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Forester cruise control broken


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Long story short, the cruise control in my 2002 manual forester doesn't work. The light comes on when I push the cruise button, but nothing else happens.

 

Short story long, probably important info in here.

My 2000 outback rusted out beyond repair and this forester appeared in my possession for free (even longer story, who cares). I had swapped a 2.2 into my outback, and the forester needed an engine, so I did a day from hell and changed all the good parts over. Swapped the keyless entry module over to the forester and all that good stuff.

 

The part that gets interesting is the stupid thing wouldn't start, everything plugged in just fine, spark, fuel, no start. Put the outback ECU in the forester, just plugs right in. Silly thing fired right up, runs great, drives fine, did almost a 300 mile trip tonight and no CEL or any other issues.... except that cruise control doesn't work at all. Yes I swapped the vacuum nipple onto the manifold and hooked up the vacuum line for the CC thing.

 

I'm at a complete loss as to where I should start on this one, maybe trying to swap the CC control module from the outback?

 

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Did the Forester CC work before all of this swap over?

I'd check the clutch and brake switches to make sure they are being activated correctly.

 

I wish I knew, I have no idea if it worked beforehand or not. That was the first thing I wondered, too.

 

The brake switch should be working, the brake lights go on and off. I think there's only one switch on the brakes.

 

The engine won't start unless the clutch is pushed, so I know the bottom switch works, but yea, there is another switch that activates as soon as you push the pedal that should kick CC off. I'll check to make sure that one is doing its thing.

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Yea, sometimes it's hard when there's a common problem to figure out which threads are good, and which threads are people.\ saying google it and look for the thread. Care to share a thread that does a good job summing up the issues and digesting it into a good answer?

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Common thing on a lot of cars is for the little plastic cushion/seat that the clutch switch presses against will break, and then the switch plunger just sticks through a hole in the pedal bracket. Don't know exactly how its done on the 99 Foz, but that's an easy thing to check, and can usually be fixed by taping a dime to the little bracket with good electric tape.

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Common thing on a lot of cars is for the little plastic cushion/seat that the clutch switch presses against will break, and then the switch plunger just sticks through a hole in the pedal bracket. Don't know exactly how its done on the 99 Foz, but that's an easy thing to check, and can usually be fixed by taping a dime to the little bracket with good electric tape.

 

 

Huh, interesting. It looked ok, but after seeing that around the net I'm gonna have to take a closer look. The outback CC worked fine, so if it is that switch I can probably just rob it off the outback...

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So the clutch switch was part of the problem. I even went as far as putting a jumper in the plug to completely bypass the switch, and the cruise still doesn't work. Definitely part of the issue, but there's something bigger going on here. On all my other subarus, it seem when I pushed the cruise button I heard a relay click under the dash somewhere, that doesn't happen on the forester. Could there be a problem with the CC module or something else?

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I've had a look at the wiring diagrams for a 2002 Forester with Cruise-Control..

It's complicated! But here are some thoughts:

 

There are at least 2 Fuses that can affect the CC:

- Fuse No.16 (20A) feeds the 'Stop & Brake Switch', and indirectly the CC.

- Fuse No.18 (15A) feeds the 'Ignition' circuits, including the CC-Module.

 

The Black connector for the 'Stop & Brake Switch' ('B65' in the wiring diags.) feeds 4 wires:

- #1 Red/Yellow & #4 Yellow/Green have a 'Normally-Closed' contact, and feed the CC-Module (as well as the CC-Switch indicator-lamp).

- #2 Blue/Yellow & #3 White/Black have a 'Normally-Open' contact, and feed the Brake-Lights (as well as the CC-Module).

 

The Blue connector for the 'Clutch Switch' ('B107' in the wiring diags.) feed 2 wires:

- #1 Black/Red & #2 Blue/Orange have a 'Normally-Closed' contact (#1 goes to Ground; #2 goes to the CC-Module).

 

I suggest that you check these switches for correct operation.

 

I have all the Wiring Diagrams (downloaded years ago as PDF files). But I cannot attach files from my tablet.

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So, you bypassed the switch and it worked?

 

Brake switch has two sets of contacts. Separate for the lights and cruise. Cruise contacts should be closed when the pedal is up, might check the adjustment on that.

 

The newer models don't have a relay for the cruise so you probably won't hear anything clicking except the switch.

 

Fuses are good? Does the light in the switch turn on when the switch is pushed?

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forester2002s, thanks for the info! I'll check that out tomorrow morning.
 

Fairtax, it doesn't work when I hotwire the clutch switch. I didn't realize there were two brake switches. I'll have to check that out. I think all the fuses are good... I'll have to do one more check, though.

There isn't a light on the dash (as far as I know...), but the indicator light on the cruise button lights up when I push it .

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Not two brake switches. One switch. Two sets of contacts in the same housing.

 

There isn't a light in the cluster as far as I know. Should only be the lamp in the main switch. If that works the control module is at least enabling the cruise system.

 

Check the power coming from the selector-switch (subaru calls it a sub-switch). There's a black connector under the steering column with three wires in it. One is red and green, that's your power going in for the cruise sub-switch and the horn. The two wires coming out are for set and resume commands. Push the switch and watch for voltage on those wires.

Pulling the switch to cancel applies voltage to both wires.

 

If you have 12v going in, but nothing coming out suspect the clockspring. If you have voltage on both wires when pulled to cancel, but no voltage when set or resume, suspect the switch.

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