How to trouble shoot flakey cruise control

VW_Factor · Aug 1, 2011

blu_jet_92 said:
are you driving while looking at this block??

No sir.

Simply in the driveway doing the simple testing. I've taken the column apart again to double check the connectors.. Everything is fine under there too.

If I need to monitor things while driving to further troubleshoot I can get that as well, just need to harass my wife to do it with me. Just doesn't make sense to me. Everything is 100 percent, now there is nothing, and VCDS only reveals what I have posted here.. http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=325347

Anyway...

I am pretty positive the switch didn't just give out when I did this. As well, if there is simply a connector somewhere that maybe I should pay special attention too.. Please let me know. Car is perfect mechanically and electrically, minus this one thing here. :/

vwbugdoctor · Sep 15, 2011

cruise inop

According to VCDS i have 255 cruise not activated. How do I activate it?

rdkern · Sep 15, 2011

If it fits the instructions, somewhere on this link you should find the answer:
http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/cars/tdi.html

vwbugdoctor · Sep 15, 2011

Thanks Rdkern Yes I found it there. Select 01 engine go to login 11 then enter 11463 to activate cruise hit do it and its done. Ross TECH says some new ECU's don't some activated. Not sure if thats what happened didn't have any history on the car. Thanks again Mark.

rdkern · Sep 15, 2011

that is a good website. Just need to root around in there sometimes.

steffen707 · May 24, 2012

Wingnut said:
This must have been an intermittent connection in the switch, causing my CC to be flakey and work sometimes and not others. So I removed the switch cover to expose the contacts & cleaned them with some contact cleaner.
I just sprayed some contact cleaner in there and bingo, no more flakey cruise:

Will the deoxit I bought for my glow plug harness work to clean these contacts too? Or do I need some different stuff?

My cruise sets every time, but the resume somtimes shuts the cruise off, or if you hold the resume down it will accelerate the car, and then when you release it it can sometimes kick the cruise off. I think I just got some bad contacts in mine too.

Chubber · May 24, 2012

I have cleaned my switch too many times to count with contact cleaner. I can see the switch parts moving around but still can't get the cruise to activate more than 5% of the time I push the button. The on/off work fine, just the cruise/coast button is flakey.

Maybe Ill pull the wiring diagram up if I can (Digital Bentley has won't install on my Win 7 machine and it's license thing is useless) and see if I can rewire a simple push button for cruise.

steffen707 · May 27, 2012

steffen707 said:
Will the deoxit I bought for my glow plug harness work to clean these contacts too? Or do I need some different stuff?

My cruise sets every time, but the resume somtimes shuts the cruise off, or if you hold the resume down it will accelerate the car, and then when you release it it can sometimes kick the cruise off. I think I just got some bad contacts in mine too.

Well i tried the Deoxit and it seemed to fix my problem. I now had resume and accel working just fine for my 400 mile trip this weekend.

SuperAdellic · Jun 11, 2012

steffen707 said:
Will the deoxit I bought for my glow plug harness work to clean these contacts too? Or do I need some different stuff?

My cruise sets every time, but the resume somtimes shuts the cruise off, or if you hold the resume down it will accelerate the car, and then when you release it it can sometimes kick the cruise off. I think I just got some bad contacts in mine too.

The resume function and accelerate function are integrated in the same switch. If you push and release resume/accelerate, it will resume set speed. If you push and hold for a second (or longer) it will accelerate to a new speed.

For the sometimes canceling cruise issue, this is a function of use and the design of the switch.
Design: you can cancel your set cruise speed by pushing the switch towards off but not far enough to turn CC off (you will feel noticeably increased resistance to your pushing before it will click over to off; try it the next time you're using CC).
Use: sometimes when you flick the switch to resume and release it quickly, the switch will travel too far towards the off position and cancel your cruise. This happened to me several times before I figured it out and I used my thumb to prevent the switch from doing this. Hope this helps.

upsbroke · Jun 11, 2012

speed slipping on cruise

My memory isn't so sharp these days but I remember having this issue once before but not remembering the fix. In my 98 NB- I can set the cruise at 75 and it will set at 75 but slowly is goes down to 70 then 65. I haven' t checked to see how far it would keep dropping because I don't want to cause an issue with other traffic.

steffen707 · Jun 13, 2012

SuperAdellic said:
The resume function and accelerate function are integrated in the same switch. If you push and release resume/accelerate, it will resume set speed. If you push and hold for a second (or longer) it will accelerate to a new speed.
For the sometimes canceling cruise issue, this is a function of use and the design of the switch.
Design: you can cancel your set cruise speed by pushing the switch towards off but not far enough to turn CC off (you will feel noticeably increased resistance to your pushing before it will click over to off; try it the next time you're using CC).
Use: sometimes when you flick the switch to resume and release it quickly, the switch will travel too far towards the off position and cancel your cruise. This happened to me several times before I figured it out and I used my thumb to prevent the switch from doing this. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the suggestion, but the deoxit fixed my problem, even if I would slowly ease back the switch after hitting resume, it would sometimes click off. now it works again.

mecne · Jul 4, 2012

Joining the club here with no cruise love.
Before I got my vag , popped the button off and used electronics cleaner on my old stock with no change , then I changed the brake light switch and cruise stock. Thought for $50 it was worth a try. no change . Checked the fuse and it's fine

Recently got my vag , and have been monitoring the MB 006.
Brake and clutch switches are fine , and show a 1 , set and resume buttons also show a 1 in the correct place . It seems that the switch is not engaging or has no power? for the cruise , in the right box (no Bits) shows 0 in the on and off position.
From what I have read , on position should be 1 and off should be 0 .

Not sure where to go from here . Rip the dash apart and trace the wiring back for a short somewhere? Bad connector maybe , it's a new stock so I hope it's not defective but always a possiblity I guess.

Thanks for any help.
M

upsbroke · Jul 4, 2012

cc

upsbroke said:
My memory isn't so sharp these days but I remember having this issue once before but not remembering the fix. In my 98 NB- I can set the cruise at 75 and it will set at 75 but slowly is goes down to 70 then 65. I haven' t checked to see how far it would keep dropping because I don't want to cause an issue with other traffic.

Problem ended up being solved with a new MAF. Strange but true.

mrfiat · Jul 28, 2012

I have a 2000 TDI and the cruise is not working. It used to work. I replaced the turn signal stalk about 2 years ago and I believe it worked after that.

I checked the taillights, brake lights, fuses 14 & 15, and the clutch switch and all are ok.

I hooked it to a VAGCOM and it indicates something when all switches are pressed except when you hit the SET button (acceleration button) on the cruise control. The acceleration bit (3rd from the right in the 6 digit #) always is a 1.

Do I need another turn signal stalk or could it be something else? That 3rd bit from the left should be a zero unless I hit the Set button, correct?

I already tried putting contact cleaner in end of the turn signal stalk.

Thanks!

SuperAdellic · Oct 17, 2012

Another turn signal stalk gone bad

It appears that I am another victim of a stalk switch being bad. My cruise only works when the turn signal stalk is set for right turn. What a pain.

Chubber · Oct 17, 2012

What's the original VW part number for the replacement?

The cheapest I can find it online is about $101 for the stalk with cruise control. That's a lot to fix something that is just a bad wiring connection.

TDIJetta99 · Oct 19, 2012

got another good one...

I have a local customer with a 2004 Beetle TDI.. Manual trans.. The cruise will set and resume just fine, and works well on flat or almost flat ground, but any sort of hill and the cruise control gives up and cancels after slowing down 3 or 4mph.. If you hit resume it will snap right back up to the previously set speed where it holds fine until the next small hill.. very annoying on the highway.. They said it's been acting like that since they bought the car 3 years ago (it's their first vehicle ever with cruise control).. Last week when I drove it, it had plenty of power.. All of the cruise switches along with the brake and clutch switch are working fine in VCDS.. It was tossing a MAF code a few months back so that got replaced, but the cruise still acts the same..

SuperAdellic · Oct 19, 2012

Chubber said:
What's the original VW part number for the replacement?

The cheapest I can find it online is about $101 for the stalk with cruise control. That's a lot to fix something that is just a bad wiring connection.

For what model and year? Multi-function steering wheel? Depending on model, year, and options, the prices range from $49 to $160.

SuperAdellic · Oct 19, 2012

TDIJetta99 said:
got another good one...

I have a local customer with a 2004 Beetle TDI.. Manual trans.. The cruise will set and resume just fine, and works well on flat or almost flat ground, but any sort of hill and the cruise control gives up and cancels after slowing down 3 or 4mph.. If you hit resume it will snap right back up to the previously set speed where it holds fine until the next small hill.. very annoying on the highway.. They said it's been acting like that since they bought the car 3 years ago (it's their first vehicle ever with cruise control).. Last week when I drove it, it had plenty of power.. All of the cruise switches along with the brake and clutch switch are working fine in VCDS.. It was tossing a MAF code a few months back so that got replaced, but the cruise still acts the same..

Interesting indeed. The cruise in all my TDIs hasn't allowed the speed to drop more than 1mph, unless I was going too slow for a steep hill. Maybe there is programming in the ecu that tells the cc to quit after dropping so many mphs. When I fix the cc in my current Golf, I'll test this out and see if mine will do this as well.
When I was living in the St. Louis area, I drove a 96 saturn sc2 that killed the cc if the speed dropped by more than 5-7mph. Flat ground and rolling hills were fine. Anything steep and I would have to punch it ahead of time to keep the speed up.

Chubber · Oct 19, 2012

SuperAdellic said:
For what model and year? Multi-function steering wheel? Depending on model, year, and options, the prices range from $49 to $160.

1998 Jetta TDI - AHU

The stalks w/o cruise seem to run about $40 and the cruise makes them about $110.

rdkern · Oct 19, 2012

TDIJetta99 said:
got another good one...

I have a local customer with a 2004 Beetle TDI.. Manual trans.. The cruise will set and resume just fine, and works well on flat or almost flat ground, but any sort of hill and the cruise control gives up and cancels after slowing down 3 or 4mph.. If you hit resume it will snap right back up to the previously set speed where it holds fine until the next small hill.. very annoying on the highway.. They said it's been acting like that since they bought the car 3 years ago (it's their first vehicle ever with cruise control).. Last week when I drove it, it had plenty of power.. All of the cruise switches along with the brake and clutch switch are working fine in VCDS.. It was tossing a MAF code a few months back so that got replaced, but the cruise still acts the same..

Fuel filter? Sounds kinda like it for the older vehicles.

TDIJetta99 · Oct 21, 2012

rdkern said:
Fuel filter? Sounds kinda like it for the older vehicles.

I wish it were that simple. The fuel filter is only a few months old.. The car runs 100% other than the cruise weirdness.. This is the first mk4 I've dealt with where the cruise works but gives up too easily..

rdkern · Oct 22, 2012

Something is limiting the power so it can't keep up with the hill.

04 - PD - cams? I'm pretty ignorant as to the details on a PD - how about the lift pump?

TDIJetta99 · Oct 22, 2012

I just said in my previous post that the car has PLENTY of power. Mechanically the engine is perfect.. I repeat.. The car is NOT low on power... It will climb the hill on rt84 coming out of Port Jervis at 95-100mph, same as any other stock PD, but it won't maintain 65mph (or any other speed) with the cruise..

Next time I see the car I'm going to have him leave it with me for a few days.. I'll take a few videos and logs and whatnot..

rdkern · Oct 22, 2012

That's just odd. If you can keep the car going at the anointed speed up the same hill with your foot on the pedal, and the cruise can't, and it usually works on the flats, it would appear to be electrical.

When you do get it back, perhaps logging the cruise switches when it cuts out might tell you something. Please report back with a solution.

TDIJetta99 · Oct 22, 2012

Yeah it is odd.. Most of the time when the cruise can't maintain speed, the engine is low on power to begin with.. I will definitely report back what I find with it, that or I'll be back for help but with more information LOL

mowen · Dec 19, 2012

As a car repair newbie this was super helpful. Thanks wingnut! I also had an intermittent connection, but on the speed setting button. This made it super easy to find. I just have a $10 vag-com cable I got off of amazon and it worked just fine with VCDS-lite for this fix.

bluedge8 · Jan 5, 2013

is there 2 different switches on the clutch? one for starter and one for cruise. Also on the A3 is the switch above the pivot or below? I am wondering why if the clutch pedal dropped to the floor (when doing master/or slave work) that would mess with the adj with the cruise? thanks.

zai4soul · Jan 24, 2013

1Z/AHU Cruise control schematics

Great threat. Helped me to figure out that my problem lies in the wiring. On my 95 Eurovan Camper TDI Conversion with 1ZHarness/ECU that is not too far off. Could anyone scan and PM me the schematics for the CCS so I can run a new wire to the ECU to replace the shorted ones? Thanks

spiceredwagon · Jul 23, 2013

I have a cruse problem similar to TDIJetta99. Its on a 2004 golf PD every thing works normal except after a random amount of time it will loose up to 10 km/h. Adding fuel manually with the foot brings it back to setpoint and the cruse takes over again without moving any buttons. Any ideas of what to check?

How to trouble shoot flakey cruise control

Well-known member

Member

Top Post Dawg

Member

Top Post Dawg

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Top Post Dawg

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Top Post Dawg

Top Post Dawg

Top Post Dawg

Top Post Dawg

Top Post Dawg

Top Post Dawg

Member

Member

Member

Veteran Member