Cruise Control Issues

Topic: Cruise Control Issues (Read 1973 times) previous topic - next topic

Cruise Control Issues

August 17, 2014, 10:06:41 AM

My 88 has a cruise control issue. First it stopped working so I bought a replacement servo from 50racer and got it installed. Cruise worked just fine. My wife takes the car and tells me the cruise doesn't work. I drive the car a short while later and the cruise works. Now I'm confused and she feels stupid. I don't like that but I had no explanation for her. She again drives the car and this time swears that she's not crazy but she couldn't get the cruise to work. Now again, I repeat the process and the cruise works. Now this time, I don't want to make her feel bad again so I started thinking. She drives in a different position than I do and she adjusts the tilt column differently than I do. I have it all the way down, she does not. She has it in the middle sort of standard position. Sure enough, the cruise doesn't work. I tried all notches of the tilt and the cruise only works in the bottom two notches of the tilt. Now I looked at a spare steering column that I have and the tilt assembly looks to be just a series of springs. The wheel has what looks like a wire plug for it. I didn't disassemble the column but it looks like the tilt shouldn't have any affect on the ability of the cruise to work or not. I plan to pull the column cover and just look at things to make sure a wire isn't getting pinched somehow but I don't see how it could by looking at the spare. Does anyone have any ideas? All thoughts welcome.

Cruise Control Issues

Reply #1 – August 17, 2014, 12:07:08 PM

Could be the clock spring as well. Hopefully its just a pinched wire as I do not think they make the clock springs for our cars any longer. Same boat with the Fox Mustangs and the 1994 Mustang, they make them for 95 and up which is just strange.

Darren

Cruise Control Issues

Reply #2 – August 17, 2014, 03:03:57 PM

Almost sounds like a wiring issue to me.I've seen wires broke that the component would only work in certain positions.

Cruise Control Issues

Reply #3 – August 17, 2014, 03:15:16 PM

Aerocoupe, are you sure that T-Birds use clock spring? I thought they have static cocentric rings on steering column and brushes on steering wheel. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know.

Cruise Control Issues

Reply #4 – August 17, 2014, 05:18:27 PM

My 88 cougar was doing the same thing. Turned out to be the disconnect switch above the brake pedal wasn't adjusted properly. Look waaaay up the brake pedal and you'll see a switch with a vacuum line and a couple of wires going to it. It's a threaded switch and you have to turn it clockwise to ensure the nipple is depressed when the brake pedal is in the rest position. If that nipple even sticks out a little from the switch the cruise won't work or works intermittently.

Cruise Control Issues

Reply #5 – August 17, 2014, 09:36:35 PM

Trinom is correct, our cars pre-date clockspring use, and instead use a sliding contact.

Cruise Control Issues

Reply #6 – August 18, 2014, 06:37:03 PM

Clock springs are normally for AIR BAGS. He does not have one. He has a busted wire in the column that most likely connects only in the down position. That is the only logical thing i can think of. Have a great evening guys.