I've just begun to use my cruise control (after break-in period) and have noticed when it's on it feels, well, jerky. I'm not really sure how to explain it, but it's not a smooth ride like you'd expect. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

Mine was never jerky, but it does seem to have a "settle in" period. If I haven't used it in awhile, it seems to rove up and down a mph or two before it settles down on the right speed.
Only suggestion is try using it with the sport button off. I dunno?

 

You might want to get that looked at. Cruise on mine has always been consistent, with the sport button on or off. But I did have a Jag once that did something similar and they had to replace a control on the car.

 

Cruise on mine has always worked quite well although I rarely use it. You should have it checked out.

 

Took a 300+ mile road trip this past weekend and used the cruise control quite a bit and I must say that I was very impressed with it. I never once felt any "jerkiness", in fact it was extremely smooth. I particularly like how it slowly decelerates when you touch the cruise off button, that's a nice touch.

 

smooth as silk

 

Romi used to have a small ebb and flow to her cruise control. When I took her in for an oil change, the dealer updated her firmware and she has been smooth as silk since then.

 

Mine is always rock solid. I've never sensed any deviation in it.

 

my mcs with cruise is smoother and silker than my old corolla toyota with cruise. take yours to your dealer under the warranty.

 

If I set it at 68, it stays at 68, but it's as if someone has their finger on the throttle and wiggling it (if you could even do that). I think I'll take it in....

 

+1

Is this with a manual transmission? If so, at what speed, and what rpm is it jerky?

When does it jerk? Is it when applying power, or what?

 

I use cruise control extensively, even in-town when possible....and am quite impressed with how steady it is...and I like the cruise control placement on the steering wheel......except, it won't limit speed on a long down hill, but that's probably a fault of MINI's having no compression braking. On a long downhill, it's hard to limit speed even downshifting one or two gears, without using brakes.

 

Manual. I've only used it a few times but it was always set somewhere between 60 - 70mph. It happens on flat surfaces, not while trying to maintain speed going up a hill.

 

I just used it a lot on a long trip and it worked well on my MCa. The only funkiness I ever experienced was when I chose to resume a fixed speed and it would drop down 2 gears to get to that speed. And really if I was shifting I would have only gone down one to 5th, two was pretty extreme going over 60 in 4th.

 

MCa also and Cruise Control is smooth and steady, especially like the momentary display of speed setting in the tach that appears with (+) or (-) button.

Also thought that the downshifting on Resume was excessive and so I just move shift lever over to Manual Mode to hold the gear it's in.

Would imagine that just a couple taps (at a time) on the (+) Button for a gradual increase in speed would give best fuel economy.

 

You are in sixth gear at those speeds?

Can you describe the jerks? When do they happen? How often? More details would help.

 

Yes, I am in 6th at those speeds (60-70). It happens consistently on flat surfaces and while throttle is maintaining speed going up "hills", like bridge approached, etc.

As I said earlier in the post, it's hard to describe - kind of like someone with their finger on the throttle moving it back and forth ever so slightly. I can feel it, but the tac doesn't move that I can see.

I need to have someone in the car with me to see if they can feel what I'm talking about, or if I'm just losing it.... I know if I take it into the dealership, they'll be like, "huh"?

 

Not to be insensitive to anyone, but it feels like Moondoggie has Parkinson's Disease when it's on. That's the best way I know how to describe it.

 

Something is definitely wrong then.

 

I'm just now reading this (had been looking for something else), but I MIGHT have an answer of sorts. Shortly after I took delivery of mine in February, 2007, I noticed that the cruise control "dropped out" periodically, although it did engage smoothly. I reported it here, and to my SA, and eventually--maybe July?--a fix was found. It was a software glitch.

So, I had it flashed, and that problem was corrected, only to be replaced with the "rough engage" problem you describe. My solution was to apply power subtly while switching it on, and it was all right, but not great.

Fast forward another few months to last fall, and my SZL went out (has 4 unrelated symptoms--look it up). My car had to be flashed again, and lo and behold--the cruise control smoothness was back! (Also found the auto wipers now engaged through a button at the end of the stalk, instead of by moving the stalk upwards, as in the manual.)

My suggestion, either wait until something has to be done that requires a flash, or ask for it. I would let your SA drive it so s/he feels the jerkiness.

 

I have a 2009 MCS auto and used the cruise control (for short periods, so as not to run long periods at one speed during break-in) this past weekend. It was very smooth.

 

After reading all these responses you need to make a trip to the dealer. Your condition is not normal....good luck.

 

It might be adjusting mine did that about the first 15 times, now it never dos it

 

('07 MCS 6-sp MT, rarely set cruise, but ~75mph in 6th when I do)
Ugh - I know EXACTLY what you mean! When I engage CC for the 1st time in a key cycle I get a pretty big rpm flare. 2nd and 3rd time on a trip it gets better than you can't feel it at all.
When CC is on it's not well controlled. It feels like someone with an unsteady foot is driving. Tiny surges, not enough that the tach moves and barely enough that you feel every one, but enough to make me carsick on a trip.
My dealer told me it was "normal." I didn't even ask them to fix it, just observe and document so MINI could see there was a problem and get a fix into a running change. Anyway, it's not normal, it's a bad calibration for the ETC (throttle control) + CC. Stuff gets by on a new model, I wasn't upset, I just wanted someone to know I noticed.
Anyway, yeah, you're not crazy. There should be an update that fixes it, I hope.

 

I noticed the cruise is certainly not silky smooth, not like my first car, a 89 Oldsmobile Delta 88. The Mini cruise isn't fun when traveling on a road that has lots of hills, its probably better on flat freeways.