Cruise Control Troubleshooting Help

[Rud Bobbins]

Hey all, I have a 2003 Sahara with factory cruise control. Thing is, it has never worked. Pushing the button on the steering wheel when driving, the light doesn't come on and it never engages. Not a big deal, but would like to have it working. I can see under the hood, the servo and it's wires go back into the firewall and disappear. Not sure where to start with troubleshooting. Any simple things I can look at?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ItchyDong]

Check fuse 10 (10A) behind glove box.

Then, there's a few directions you could go. I would run continuity through my clock spring while making sure all of the switches on the steering wheel are operational. Stab pin 2 (connector C1) and the other lead to pin 1 - set to ohms, cycle all of the buttons one by one while watching resistance (I like the "beep" function on for these kinds of checks). If all is good, make sure Pin 1 has continuity to ground by probing pin 1, and the other lead to a good ground on the body somewhere.

Check for power at clockspring input from PCM (VIO wire). If no power, make sure you have continuity back to PCM.

After that you could move on to checks at the actual actuator, but being that your light won't even come on, I'd start there. If all checks out let me know and I can walk you through the rest.

 

[Shandara]

I installed cruise control on my 1998 that did not have it. there were two thing that threw me off for a minute and both of them would cause the issue you have and so could several others. First the button for on/off (the second set because the first set was misrepresented and was actually for a 1999-2002 TJ) would barely work and I really had to stab my thumb down on the button due to wear over time the contacts had gotten damaged. If you pull the buttons (make sure you safely disarm the airbag) you can easily check both the function and the resistance values using the proper settings on a multi-meter. Second the first vacuum servo I was sold had a damaged diaphragm and would not engage the cruise control. Again easily tested with a vacuum gauge. but start with the simple things ensure all the plugs are connected and the fuse is good. also redo the grounds I have repaired a friends vehicle where both the eyelet on the ground wire and the metal on the body looked ok but a quick clean up with a scotch bright pad and everything started to work again including things he had not told me were a issue when we started.

 

[Fishtaco]

I have factory cruise control but I have never even tried it! In fact I have never used cruise control in any vehicle, not too sure what the hoo har is about it? maybe because I used to drive long distance and not too much can be helped anymore than a house brick at the ready.

 

[CharlesHS]

Check fuse 10 (10A) behind glove box.

Then, there's a few directions you could go. I would run continuity through my clock spring while making sure all of the switches on the steering wheel are operational. Stab pin 2 (connector C1) and the other lead to pin 1 - set to ohms, cycle all of the buttons one by one while watching resistance (I like the "beep" function on for these kinds of checks). If all is good, make sure Pin 1 has continuity to ground by probing pin 1, and the other lead to a good ground on the body somewhere.

Check for power at clockspring input from PCM (VIO wire). If no power, make sure you have continuity back to PCM.

After that you could move on to checks at the actual actuator, but being that your light won't even come on, I'd start there. If all checks out let me know and I can walk you through the rest.

IF you determine the problem to be the switch pads on the steering column; these cruise control switches are ONLY compatible between certain years due to changes in their designed resistance.

56007530AA and 56007531AA fit the 97-02
56042310AC and 56042311AC fit the 03-06

 

[Rud Bobbins]

Fuse is good, but wondering about checking the switches on the steering wheel? How hard is it to get to them? I'm nervous about the airbag being right there. AND lots of mention of the clock spring. What is that and where is it located?

 

[Shandara]

The airbag is easily disarmed. Disconnect the battery and leave the vehicle alone for 5-10 minutes. After that you can disassemble the steering wheel. The switches are easy to get to the clock spring is actually behind the wheel which you not not need to remove to test the switches. The clock spring is just a way for the wiring to rotate between the steering column and the rotation of the steering wheel without tangling or breaking off the wiring. It looks like a round plastic electric component that has a plug on the dash side and several wires coming out the driver side to connect the electric components inside the steering wheel to the rest of the electrical system.

 

[Shandara]

IF you determine the problem to be the switch pads on the steering column; these cruise control switches are ONLY compatible between certain years due to changes in their designed resistance.

56007530AA and 56007531AA fit the 97-02
56042310AC and 56042311AC fit the 03-06

There is actually more numbers then that, they break down into four differing sets and at the core of first three sets it is actually just the small resistors on the inside that are different but the wrong resistance resistor in a vehicle means the system will not function.

Here is the full list
1997 56007530AB and 56007531AB,
1998 56007530AC and 56007531AC,
1999-2002 56007530AD and 56007531AD
2003-2006 56042310AC and 56042311AC

 

[CharlesHS]

There is actually more numbers then that, they break down into four differing sets and at the core of first three sets it is actually just the small resistors on the inside that are different but the wrong resistance resistor in a vehicle means the system will not function.

Here is the full list
1997 56007530AB and 56007531AB,
1998 56007530AC and 56007531AC,
1999-2002 56007530AD and 56007531AD
2003-2006 56042310AC and 56042311AC

Thanks for the newer version part numbers...
The change in the last two letters of the part number only signifies that the part has been superseded; which means it has just replaces the earlier version. The earlier lettered part numbers will work just fine; if you find NOS.

 

[Shandara]

Not in this case if you check each of those year specify a different resistance value. And will not work in other years. I know this from personal experience as the first set I bought were for 99-2002 and did not work. Under normal circumstances a suffix change would be and up dated part. I actually disassembled both the first set and later the second set. I had seriously thought about de-soldering the resistors and replacing them with the correct value resistors but a couple proved to be very hard to locate. I actually have pictures of the different resistors on my laptop.

 

[CharlesHS]

I understand the difference in the years and the resistance values of the different years...., but it is my understanding the part numbers will be totally different not just the letters with different values.

 

[Shandara]

Not in this case resistance matters it's a 5 volt can bus systems if it sees the incorrect change in the voltage it turns on/ off other things it aligns with a specified voltage or nothing happens at all if there is no specified voltage in the range. And normally I would agree with you. I was a Dodge parts person for 4 years before I went to ATC. And yes that would normally follow suit. Like I said I have personal experience with the 1999-2002 not working in my 1998.