Cruise control issue on wife's car

[Rat Rod Mac]

My wife has a 2002 Toyota Avalon that in the winter time (or any cold day) the cruise control will not work, but let the temperature warm up, like this time of year, and then it starts working again. (cold in the morning doesn't work, coming home from work in the afternoon, it works). Have any of you guys experienced anything like this before? If so, what components did you replace to correct the issue? Thanks in advance. RRM

 

[nbking]

That's a weird one, I've only heard of the third brake light bulb keeping it from working. Maybe the filament is broken, but when it's cold vs. Hot it's making contact

 

[Cougsfan]

Good luck on that one. On my '94 Dodge Ram 3600 the cruise control doesn't work on rare occasions. When it doesn't work the ABS and parking brake lights are also on. The problem is intermittent and when I am in a mood to address it, it is always working fine.

 

[AWSubie]

Check at the brake pedal where the cancel switch contacts the pedal. Some of the Asian carmakers have a rubber plug or hard plastic stop on the pedal that as it wears it will break the contact simulating a “cancel”. Maybe with temperature changes the shrinkage/expansion of the material is just enough to cause an issue.

 

[k0ua]

If I was to take a guess, I would guess a crack in the circuit board for the cruise control. Expansion contraction makes and breaks the solder joint crack. It will be hard to find, and modern techs do not even attempt to find, they just replace boards.

I repaired a cruise control board in a 1978 Grenada. It took dozens of phone calls to engineers and departments all across the USA. Starting with TRW, in California who I found out only made the bare circuit board, but told me where the board was shipped to, and working my way to Philco-Ford design team and finally ending up at Ford Aerospace and actually getting hold of the man that designed the board and after telling him the symptoms he gave me some pointers on what components would likely be the culprit. He also said that he would send full schematics for the board. I had the board fixed in a couple of hours after the call (it was a 59 cent zener diode) and a few days later the schematics arrived.

I seriously doubt any engineer would assist a customer in these days and times, but the 1980's was another lifetime ago, and things worked differently then.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Good luck on that one. On my '94 Dodge Ram 3600 the cruise control doesn't work on rare occasions. When it doesn't work the ABS and parking brake lights are also on. The problem is intermittent and when I am in a mood to address it, it is always working fine.

We had a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a similar problem. One of the rotation sensors on the ABS/Traction Control was intermittent. Chasing down which one was a real nuisance.

 

[civilian]

On my 87 Ford full size van, I found the cruise control did not work when I had a rear brake light problem, fuse burned out or somethig. Was told it was designed to indicate no brake lights showing. Replace fuse, had cruise control working and brake lights. Jon

 

[oosik]

I think it's a situation of - as our vehicles become more complicated, we are bound to find more of these unusual problems.

I thought I had a problem with the Power Wagon. With the doors locked I could not gain access thru the passengers side door.

It was the way in which I had the software set. Finally I found the "page" on the display and changed the setting.

I also found the "page" where I could shut off that OBNOXIOUS beep when you lock up the vehicle with the key fob.

 

[Scar0B2150]

Are there any other dash lights on?
In my 07 Dodge if any dash error light is "on" the cruise will not work.

 

[Rat Rod Mac]

Check this out. I ordered a brake switch for the steering column. It comes in and I pull the air bag out of the steering wheel and unscrew the switch and disconnect the wire from it's harness. Guess what, the wire plug has a different shape to it than the new one even though the 2000- to 2005 are all suppose to be the same. So before I box the new one up to send it back I take a picture of the two wire connectors side by side and that way the outfit I bought it from can't argue with me about the purchase and return. Put the air bag and everything else back into the steering wheel and guess what?? The cruise now works every time morning when it's cool outside and in the afternoon when it warms ups. For how long is any ones guess, but for now it works. Go figure. RRM