No Curise Control 2001 Subaru Legacy L

[potter2010]

Hello again,

I recently went on a trip out of town to find that my cruise control wasn't working. Light comes on when the button is pressed but the stick doesn't do anything. It was a bit sticky but the temperature was about -40c overnight so I wasn't surprised and it seemed to loosen up a bit after a couple hours. I haven't had to use it in months so I'm not exactly sure when it stopped working. However, as some may remember I recently replaced my alternator and may have knocked something loose. Also, on the same trip, my check engine light came on (Upstream O2 sensor - P0130). This is the only light that came on that shouldn't be. I was a little slow getting on this as the cruise control is not something I use often but since I'm going to be needing it next week I'm hoping to get it fixed. The O2 sensor I need to get around to ordering but my repair manual lays it out pretty straight forward for replacing.

I've been reading through the forum and my repair manual to figure out what to check. Tomorrow I'm going to check to see if the horns, signals, brake lights work to see if they could point to other issues causing the CC to stop function. I'll check the fuses for the cruise control. I'll check the sensor on the brake pedal as many people seem to have issues with the plastic coming off and affecting the sensor. (The brakes have been pretty stiff on a couple cold days. I'm thinking my hammering on them to stop may have damaged the plastic bit.) I'll check the vacuum hose attachment on the firewall and try to follow that back to wherever it goes to make sure it looks good. I believe I know which hose to look for but I can't seem to find a diagram on the Internet anywhere or in my repair manual (Haynes).

I had a look earlier at the cables for the accelerator (one for the gas pedal and one for the cruise control I'm guessing, side by side). The one going directly back to the firewall had a bit of play in it is this normal?

 

Does anyone else have any other suggestions as to what to check? Since it's pretty cold out there and dark by the time I get home I'm hoping to cover as many bases as possible in one go. Thanks!

[Fairtax4me]

I have a problem with the cruise in my car as well, so I've been checking into all the possibilities since its been too cold, too wet (rain/snow),

and exam week at school, and by the time I get home its too dark to actually do anything with it.

 

Obviously you want to check fuses first.

The next things to check are the brake switch and the clutch switch (if MT).

There is a small plastic button that the plunger on the switch hits when the pedals are up. The plastic buttons break when they get old and the plunger just sticks through a hole. I think the clutch switch has this problem more commonly than the brake switch.

 

If those check out check the switches for continuity.

 

Check the vacuum hose on the cruise servo. Follow it to its vacuum source, either the engine or to a vacuum pump on the side of the passenger strut tower.

Check that the servo holds vacuum by trying to suck air through the hose.

 

Checking the cruise switch on the wheel is a bit tricky since you get to play with the airbag. I actually just took one apart and was going to do a writeup for cleaning it. Haven't had the time just yet but probably in a few weeks.

 

There should be a small amount of play in the cruise servo cable. That's nothing to worry about.

[potter2010]

Tonight I checked the fuse, looks good. As far as I can tell there's only one for the cruise control.

I checked the plastic that the plunger on the brake switch rests on, great shape. It's an automatic so no clutch switch.

I didn't check the switch for continuity as it is impossible to do in the car so I'll take it out tomorrow. Wedging and unwedging myself from under the steering wheel is a one in a day thing. They certainly don't make it easy to get at the the switch. I did unplug the cable and reattach it in case it was loose. I did notice that it has four contacts, any thoughts as to which contacts I should be testing on?

I went on a hunt for the cruise control under the hood. One of the cables for the accelerator goes straight back through the firewall while the other goes around behind the engine and over to the passenger side. Bingo I thought. I followed the cable to a small vertical box mounted above the passenger wheel well near the firewall. I'm assuming is the servo that controls the cruise control's acceleration. I couldn't for the life of me find the vacuum pump. I'm probably staring right at it. Maybe I'm mistaken but shouldn't the vacuum hose attach to the servo? The only other thing coming off the servo was a set of wires. I've been searching around the Internet and my repair manual but I can't seem to find a diagram to point out the vacuum hoses or where I should be looking. Fairtax4me mentioned the vacuum pump is beside the passenger strut tower and I think I see what he's talking about but I can't see how it's connected to anything related to the cruise control. Granted it was dark and I only had a flashlight so maybe I'm missing something. If anyone has a 2001 Legacy L or similar setup engine compartment I'd be estatic to see a photograph of what I should be looking for.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

Edited December 18, 2013 by potter2010

[lmdew]

Vacuum line comes off the intake manifold and goes to the top of the servo.

two minute fix.  I've fixed more than one of these by just putting the vac line on when the owner had not had cruise for months.

[ivans imports]

Check rubber stopper on clutch / brake pedal were switch stop is

[potter2010]

Update time!

I poked around a bit but since I don't have a garage and it was -50c this went on the back burner until it was warmer. It finally warmed up a bity and we went out for a short drive...presto, cruise control working. Being about -15c everything was relatively warm. A few days later, still about the same temperature, tired it on our street and it worked again. I figured I must have jiggled something that was loose when I was poking around before. This weekend we went on an 1.5 hour drive to the next biggest town. This was the longest drive we've done since it's been "working". It was about -35c and low and behold, cruise control not working. The lever was pretty stiff/sticky. Waited about a half hour with the heater on and the lever was much smoother, cruise control worked. It's fairly obvious now that the issue was the lever, probably gummed up with 12 years of junk I'm guessing. I might look at replacing it but I've read they can be a real pain. Maybe I'll try greasing it up or something so that it doesn't stick in the cold so much. Thanks for your help everyone!

[Gloyale]

Vacuum line comes off the intake manifold and goes to the top of the servo.

two minute fix.  I've fixed more than one of these by just putting the vac line on when the owner had not had cruise for months.

 

Nah....that's the old add-on EA82 style cruise.

 

Factory EA82s, and all EJ body cars (Leg, Imp, For) use an electric vac pump.......there is no Vacuum supplied by intake manifold for cruise.

 

The OP's car the electric pump and the cable solenoid are a combined unit.....with only a 1" long little bent hose connecting the 2 parts of the unit....Potter, you were probably looking right at it with the cable...the "vertical box" you mentioned.

[potter2010]

Nah....that's the old add-on EA82 style cruise.

 

Factory EA82s, and all EJ body cars (Leg, Imp, For) use an electric vac pump.......there is no Vacuum supplied by intake manifold for cruise.

 

The OP's car the electric pump and the cable solenoid are a combined unit.....with only a 1" long little bent hose connecting the 2 parts of the unit....Potter, you were probably looking right at it with the cable...the "vertical box" you mentioned.

 

That's probably why I couldn't find it! I'll have to take another look now.