Cruise on: Should tranny shift out of OD?

[Jet Ski Puller]

When I have my cruise on and in overdrive, the tranny doesn't shift down when I approach a hill. The speed just continues to drop until at about 10mph under the set speed, the cruise just finally kicks off.

Is this normal? Got a buddy with a '94 Mazda (Ranger) and his shifts down. Isn't the drivetrain basically identical?

If it should, any ideas on what could be wrong that it isn't shifting down?

Thanks.

 

[PLRBEAR]

When in cruise, the trans should kick down when the vehicle start losing speed. Obviously if the trans is working fine (ie. it kicks down when you're driving without cruise), the problem lies with the cruise control module. You'll find this unit by tracing the wire from the cruise control solenoid.

 

[Robert]

My '97 downshifts when going up long, steep hills and the speed starts to drop off. I just wish it would downshift when going back down that same hill and the speed starts going up like my Dodge Caravan used to do.

 

[BKennedy]

My 94 doesn't downshift when the cruise is used.

 

[Hotweels]

This maybe kicking a dead horse but..... There is a post on throttel cable shiming to get 'the new car feel' the reason your cruise may not kick down is the cruise motor cant pull on the pedal far enough and activate the kickdown cabel, i spent the better part of 2 days figuring this out cause mine is so bad i cant get it to kick down unless i mash the pedal to the floor with my foot on the very top of the pedal, try a shim before you replace any thing expensive!!!