Cruise control steering wheel switch replacement

[FordRanger2000]

I think I totally misunderstood this thread.

Method #1. Easy way:
Remove the 2 screws that hold the cruise ON/OFF switch.
Disconnect the connector.
Done.

Method #2. Hard way:
Disconnect battery, remove entire air-bag, horn cover, steering wheel, entire wiring harness, 2 screws that hold the switch.

So there is *NO* way to replace the ON/OFF switch without removing the air-bag, right?
Ever.
(Since the 2 switch screws are blocked by the horn cover. And if the horn cover comes off... the entire airbag has to be removed.)

 

[Joe Dirt]

Correct- the screws are hidden by the airbag cover. The airbag pushes on the buttons for the horn. When you push the "horn" you're pushing the airbag cover itself. The airbag and horn cover are not separate, they're the same unit.

Those black bars with the round hex screws are the horn activators. When you push the airbag, you are depressing those, which then completes a circuit and activates the horn.

Only way:

Disconnect battery
Remove airbag
remove two screws
unplug harness from switch (don't really have to remove the whole harness)
replace in reverse. The wheel does not have to come off.

 

[powerworm]

new here so give me a break...my switches are broke at the ears holding it inside but they also dont light up at all is this normal if they are not directly connected to anything other than the wiring harness?

 

[Joe Dirt]

They should still work even if the ears are broken off. The only 2 connections they have are the harness on the right side, and the harness and ground screw on teh left side.

If they don't light up, that's somewhat normal, the bulbs in them didn't last too long from new, so most CC switches don't light up anymore, but they should still work.

Does your cruise work?

 

[powerworm]

no as a matter of fact it doesnt work where should i start looking at figuring out why?

 

[Joe Dirt]

Try the yellow 20 amp fuse under the hood in the power distribution box. If it's good, I would probably replace the switches.

Does the horn work?

 

[powerworm]

big 20 amp yellow fuse is still good and horn works???

 

[Joe Dirt]

I would say the switch es are probably junk then. When you push them, is there any feeling of a click, or it is like pushing hard plastic?

 

[powerworm]

no they feel like they are hard no movement at all

 

[Joe Dirt]

Switches are done for. Probably pushing them hard enough to get them to engage is why they snapped off the ears. Need some new switches... I may have a set rolling around here somewhere. Give me a day and I'll look around...

 

[powerworm]

man that would be sweet being on winter layoff and a new son born 4 days before christmas has stretched me out thin!! if you run across them let me know what you want for them i am sure its cheaper than the dealer!!

 

[wdwacht]

Greetings! I just went out to look at how to replace these things and once I saw the airbag assembly needed to come out I was thinking to myself, 'Oh Hell No'! But now that I've read your article I'm a tad more confident to do it. Thankxs for the procedure and pictures to do it!
regards,
Will

Hey I did it per the instructions and photos that were posted on this thread. It worked exactly right! I wasn't too cool on messing around with a live airbag assembly though but was very careful. I even stuck the key in and turned the electric back on from the passengers side, arm extended, LOL! So I thank all for their advice and the photos really helped alot! Oh, one more note: The Ford Parts guy told me I had to buy the whole cruise control assembly which was like $300 and there was no need to; only the On/Off cover had cracked and broken off. Otherwise it was functional.
regards,
Will

 

[crzrlou]

I wore my switches out because they were really hard to push. After years of pressing hard on them they both broke off the steering wheel. I have ordered a new set and I appreciate all the info on here. I know now I will be able to replace it myself. Does any one know if the new ones will be just like the old ones and be hard to push also?? I am hoping they have improved there design by now. Thanks for any info.

 

[my pos mounty]

I wore my switches out because they were really hard to push. After years of pressing hard on them they both broke off the steering wheel. I have ordered a new set and I appreciate all the info on here. I know now I will be able to replace it myself. Does any one know if the new ones will be just like the old ones and be hard to push also?? I am hoping they have improved there design by now. Thanks for any info.

Much easier. Your rubber covers probably dried out to the point where it was difficult to move. Take it easy on your new ones.

 

[wdwacht]

Greetings from SoCal. Just be sure to disconnect the battery Sir. The replacements are kind of stiff as they are thick silicone/plastic....Cheers!
Will

 

[Tullphan]

OK...my old CC switches dried up & refused to work. I went through Amazon & ordered the correct replacements.
I followed the instructions online & got the steering wheel cover off without a hitch.
I was unable to pry off the connector on the "on/off" side...the wires came off the connector. I was able to remove the connector on the other side as well as the connectors on the new switches. I tried pushing the wires back on the connector on the "on/off" side & hooked it back up. I then couldn't remember if the ground wire on the "on/off" side was on top of the assembly or underneath. I ended up putting it underneath...next to the metal.
I got everything put back together & took it out, but the CC wouldn't work. The horn works & the lights on the CC switches do work, however.
Now what?

 

[crzrlou]

cruise control switches

I received my switches and it was about the easiest parts I ever replaced. The hardest part of all was releasing the wire connectors. I used a .009 thickness gause to slide beside the plug to help release it like I read on this post . Still was a little hard. Just went slow and easy and then they popped right out. The job only took about 15 minutes and they work great and buttons are easy to push. Thanks for every ones info.

 

[crzrlou]

I received my switches and it was about the easiest parts I ever replaced. The hardest part of all was releasing the wire connectors. I used a .009 thickness gause to slide beside the plug to help release it like I read on this post . Still was a little hard. Just went slow and easy and then they popped right out. The job only took about 15 minutes and they work great and buttons are easy to push. Thanks for every ones info.

I forgot to mention-any one trying to pry the wiring connector off by using a thickness gauge to release them from the little ledge that holds them in there, the gauge has to go in on the (back or under) side of the switches where the plug goes in. If you stick it in on the other side it will just make it tighter and harder to get off.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Tullphan- you may have bent the connectors in there when pulling the wires out.

For everyone that has not yet broken the ears off their switches- when you use them, put some fingers behind the back so there is something holding it besides the ears!

 

[sucker]

If you pulled wires read me I was impatient while waiting in a parking lot for my wife to come out and pulled the wires out of my plug. When I returned home I looked up this post for advise, chastised myself for my impatience and got to work.(I did pull plug out easily with a pliers later) I went to the junkyard(pulled myself and used adjustable pliers for the plug, nice) and got a "new" switch($10.50). came home and put it in. When it came time to connect the switch I stripped the very end or the pulled wires, where the plug had torn the casing. Then using a micro screwdriver I pushed the wires down into their respective slots as far as I could, bending the "leftover" bared wire over and down. Went out for a test drive and it works perfectly! Thanks for original post and pictures aldive!!!