Hill Descent Control Issue
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Hill Descent Control Issue
Are there any parameters that need to be met in order for HDC to work, such as minimum hill grade, or road surfaces? I know under 20 (or 25) MPH, but is that it? The other day I was coming down a minimal grade road, I hit the button (just for kicks since I've never used it) the light came on, but it did nothing. No fault lights, just the normal dash light showing it was activated, but it didn't do a thing. Any thoughts?
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 365
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From: Silverthorne, Colorado
Are there any parameters that need to be met in order for HDC to work, such as minimum hill grade, or road surfaces? I know under 20 (or 25) MPH, but is that it? The other day I was coming down a minimal grade road, I hit the button (just for kicks since I've never used it) the light came on, but it did nothing. No fault lights, just the normal dash light showing it was activated, but it didn't do a thing. Any thoughts?
Hitting the button and having the light come on means it is disabled. Empty and in cruise, the truck will try to maintain speed based on cruise speed an what the truck wants to do. In tow/haul, it'll do even more to ensure you and the load maintain desired speed, cruise or not.
I frequently drive steep grades empty and know that merely setting the cruise will ensure the truck keeps speed. pushing the button and the light coming on means it is disabled, in my experience.
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From the OM. pg 230
"Hill descent control can maintain vehicle speeds on downhill grades
between 2 mph (3 km/h) and 12 mph (20 km/h). Above 20 mph
(32 km/h), the system remains armed, but descent speed cannot
be set or maintained."
It's not really to slow you during normal driving.
"Hill descent control can maintain vehicle speeds on downhill grades
between 2 mph (3 km/h) and 12 mph (20 km/h). Above 20 mph
(32 km/h), the system remains armed, but descent speed cannot
be set or maintained."
It's not really to slow you during normal driving.
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 365
Likes: 2
From: Silverthorne, Colorado
From the OM. pg 230
"Hill descent control can maintain vehicle speeds on downhill grades
between 2 mph (3 km/h) and 12 mph (20 km/h). Above 20 mph
(32 km/h), the system remains armed, but descent speed cannot
be set or maintained."
It's not really to slow you during normal driving.
"Hill descent control can maintain vehicle speeds on downhill grades
between 2 mph (3 km/h) and 12 mph (20 km/h). Above 20 mph
(32 km/h), the system remains armed, but descent speed cannot
be set or maintained."
It's not really to slow you during normal driving.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 136
Likes: 1
I do the same thing. I set my cruise coming down I80 in Parleys Canyon to maintain my speed.
Pg231
Enabling hill descent control and setting the descent speed
1. Press and release the hill descent button located
on the instrument panel. A light in the cluster will
illuminate and chime will sound when this feature is
activated.
If you cancel cruise you will gain speed and the truck will up shift if in a lower gear than 6th. You're no longer telling the truck to maintain any speed.
Hill decent control is not active unless you turn it on and is only good for slow speed.
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So I went and checked again on a slightly steeper slope, here's what I found. I tried it in 4x4, 4low, eld engaged and not engaged, tow/haul on and off. A couple times I could hear it and felt my brake pedal moving (for about 1 second) then the light on the dash flashed and it stopped working. It did that maybe 3 times, and I was out there about 20 mins. I tried a few different speeds, but mostly around 5 MPH.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2013
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Tow Haul/Cruise and HDC are different things. You are not going down I70/80 at 2 -12 mph. Tow-Haul and the Exhaust Brake are for that.
HDC is for going really slow as the manual says. It's kept me from sliding about going down a snow covered 20% grade driveway (or whatever the trucks % reading means, anyhow, steep driveway with switchbacks in it.)
HDC is for going really slow as the manual says. It's kept me from sliding about going down a snow covered 20% grade driveway (or whatever the trucks % reading means, anyhow, steep driveway with switchbacks in it.)
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Tow Haul/Cruise and HDC are different things. You are not going down I70/80 at 2 -12 mph. Tow-Haul and the Exhaust Brake are for that.
HDC is for going really slow as the manual says. It's kept me from sliding about going down a snow covered 20% grade driveway (or whatever the trucks % reading means, anyhow, steep driveway with switchbacks in it.)
HDC is for going really slow as the manual says. It's kept me from sliding about going down a snow covered 20% grade driveway (or whatever the trucks % reading means, anyhow, steep driveway with switchbacks in it.)
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More Turbo
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From: Alberta, Canada
HDC is more directed towards off road use. Find an abnormal descent (the example above was 20%). Come to a complete stop and engage the system with the brake on (not that the brake has to be on to push the button or activate HDC). Let go of the brake and see what the truck does. It will maintain a pace to that of an 18month old toddler walking. VERY slow, crawling - unlike tow haul/transmission use which can be felt on road at much greater speeds.
You said you tried at 5mph but try from a complete stop. The few times I have used it fooling around off road I felt like it was much too slow and disengaged it so I could brake and be in control at a faster pace.
You said you tried at 5mph but try from a complete stop. The few times I have used it fooling around off road I felt like it was much too slow and disengaged it so I could brake and be in control at a faster pace.
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HDC is more directed towards off road use. Find an abnormal descent (the example above was 20%). Come to a complete stop and engage the system with the brake on (not that the brake has to be on to push the button or activate HDC). Let go of the brake and see what the truck does. It will maintain a pace to that of an 18month old toddler walking. VERY slow, crawling - unlike tow haul/transmission use which can be felt on road at much greater speeds.
You said you tried at 5mph but try from a complete stop. The few times I have used it fooling around off road I felt like it was much too slow and disengaged it so I could brake and be in control at a faster pace.
You said you tried at 5mph but try from a complete stop. The few times I have used it fooling around off road I felt like it was much too slow and disengaged it so I could brake and be in control at a faster pace.
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I did have an issue with hill start, but it resolved itself on its own before I got it to the dealer. It as activating even on level ground, so there was a hesitation even on the flat when you lifted off the brake.
I agree everything should work - so here is what I would do. Take it to the dealer and have them demonstrate that it works to you. If it doesn't, they will fix it.
Some issues with these trucks do not generate a CEL or MIL. I've had no start issues and no codes thrown. Some codes are "soft" and only are in the computer/displayed when the fault is happening and others are "hard" meaning the fault is stored even if the condition that caused it, is no longer occurring.
I agree everything should work - so here is what I would do. Take it to the dealer and have them demonstrate that it works to you. If it doesn't, they will fix it.
Some issues with these trucks do not generate a CEL or MIL. I've had no start issues and no codes thrown. Some codes are "soft" and only are in the computer/displayed when the fault is happening and others are "hard" meaning the fault is stored even if the condition that caused it, is no longer occurring.
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mb_01sc
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Aug 21, 2009 09:46 AM