PCS and Adaptive Cruise Control Malfunction!?

So on my very first long trip with my 2021 Tacoma TRD Sport, I ended up driving up to Baltimore to visit my sisters (from a distance ) in the pouring rain. On the drive up I found myself really liking the Adaptive Cruise Control and getting used to the truck. On my way back, I swung by a buddy's just to say hello (also from a distance ), and that is when the Adaptive Cruise Control suddenly stopped working.

The display was indicating that the Pre-Collision System (PCS) stopped working. It also said something about having to clean the sensor. This is when I started cursing the Project Manager and Engineers who decided that the Cruise Control could not function as a regular cruise control when needed.

When I got to my buddy's place, I mentioned what had happened and if he had experienced anything like this (he owns a 2020 TRD Off-Road, his 3rd Tacoma). I wondered what sensor I was supposed to clean off and with what. He showed me the sensor and promptly wiped off the water that had collected on its surface. Well, wouldn't you know it? This did the trick and I did not have any issues for the rest of my trip.

So my questions is, has anyone run into this before? And how do I prevent it from happening again? Would I be doing harm by applying some Rain-X on that sensor?

 

The cruise control can function as a normal system by holding the “on” button for 3 seconds. It will switch from adaptive to I think “variable speed” or something like that.

You will not hurt anything by using rainx on it. I also heard but have not tried that cooking spray helps the snow from accumulating so quickly.

 

What he said WRT normal cruise function. Not to be a dick, but it's in that book which collects dust in your glove box

 

You mean that shrink wrapped encyclopedia that I only received 2-days ago? Were you able to read through all 4 manuals the first 2 days you owned your vehicle?

 

Haha, yep!
TBH, I knew about the dual functionality of the cruise b4 I picked up my '19 Sport.

 

The system does not know what is interfering with its forward 'vision' so it shuts down adaptive CC and collision avoidance and warns you. Which is probably not a bad thing if you had been using cruise control while driving in a snow storm. Using cruise control when the road surfaces are not dry is highly NOT recommended.
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I had a similar experience driving a rental car to Quebec City in a snow storm - not with CC but with the forward looking sensor lighting up the dash with warnings - my first experience with the technology.
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Like MOC221 I knew about the 3 second switch to Constant Speed CC before taking my '21 TRD OR AC home. Which is all I ever use.
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