99 explorer cruise problem

[Knife Collector]

Cruise stopped working, light was really dim just after it stopped, now it does not come on at all.
I have jumped wires at brake pressure switch, checked fuse, brake lights do not stay on, horn works, and cables still attached from servo.
I'm not sure what else to check, but I am thinking either the servo or the on/off/set switches in the steering wheel.
I'm don't 'think' the servo would cause the cruise light to not come on, so I am leaning towards the switches.
Anything else I can check, or is there a way to test servo?

 

[1998Exp]

You should probably start by checking wiring continuity and integrity of the built-in resistors, all the way through the clock spring. You will need a schematic to identify the connector pins and find the correct resistance values. I believe that the air bag will have to be removed to gain access -- with all the precautions that apply to such endeavor.

There is a diagnostic procedure for the servo. You push the buttons in some sequence, and watch for response from the CC light. The procedure is fairly long, so hopefully, someone with access to the electronic version of the FSM for your model year will copy and paste it here.
You did not say what trim level is your 99. Be aware that from my experience the procedure listed for 98 applies to the lower trim only (just CC buttons on the steering wheel; no audio or climate controls). It may be true for 99 as well - don't know.

Incidentally, servo failures are not rare -- mine is on the third one.

Cruise stopped working, light was really dim just after it stopped, now it does not come on at all.
I have jumped wires at brake pressure switch, checked fuse, brake lights do not stay on, horn works, and cables still attached from servo.
I'm not sure what else to check, but I am thinking either the servo or the on/off/set switches in the steering wheel.
I'm don't 'think' the servo would cause the cruise light to not come on, so I am leaning towards the switches.
Anything else I can check, or is there a way to test servo?

 

[Knife Collector]

Thanks for the info, at least I can try to do a search for the test procedure. And mine does have just the cruise buttons on the switches.
Earlier, I had the airbag off checking the wires, and I hadn't noticed as it has been a while since the cruise has worked, but now the lights on the off/on switch works, but the ones on the set side do not. So maybe that switch is bad.

 

[Knife Collector]

I found and performed the procedure, but the cruise light never came on.
Will a blown bulb make the cruise not work?

 

[1998Exp]

No, but the CC light is controlled by the servo, so the light not turning on may be an indication of a bad servo. The FSM has a very detailed procedure for testing these things, depending on the outcome of the diagnostic self-test, including no response from the CC light at all. Follow it if you can find the details for your model year. In any case, I would recommend checking the steering wheel switches and the clock spring connections, using a good schematic.
If you are a bit of a gambler, replace the servo (probably around $200).
By the way, is your horn working? It shares a fuse and a clock spring connection with the CC switches for its power.

I found and performed the procedure, but the cruise light never came on.
Will a blown bulb make the cruise not work?

 

[Knife Collector]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, the horn does work. After a bit of checking I found the servo had been sitting on a wiring harness, and one wire had worn to the point of about 1/4 inch was gone. I jumped that wire, and the cruise light flashed as I retried the procedure.
Going to fix the wire in the morning and see what happens.

 

[Knife Collector]

It was the wiring harness where it had worn through. Repaired it, and it's doing great now.