Cruise Control Issues

[jlarry214]

Okay gang,

Having issues with our cruise control on our 1999 Concourse. Sometimes works some times doesn't. Mostly doesn't. When we first start a trip it works until the first time we kill the engine. Then it won't set again.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Larry

[kdarling]

Is it at all related to whether you have your running lights on or not, perhaps when you turn on the cruise?

I read about one guy who couldn't figure out his problem until he found out that Ford programmed the ECU to disable cruise if any of the tail or brake lights had a problem.

Although his lights worked, apparently one/more of the bulbs had high resistance or something, and his cruise started working after he replaced all the bulbs.

Just a thought.

[Scott]

Is your ABS light on? If you have a dead (or dying) vehicle speed sensor, your CC will not function. If you have the single rear VSS sensor, it’s a ten dollar part and takes a minute to change. Also, the front reluctor rings can get contaminated and stop functioning properly rendering the ABS (and cruise) inoperable. Fixing those is a bigger job, but you should be able to see if they’re soiled just by looking through the holes in your wheels.

[Xatlatc]

Larry,
I too have a 1999 Concourse with the same intermittent cruise control issue which I forget about until I'm on the road again. Last month we went to Florida to thaw for a few days and after the first stop it stopped working when we got back on the road. So the bride took the wheel and I searched the net for an answer. YouTube has a Ford tech showing a pressure switch located at the master cylinder which just screws in and out as the culprit 90% of the time. I haven't checked the switch yet because I may have found a workaround that has worked for me when the normal procedure for 'setting' the cruise control doesn't work. Instead of pressing the 'on' button on the left side of the wheel first then the 'set' button, I pressed the 'set' button on the right side, held it down, then pressed the 'on' button. Let go of both and low and behold the cruise control worked. Now I don't know if its been luck or magic, but it worked for me last month. I'm glad you posted the issue because I'd forgotten about the problem until now, once again. I better check the switch before we leave for St. Louis on Easter.

[Blue~Go]

The cruise control on my '99 also didn't work when I bought it. A couple of notes:

1) There was a recall for our year (some minor thing like the steering wheel would catch on fire), so you might want to put your VIN into the Ford database and see if yours has been done (mine had been). Not that I think that's your problem, but just while we are on the topic.

2) Mine was the switch on the wheel. I'm not sure how the shop diagnosed it, but they said that's what it was, put in a new one, and away I went with working cruise control. Mine was not intermittent though - it just did not work. I realize this doesn't address your symptoms, but just figured it might be information you could use somehow (even just knowing that this part being broken was NOT intermittent).

[General Snafu]

Is it at all related to whether you have your running lights on or not, perhaps when you turn on the cruise?

I read about one guy who couldn't figure out his problem until he found out that Ford programmed the ECU to disable cruise if any of the tail or brake lights had a problem.

Although his lights worked, apparently one/more of the bulbs had high resistance or something, and his cruise started working after he replaced all the bulbs.

Just a thought.

Check your brake lights. Cruise control will function normally on that vintage ford with one blown brake light. If the second filament blows, cruise control will not engage. It's been about 15 years since I worked through this problem. IIRC, there was some other function that also died when both brake light filaments were blown but what it was, escapes me at the moment. Also, check the brake light switch. Sometimes they come out of adjustment to a point where they are in the N/C position. That makes the circuit the same as when you apply the brake. As you know, when you step on the brake, cruise control disengages and will not engage as long as there is power applied to the brake light circuit. Good luck.

[kdarling]

Also, does your horn always work? And no airbag light?

There's also a gizmo called a clockspring that is a wire coil behind the steering wheel that carries the signals whole the wheel turns.

A lot of this stuff is interrelated because Ford used varying resistances to signal different cruise commands over fewer wires. Plus bad wiring at the master brake cylinder can cause it, along with the lights and other electrics.

[Xatlatc]

I found a Ford dealer that is willing to look at my intermittent cruise control problem. The tech that is going to look at it tomorrow works on the big Ford trucks and is familiar with the issue. I plan to head out for a New England road trip next month and yes, I'm spoiled with cruise control. Ha. I'll give an update hopefully tomorrow and a damage report.

[SMan]

When I purchased our Chinook a few years back the cruise did not work. I love having cruise so it had to be repaired. I had it done at a local Ford dealer and they determined the YC2Z 9C735 AA Speed Control Servo Assy was bad. The cost for the part was $538.44 and the labor was $220.00. With tax the bill was $842.86 Not cheap but well worth it. It has worked fine since. As with my 69 El Camino it seems like anytime I have work done its "Break out another Thousand".

[Xatlatc]

When I dropped the Chinook off at the dealership the cruise control was not working. The next day the tech called me as he was driving it and said the cruise was working just fine. Figures. I asked him to go park and shut off the engine for a few minutes then start up and try again. On the third on/off sequence the cruise stopped working. They seem to think it's the Speed Control Servo just like Sman's problem. I thought of having an after market cruise installed but I'm not sure yet. I'm also considering just biting the bullet and getting a new Servo installed but they won't guarantee that the Servo will fix the problem and there's no refund for the Servo. To be continued I guess.