like that, it would be good to keep the cruise control turned off until it was fixed. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/14 "2014-08-12T04:43:30Z")
I agree. It’s an optional device that some people prefer never to use. Why not have a shut off, especially for those drivers. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2014, 4:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/15 "2014-08-12T04:54:55Z")
Just curious. Do the newer semis have cruise control. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 5:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/16 "2014-08-12T05:08:25Z")
The brake switch can fail…The cruise does not disengage as you expected…The “off” switch acts like a fail-safe… ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 5:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/17 "2014-08-12T05:40:37Z")
Why does my radio have an off button? Never in my 30 years of driving have I wanted to turn off the music. I just use the volume control to turn it down. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2014, 7:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/18 "2014-08-12T07:08:17Z")
@"Rod\_Knox, yes, newer semis have CC. However, on governed trucks the top speed cruising is usually one or two MPH slower than the truck’s top governed speed. ---
**Author:** ![B.L.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@B.L.E](https://community.cartalk.com/u/B.L.E)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 7:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/19 "2014-08-12T07:22:17Z")
I use the off switch a lot when I use cruise control. Also, I find CC very handy for obeying school zone and speed trap community speed limits without accidently going over, not just for long freeway trips. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2014, 7:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535/20 "2014-08-12T07:47:47Z")
If the cruise control was always on and ready to respond to a switch input when someone bumps the resume while making a turn or holds the accelerate button while searching for the lit cigarette in their lap panic will set in. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/why-does-my-cruise-control-have-an-off-button/86535.md?page=2)