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Odd Cruse Control Behavior


madlock
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A couple of weeks into ownership of TC #2, I've run into a problem with the cruise control.

Like many, my vehicle was delivered with incorrect tire pressure. Rather than 36/49 front and rear, it had been inflated to a uniform 36, setting-off TPMS and, I had presumed, disabling cruise control.

I hadn't driven it in over a week, so when I got around to visiting a local dealer, I had them inflate the rear tires to a proper 49 lbs and the TPMS alert expectedly returned to normal with the instrument cluster warning light turning (and staying) off. Step 1, Check.

I then motored off, not being able to test the cruise control (as essential a feature for me as headlights or brakes) until I had entered traffic on a 55 mph road. I was surprised to note that the cruise control didn't work. I had the presence of mind to consider that the engine had been left running when the tires were being inflated, and the TPMS light turning-off may not have been enough to reset the cruise control disable, so I pulled-over, restarted the car, and was pleased to note that the cruise control would then engage.

Shortly thereafter, after having encountered a traffic light or two, I again sought to re-engage the cruise control; but it wouldn't. No combination of pushing any of the steering wheel controls would get it to work. So, I then pulled-over again, restarted the vehicle, and the cruise worked again fine... for a while. A couple of stops later, the damn thing wouldn't function again. The only consistency seemed to be that it would work immediately after restarting the car and become flaky soon thereafter.

Has anyone encountered something similar? Having encountered the same situation with my original TC, proper inflation fixed the TPMS once and for all and I never had any cruise control issue. I'm dreading the prospect of an intermittent problem with an electrical component that will undoubtedly result in more headaches to repair than I care to consider.

Thanks in advance.

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My CC was also flakey for the first few weeks, but it seems to be working fine now. I wondered then whether it had something to do with that "training phase" the shift computer goes through after its energized. I know that at first, there were times when CC was on and I was losing speed up a hill, it wouldn't downshift early enough, then start downshifting in a panic and the truck would buck into 2nd gear at around 6000 RPMs trying to get back to speed. I thought it was going to damage the transmission a few times. It now seems to downshift earlier and maintain a decent speed so that it doesn't need to use 2nd gear.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I can dispel one of the thoughts here. The TPMS system and the cruise control are not made to interface. My TPMS light has been on for most of the time I've owned the van. (Remember - I did this... I put custom wheels/tires on it right after I got it.) My cruise has worked right from the start, or I should say, right from the first time I tried it. That was probably a week after taking it home because I was not working that week.

No problems with the light on or off, cruise works either way. The light is a whole 'nother issue! I can leave the van sit over the weekend (minimal driving - max 20 miles) and on Monday, it takes about 30 miles for it to kick the light on. If it is cold out.. OK, so I REALLY don't know what "cold" is, being in the lower end of Florida, so let's go with anything in the 60s or below, it seems to stay off longer, and will take longer to come on in the morning. Normal temps, it comes on within the first 20 miles at highway speed. I like when it isn't on, but know that is short lived every day. One day I will either pull the bulb, or pay to have it reclaibrated to the pressures I am going to use. I was told by a pretty savvy tech that this is not something they can't do.

My $.02.... Your mileage may vary.

Roland C.

Happily Transiting shift.gif

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Thanks for the update.

TMPS and cruse are indeed not interdependent. My presumption was based upon TPMS having been active and the cruise control not working, presumably since delivery. Ironically, once I properly inflated the tires, the cruise worked, but only intermittently. It was both presumptive and coincidence.

I had the TC serviced and the cruise problem fortunately manifested itself during the first test drive. One of the two brake stage sensor switches was faulty and was replaced. It's worked fine since.

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  • 1 year later...

This is really a non-issue for me but my wife informed me today that the cruise control won't engage above 83 mph on our Transit. After 30 years of marriage this shouldn't surprise me as she informed me a decade ago that our Chevy Express van starts cutting out at 96 mph while running thru the Nevada/Utah waste lands (she had never gotten a ticket in near 38 years) . Maybe I should put her back into a Diesel Rabbit like we used to drive.

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