[Amber Foresty]

So, there are times when I want to use cruise control. However, whenever I try it, it doesn't work! I can hit the button that says "CRUISE" all I want; nothing happens. I'm pretty sure you're supposed to do something with the stalk as well, but the light doesn't even light up and the button doesn't "stick" like the defogging button does. My dad checked the vacuum hose a while ago and said it was loose and he dealt with that; however, the cruise still does not work.

Is there something else that I should be doing when turning it on, and is there a way to fix it if it really is not working? I don't really need it, but sometimes it would be nice to have it because after a long drive my heel goes numb from having my foot on the gas pedal for so long, and it's uncomfortable.

 

[Goshi]

Do you have a check engine light on? I know on my '09, when the CEL comes up, the CRUISE light flashes and I can't use the cruise control.

 

[Amber Foresty]

Nope, no lights at all! When the car starts, there's the light for... I think ABS, the hand brake (if it's up), the seat belt, the door (if the door is open), and a little oil droplet thing (whatever that sign is called, lol), but those all go away soon after starting it up, so they're not problems. Those are the only lights I've ever seen in the instrument panel place.

 

[Majorlk]

Are you actually using the SET button to set the speed after you press the CRUISE button. On every car I have ever had, all the CRUISE button did was turn it on. You had to actually set a cruising speed.

 

[Amber Foresty]

Yes, I've tried that but no result! Perhaps I've been doing it wrong... It's been a while since I tried it but it just came to mind today and decided to ask for answers. Perhaps I've been hitting the SET button wrong, but I'm thinking it's not working at all because no light comes on or anything when I hit the button! Shouldn't the light (on the button) come on, even before you hit the switch? Yes/no? The cruise works on my mom's van, and I know how to work that one...

 

[Sabrewings]

Press the cruise button to arm.
Push down on the stalk (set/decel).
Take foot off gas.

If this doesn't work, you have an issue. It could be a bad switch, dirty stalk contacts, failed actuator, etc.

 

[nepbug]

I'll also add that, IIRC, cruise only can be set if speed is above 25 mph.

Sent from my phone, sorry for any typos or brevity

 

[mafiamike]

I just bought my 2001 a couple weeks ago and the cruise wasn't working on mine either. Here are the steps I took to troubleshoot and fix it.

Pressed the cruise button to the left of the steering wheel, the light turns on...so the switch is good.

Checked the appropriate fuse(s)...they were fine.

Pressed on my steering wheel, the horn honked...so the wiring inside the steering wheel is good.

Checked the vacuum hose going from the intake manifold to the cruise control unit...it was connected and working.

The only other things I could think of that interfere with the cruise control working is when you push in the brake or clutch pedals, so I checked those.

I have a manual, so I tried starting the car without pushing in the clutch. This didn't work...so the neutral safety switch is functioning properly.

At this point, I was stumped. I got under the dash and started examining my pedals. There's one switch on my brake pedal lever which was engaging and disengaging as it should (brake lights work), so that wasn't the culprit.

I went back to the clutch pedal. It has two switches! One is the neutral safety switch for starting the car, the other is only for the cruise control. There was a hole in my clutch pedal lever that lined up perfectly with the cruise control neutral switch so it was not pressing in the switch when I let my foot off the clutch pedal. That means the cruise control module thought the clutch pedal was always pushed in, and that's why it wouldn't engage. There is supposed to be a plug over that hole that was missing. I blocked off that hole and now cruise control works.

I have a friend with an automatic and his cruise control hadn't been working either. Since I had gone through all the troubleshooting on my car, I offered to help him. His problem was that the vacuum line wasn't connected. It's pretty easy to knock loose. We reconnected it and his works too.

I don't know of any other issues that could be preventing it from working if the module and actuator are working.

 

[Amber Foresty]

I'm driving to another city tomorrow so I'll try the cruise control again, and if it doesn't work, I'll try what you suggested, mafiamike. I'll enlist my dad. Haven't checked fuses, car doesn't start without clutch pushed in, horn honks, vacuum hose was re-connected recently so it should still be fine, and I haven't looked at the pedals yet. How do I check the pedals? Do I have to go taking things apart, or can I just look at them, basically? And which fuses do I want to be looking at? Where do I find the fuses? (I have a feeling it's either somewhere on the driver's side inside of the car, or somewhere on the same side of the engine, beneath the hood. I might be confusing it with my dad's car.)

 

[Amber Foresty]

Went driving on a highway on Saturday, and I tried the cruise control, and, lo and behold, it worked! :biggrin: It turns out I wasn't working the stalk right; I never pressed it down hard enough for fear of breaking it. Well, it didn't break, and it worked like a total charm, so yay!