Cruise not working on my 2004 Jetta

Going on a road trip with my 2004 Jetta and need to fix two problems before I leave. First, and I think most importantly is the cruise. I turn the switch on and the cruise light comes on, but I hit set and it does nothing, no matter how many times I press it. I took out the brake light switch (bad mistake took me an hour to get it back in and working) and that seems to be ok. I take it that there is a cruise module somewhere. Anyway any clues would be helpful.

Second problem is my fan. I had four speeds one day and now only high. Im guessing there is a resister pack somewhere as well, or perhaps there is a fuse that governs the resisted speeds and not high. Again any clues would be helpful.

If you can get access to VCDS you will easier find your cruise control problem. Your sig doesn't say if you have a 5 speed or an automatic; if you have a 5 speed the likely culprit is the "blue" switch on your clutch pedal. As for the fan there is a fan control module that (on a 2001 anyway) is mounted under the battery box just behind the fan shroud. Have you tried running the A/C in the driveway and checking to see if only the high speed works there as well? I hope this helps you diagnose the problems.

You need a scan tool. There is no "cruise control module", as that is all resident in the engine controller.

You can check all the switches in the data blocks.

Or you can just throw a bunch of parts at it....

Without testing in VCDS, this is about your only option:
Shown is the RHD version, but should still work

Thank you Nevada TDI and oilhammer. It is a 5 sp. so I'll look into that blue switch. Gforce 1108 I'm not sure which test is being done in the picture.
How much do you have to pay for VCDS, and does it plug into your OBD2 port?

There is a version of VCDS available for $199.00 @Ross-Tech.com; here is the link:
http://www.ross-tech.com

Old Vdubs said:

Thank you Nevada TDI and oilhammer. It is a 5 sp. so I'll look into that blue switch. Gforce 1108 I'm not sure which test is being done in the picture.
How much do you have to pay for VCDS, and does it plug into your OBD2 port?

Click to expand...

No test - just a simpler cruise system. As the others have mentioned, vcds can test all of the individual functions of the cruise control. There is a switch at the very top of the travel of the clutch. If it goes bad it won't affect much beut the cruise function. I've seen a bit of a shift flare on a car with this switch bad (RPMs hang when the clutch is pressed for a moment).

See if there is someone close to you with vcds that you can meet up with for a quick test.

I checked out the blue clutch switch and even bypassed it, so that's not it. It looks like the stalk switch. looks like you have to pull the steering wheel to do that. I'll have to consider that VCDS software (or maybe just get a brick).
I fixed the fan problem. It was the resister pack under the glove box.

My apologies, I failed to realize you were talking about the fan inside the cabin; it should have occurred to me the radiator fans don't have 4 speeds. Duh!, on me.

Nevada_TDI said:

My apologies, I failed to realize you were talking about the fan inside the cabin; it should have occurred to me the radiator fans don't have 4 speeds. Duh!, on me.

Click to expand...

No apologies necessary, I just said fan. I once had a Renault with a 2 speed radiator fan.

That's what the TDI's got.

Old Vdubs said:

I fixed the fan problem. It was the resister pack under the glove box.

Click to expand...

Keep an eye on the fan, listen for extra noise when you shut it off.

I just did the hvac fan and resistor pack on my old Jeep - the bushings/bearings in the fan motor were dying, which caused it to draw more power than usual through the resistor pack and kill it.

if the resistor pack blows again, the fan motor itself may be suspect.

Check your bulbs in the back. The sockets sometimes get sloppy and can cause feedback causing the ecm to think that you hit the brakes. Mine would do that and one or both of the bulbs wouldn't work but the 3rd light did. When this would happen, the cruise would stop working.

OldV... yeah, definitely get the VCDS - it WILL pay you back in spades.

I've read the same thing Rob reported with the fan causing the resistor to blow.

I've actually had success hitting my fan with penetrating spray. My intention was to try it as a test and has been going for a year now.

gforce what happened to test brick #1?

The fan sounds healthy so I'm hoping it's not going to blow again.
I'll definitely check those bulbs. Don't want to change that stalk switch if I don't have to.

oilhammer said:

You need a scan tool. There is no "cruise control module", as that is all resident in the engine controller.
You can check all the switches in the data blocks.
Or you can just throw a bunch of parts at it....

Click to expand...

Once again....

The fan sounds healthy so I hope it won't blow again. I'll definitely check the brake lights. It would be nice if I didn't have to change the stalk switch.

Don't know whats going on. I made a post, it didn't go up, so I did it again now there is two of them. ???

Figured it out. It was on page 2, that's why I didn't see it. DUH.