Cruise Control once again

[radman]

I have a 1999 Eddie AWD 5.0 82K that has a CC problem. I have spent about two hours reading the archives on CC fixes but have found nothing like this one.

Cruise works good all the time until the windshield wipers come on. I know you should not use cruise when it is raining but sometimes you get a light spray off the road and use the intermittint wiper. When it wipes the cruise disengages.

Any ideas.

 

[rileybig]

I took my 2000 mountaineer to the dealer in 2008 and they installed something on my cruise control.... Looks like a fuse or something.... It was a recall job.

 

[radman]

Thanks for the responce but my Ex has had the CC switch on the MC replaced by the dealer several years ago. Anyother ideas?

 

[rileybig]

Sounds like a short... I'm not very versed in electrical stuff. Sorry.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Sounds like the MFS. (Multi-Function Switch)

 

[budwich]

I think you need to do either more "testing" or more "explaining". So are you saying that IF you are on cruise control AND then turn on your wipers, your cruise control LIGHT goes out on the dash and cruise is dropped???? Are you saying when you turn on your wipers, then try to activate cruise control, you get NO light AND no cruise?

 

[radman]

budwich, Yes
The CC can be on and working fine then if you turn on the intermittent wiper switch the CC disengages and the light on the dash goes out. If you turn off the wiper and reset the CC it will stay engaged.

It may not happen every time but it will occure when the wiper cycles. Also if the wipers are on (not interimment) it will sometimes shut off the CC.

The CC always works but can be overridden when the wipers come on.

 

[budwich]

more input... so when the wipers "knock it off" (ie. light goes out/system drops), you have to press the "cruise on" button to first "reset" the system and then the "activate/resume" buttons to turn the system back on... you can just hit the "activate/resume" button.... right???

This would likely indicate you have a short in the steering column that is some how causing the controller to "think" you have pressed the "off" button. The controller gets a ground on the LB/BK from the switches (OFF fed back from the controller). IF there is a momentary short, the controller will think that you hit "OFF".

 

[radman]

more input... so when the wipers "knock it off" (ie. light goes out/system drops), you have to press the "cruise on" button to first "reset" the system and then the "activate/resume" buttons to turn the system back on... you can just hit the "activate/resume" button.... right???

I do not usually use the resume button. I use the "set speed" button after hitting the "on" button to reset the CC.

 

[radman]

Will resume

When the wipers shut off the cruise, it can be started again by just pressing the "Resume" button, so the whole system is not completely deactivated. Does this still sound like a short?

 

[budwich]

Looking at the circuitry, it wouldn't be hard to "explain" your "symptoms" directly, especially the "new info" that the "system is not completely shut down". So basically what is likely happening is that the wiper wiring is "throwing" a "condition" (voltage) momentarily on either the wiring coming from the brake switch OR the brake pressure switch.... making the system think you hit the brakes in "some form". Likely place is somewhere in the column where it is bolted to the dash... although it could be anywhere from the MFS switch downward.

 

[radman]

Cruise Problem Fixed

I know this is a very old posting but the original problem is now sorted. My Eddie has electronic heater and a/c controls as well as radio controls in the steering wheel. During the years of driving since this became an issue the cruise control switch in the steering wheel has been replaced and the problem is resolved. Bad switch.
Mike

 

[Fordman999]

Sound like a short with the window wiper wire. If you're sayin that the cruise control does not work when the wipers turn on then that tells me that when that wire is "energized" or turned on it somehow effects the cruise control wires. I bet you that those 2 wires are rubbing next to each other and when the wire for the wipers turn on it causes a temporary short to the pressure switch wire which is what controls your cruise control located at the master cylinder. You're gonna have to start following wires until you find the rubbed or exposed wires causing the prolem. Start with the wiper wire and work your way down. It is difficult sometimes because the wire is bundled with a plastic tubing and electrical tape so I would first check all the connections of those wires and look for any obvious abrasion in the wiring. Look really hard it is not easy to see at first and you might overlook it.

 

[radman]

Problem Fixed

Hi Fordman999,
I appreciate your very informative advise but if you will read my previous post I said the problem is now fixed and has not reoccurred in the last two years. The fix was to replace the cruise control switch in the steering wheel.
Mike

 

[Fordman999]

Gotcha Radman, now I learned that the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel must have been shorting somehow.