How to install factory cruise control in your Jeep Wrangler TJ

Since many of the parts are discontinued I thought I would add my experience. My Jeep, 2004 Rubicon, was 100% prewired for CC. I was told all Rubicons come that way. The parts are easy to find in a junkyard.

The switches from a WJ are the same as a 2004 TJ. At first I bought XJ switches and that is a no go. The harnesses are different and the switches don't physically fit the steering wheel. I used an XJ module and bracket for ease of manipulating the bracket to fit. The WJ module has a very robust bracket and can't easily be manipulated to fit the inner fender.

The TJ cables are hard find. The XJ cable could work, but it is really on the short side. I think the WJ cable is about 8" longer, but still shorter than the TJ cable. The WJ cable housing end is clocked 90 degrees off at the cable bracket on the valve cover. You might have to massage the bracket for the clip to fit. A better solution would be to reclock the holes on the bracket 90 degrees.

Thankfully changing the cable is pretty easy. There are two 10mm nuts hold the module, bracket and cable housing together. Removing the nuts allows access to remove an R-clip that attaches the diagram to the cable. Getting the R-clip back in can be a little difficult with big fingers.

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I spent just under $40 piecing it together. Quotes from people selling the needed parts started at $150 to this.

Cruise control module with bracket, cable and steering wheel switches?
Hi Brian, thanks for the inquiry. It would be $300 + shipping. Please send us your zip code and we can get you a total delivered price.
I'll pass.
 
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Ok I'm gonna try and make this as simple as possible lol. Seriously, don't let this intimidate you, it's just adding three wires. This is all to help explain where those three wires go; two in the engine bay, and on under the dash. The only wires that should be missing are the ones that come directly off of the CC servo. I have highlighted these wires.

FIG. #1
The bottom left square represents your CC servo, labeled SPEED CONTROL SERVO. There are three wires I have highlighted, they are the ones that you need to add. Two of those wires go to one of your PCM (POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE) plugs, and one of them goes through your firewall and to a connector (C107) under your dashboard. There's a fourth black wire (BK) that goes to ground.

There are two wires coming off of your CC plug that go to the PCM:
Cavity #1). Tan and Red (TN/RD) which travels to your PCM C3 plug and goes into cavity #4.
Cavity #2). Light Green and Red (LG/RD) which travels to your PCM C3 plug and goes into cavity #5.
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FIG #2
Here is a picture and list of all the wires going into the PCM C3 plug. I've highlighted the two wires that need to come from the CC servo and into the PCM C3 plug. Note that the colors are labeled the same as in the first diagram. There are numbers on each side of the plug. 1, 11, 22, and 32. These are the cavities going from right to left. So the top row (from right to left) is 1-11, the middle row is 12-21, and the bottom row is 22-32. The bottom two rows are irrelevant to what you're doing, but this is to help you understand better how to locate the right cavity. There are also small numbers on the plug marking each cavity.
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FIG #3
The last wire that needs to go from your CC plug is a Dark Blue and Red (DB/RD) wire that will pass through the firewall and go to your C107 plug under the dashboard. This plug is right around where your left knee will sit and is very easy to access. This wire carries a signal from your brake lamp switch to your CC servo but is separated by the C107 plug. The wire is most likely already going from the brake lamp switch to the C107 plug, so you need to continue that wire to the CC plug. I would just cut the wire at the C107 plug and add it to the wire you have coming from the CC plug.
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FIG #4
This is your C107 plug. The DB/RD wire comes from cavity #3 on your CC plug and goes to cavity C3 of your C107 plug. You can see how the plug has rows of letters and numbers. This is how you locate the correct cavity. Each cavity is marked in very small letters to help you identify the correct one. As I said above, I would cut this wire off behind the plug, and add splice it to the wire you have running into the cab from the CC plug.
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My only other advice is when you go to the junkyard and cut off a CC plug, cut back the harness and get as much wiring as you can, all the way back to the PCM plug/firewall if possible. If not, cut off a PCM plug and try to keep some wiring on it (like 3-6") to splice on to. You'll want two of the metal connector pins at the end of each wire to remove from the cavities in the junkyard plug and insert into the cavities on your PCM C3 plug.

Ask any questions you need to :) I'm hoping others can learn from this too as it's a fairly common question.
 
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I have an '01 TJ and am not sure if it is equipped. If I look closely on the dash I can see a "cruise" light that just doesn't have anything to activate it. Does this mean mine is equipped or is that just there for no reason? Thanks
 
I have an '01 TJ and am not sure if it is equipped. If I look closely on the dash I can see a "cruise" light that just doesn't have anything to activate it. Does this mean mine is equipped or is that just there for no reason? Thanks

All of them have the cruise light in the dash. You'll want to look for the unused 4 pin plug near the area of the brake booster. IF you have that, then all the wiring is good, you'll just need the servo, switches, and for 01 I believe you'll need to swap the clockspring too. If you don't find a plug near the booster, then none of the wiring is there, and you'll need to following the information in this thread to add it.
 
My 2005 Rubi factory CC with 6 speed works well for now. I can do without airconditioning, but not without cruise. Have noticed the TJ's a much simpler vacuum set up than my old 5 sp Peugeot XJ, but it's still a vacuum/electronic hybrid. I replaced the Rube Goldberg vacuum, circuit board, tubes, throttle cable, and God-only-knows-what-other-crap factory CC in my '87 XJ about three years before the XJ was stolen. I ordered that XJ from the factory and the cruise NEVER worked for more than a couple hundred miles out of the shop till the factory warranty expired. For 240,000 miles I was forever under the dash screwing with the pots, resoldering circuit boards, replacing vacuum lines, resistors, transistors, capacitors; it would fix for awhile, then stop working. Then, voila! I found these guys! http://www.rostra.com/universal-aftermarket-cruise-control-by-rostra.php#2504206. I followed the excellent instructions, tested before driving, but the pre drive test setup failed; called for technical support; couldn't get the test lights to do their thing to show correct operation. The tech on the phone worked and worked with me and we couldn't for the life of us get the test lights to respond despite confirming that I had everything right. I didn't want to send it back after spending time installing it. He declared the Rostra is bullet proof, just go drive it before sending it back. I did just that and it immediately came alive. Called him back and thanked him. The Rostra is totally electronic and easy to understand. Uses a tiny magnet JB welded to the drive shaft and a simple sensor to pick up revolutions to send pulses to a little gear box cable pully with dip switches the user sets up to match engine and transmission attributes for desired driveability. I used the original factory stick on the steering wheel for controlling. Set up was completely invisible and operated identically to original factory option with the exception that it never failed. I will turn to these folks again if my factory TJR CC fails and I'm unable to fix it. The Rostra can easily be incorporated into any automobile to give factory like looks and performance. Five stars!
 
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So I have a couple of questions about this. Being that mine is a 2000 model, and having read this thread, I get the impression it was likely not set up from the factory for cruise, though I will double check. Am I understanding correctly that the switches for the steering wheel do not require any further wiring, but that they will be making contact with existing hardware in the steering wheel to communicate through the clock spring? Also, I see in the instructions that the wiring to the PCM was for 03 to 05, or 06 models. What about the earlier models? Were they not covered and that instruction sheet, and I should just go by what Jamison typed up instead? Also, I see the instructions for tying into the brake switch, but what about a clutch switch? Does the system not deactivate when you push the clutch? That does not seem like such a good idea.
 
So I have a couple of questions about this. Being that mine is a 2000 model, and having read this thread, I get the impression it was likely not set up from the factory for cruise, though I will double check. Am I understanding correctly that the switches for the steering wheel do not require any further wiring, but that they will be making contact with existing hardware in the steering wheel to communicate through the clock spring? Also, I see in the instructions that the wiring to the PCM was for 03 to 05, or 06 models. What about the earlier models? Were they not covered and that instruction sheet, and I should just go by what Jamison typed up instead? Also, I see the instructions for tying into the brake switch, but what about a clutch switch? Does the system not deactivate when you push the clutch? That does not seem like such a good idea.
 
Take the airbag off and you should be able to tell if it is prewired. The close outs that the switches replace may also have to be removed to expose the wiring if it is wired. You don't have to disconnect airbag.
 
That is definitely not the case. So, I’ve got the opportunity to buy a complete steering wheel with the switches and an airbag for cheap, but now I am curious if I will need to change the clock spring as well. Can anybody riddle me that? Also, what about the clutch switch question; does the factory crews use a clutch switch, or do you have to press the break to deactivate it? Thank you!
 
Hey guys quick question about this. I have a 2004 tj without cruise but it has the wiring harness set up. Will cruise control from a 98 tj be the same? I know the switches are different but what about the bracket, solenoid, vacuum hose and wire? Is that compatible?
 
I think the early TJs have the Evap canister is in the area that the CC sits on later models. I would be surprised if the brackets are the same.

The bracket is not under stress and about any will work with a little bend here or there. I mounted mine first with self tapping screws and then drilled the holes for bolts.
 
I think the early TJs have the Evap canister is in the area that the CC sits on later models. I would be surprised if the brackets are the same.

The bracket is not under stress and about any will work with a little bend here or there. I mounted mine first with self tapping screws and then drilled the holes for bolts.
I found a guy who pulled his CC off a 1998 which mounted to a box instead of directly on the fender like mine would. From what you said it may have mounted onto the evap or something. Not sure what it looks like under the hood of a 1998. But would the actual solenoid part, cable and vacuum line be the same as what was on a 2004? I would just need to find a bracket that fits or try to make one?
 
I found a guy who pulled his CC off a 1998 which mounted to a box instead of directly on the fender like mine would. From what you said it may have mounted onto the evap or something. Not sure what it looks like under the hood of a 1998. But would the actual solenoid part, cable and vacuum line be the same as what was on a 2004? I would just need to find a bracket that fits or try to make one?
Evap canister didn’t move from the engine bay till 05. So if you have an 04 the servo and bracket from the 98 should mount right up to the back of the evap canister.

The servo cable/connector/vacuum line will work on any TJ model.
 
Evap canister didn’t move from the engine bay till 05. So if you have an 04 the servo and bracket from the 98 should mount right up to the back of the evap canister.

The servo cable/connector/vacuum line will work on any TJ model.

What is all the stuff behind the passenger tail light in my 04?
 
I found a guy who pulled his CC off a 1998 which mounted to a box instead of directly on the fender like mine would. From what you said it may have mounted onto the evap or something. Not sure what it looks like under the hood of a 1998. But would the actual solenoid part, cable and vacuum line be the same as what was on a 2004? I would just need to find a bracket that fits or try to make one?
Evap canister didn’t move from the engine bay till 05. So if you have an 04 the servo and bracket from the 98 should mount right up to the back of the evap canister.

The servo cable/connector/vacuum line will work on any TJ model.

That’s not right, it moved in 03. The 97-02 had it under hood.
 
I found a guy who pulled his CC off a 1998 which mounted to a box instead of directly on the fender like mine would. From what you said it may have mounted onto the evap or something. Not sure what it looks like under the hood of a 1998. But would the actual solenoid part, cable and vacuum line be the same as what was on a 2004? I would just need to find a bracket that fits or try to make one?

The servo itself is the same across all the years. The 97-02 cable is a bit longer than an 03-06 because of the servo mounting which placed it further away. It’s probably useable depending on how you mount it. As has been discussed before, the bracket is different on 03-06 because of the moving of the evap canister.
 
2 Months ago I bought a NOS Mopar Cruise Control Kit Nr: 82208190. This kit is for 03-04 TJ´s. The Kit I need and did not know, or the Seller on Ebay, is 82209481AB. Because I do have a 2006 TJ.

The Hardware fits, at least it seems right now, but the overlay harness is wrong. At least the colors, if I compare them to the PDF Manual which is posted in this Thread on Page1.

So I do have to search for a used overlay harness I guess. Any tips? Or can I modify the harness?

Thx!

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Is anyone aware of possible cpu incompatibility? I have verified the wiring is there, both in the steering wheel and under the hood. I trust the experience of others here and elsewhere, especially pertaining to late model TJs with the proper harness, and believe it will work as planned. I am only asking because the fellow that I am buying the parts from mentioned the possibility of cpu issues. Thanks!

'06 Sport