The cruise control on my car is a convience I enjoy. But a few weeks ago, it simply wouldn’t work anymore. What can I do before resorting to a trip to the mechanic? Any advice?
First, pop the hood and look for vacuum hoses that may have become loose or unplugged.
Kind of hard to answer without more specifics. It could be a mechanical or electrical problem.
Did the cruise control come stock on your car, or is it after-market. The cruise control I am familiar with is after-market. Check to see if the linkage is still connected to your carburetor/throttle body. Try to find the actuator under the hood. The ones I am familiar with are black plastic about the size of a grapefruit and are vacuum operated. Check the vacuum line for leaks possible disconnection.
Good Luck.
Check for blown fuses.
And what are the symptoms?
Does not engage?
Engages but doesn’t hold speed?
Ringo is right about checking the vacuum hoses - they often become brittle and crack on older cars, causing all kinds of problems with cruise controls, air conditioner vents, and such. Fortunately, they’re easy and cheap to replace - there should be a diagram somewhere under the hood, or in your owner’s manual. You can buy a few feet of the hose for three or four dollars and cut it to the necessary length. So, if I were you, I would
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take GaryM’s advice and check the fuses
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visually inspect under the hood for obvious broken/loose/cracked hoses
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start the car and listen for a hissing noise around the hoses or cruise control components (be careful to keep hair, necktie, fingers, face, etc. out of the belts)
Chances are, you’ll find the problem that way. You might also see if the manufacturer has any information online to troubleshoot the problem, or you could spend $12 - $15 for a Haynes manual (or other brand of owner’s workshop manual) at the auto parts store for more instructions. It might also help us advise you if we knew the make, model, engine sise, etc. of your car. Good luck!
Cruise control is original equipment.
It does not engage when I push the buttons.
6 cylinder 1995 dodge spirit
bump
I have the same problem with my '90 Camry. The cruise control light now blinks 5 times before showing a steady green, and it doesn’t work. It used to show steady green immediately.
Hey, Bos, the cruise on your Spirit is electronically controlled. It may be that the computer needs to reboot; to do this just disconnect the battery terminals overnight.
Vacuum hoses are always a good item to check.
There are switches on the brake pedal (and clutch, if it’s a stick) that disengage the cruise, they are relatively easy to find, and if they’re stuck in the “pedal depressed” position that will stop the cruise from working (just as it turns the cruise off when you step on the brakes). COuld be the cruise is working fine but thinks you’re brakling all the time so never turns on. This used to happen on my 1991 Dodge Grand Caravan all the time.
There is a separate cable on some cars which opens the throttle body to the correct position; sometimes this cable comes loose or breaks. It will most likely be running parallel to the accelerator cable and be powered by an electronic or vacuum device (hence the need to check for vacuum hoses)
Good luck!
B.
BTW, remember that disconnecting the battery terminals will cause you to lose all of your radio presets, etc.
b.