blackmaxima88

This has been a problem since I got the car and I'm curious to see if anyone else has/has had this problem with the cruise control.

when I press the main dashboard switch, the green "cruise cont" lamp comes on. from there, if I press the set switch in the turn signal lever, nothing happens. it never actuates.

there is a lengthy troubleshooting/diagnosis/repair section in the FSM which deals with the cruise control (or as they call it, the Automatic Speed Control Device)... but before I begin that and tearing things apart and checking harnesses and resistance, I'm wondering if this is a common problem with a simple solution...probably not but it never hurts to ask. it seems that all the vacuum lines are intact, and things are plugged in, but there are a few wire harnesses that don't connect to anything under my hood, maybe they have something to do with it? the first is located right with the harness for the oil pressure sending unit wire. it's a gray connector with about 4 or so prongs and I can't find the matching end. the other is a set of wires in the thick wire bundle above the oil filler cap. there is a red and a white wire, each with a black stripe on it, that come out of the flex tubing and just end, with a rubber cap over the end of the wire. about 6 inches down the wire bundle is the same thing - a red and a white wire each with a black stripe on it and a rubber cap on the end of each. it seems to me that these should go to something? or maybe get connected together? I don't want to mess with them until I know for sure what they go to. it's just ideas that I'm throwing around.

Charles Bisel

Never had any problems with my cruise control, so I can't help you out much. I know Max88q had some issues with it after he had his engine work done, so maybe he could toss out some ideas as to what could be wrong.

Anywhoo, you do know that it doesn't kick in until you're going at least 35-40 mph? Just making sure you know in case you didn't and end up ripping everything apart for nothing.

-C-

blackmaxima88

yeah I knew that, I'm usually on the highway when I try to kick it on

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

Have you tried hitting the acclerate switch? I have to do that every now in then to get cruise to kick in....though that's probably because I don't hit the resume when putting the car into cruise.

S

max95q

iTrader: (10)

Yeah for me the problem still stands. The shop did something to my car. When I put it in the shop my cruise control worked when I got it back. Didnt work. Im thinking in my case its dealing with vaccum. I see that there is a hose thas not connected to anything but after researching my engine everything seems to be intact so far anyway. Damn shop! I havent gone in depth with it havent had the time and pretty much left it alone since I dont drive on the highway much anymore.

86Wagon

I had a similar problem with my 86 Maxima... My cruise
worked, but the lot I bought the car from had replaced
the timing belt about a day or two before I bought the
car (which helped sell me on the car ).

Later on while changing some other parts, I found that
the lot had installed the vacuum lines incorrectly.

They had hooked the fuel pressure cut off relay to the
cruise control!

I re-ran the vacuum lines to there correct functions, and to
my surprise, my car is much easier to start when hot now that
the cut off solenoid is connected to the fuel pressure regulator
and not the the cruise control!

You might want to take a second look at your vacuum lines,
they could be routed incorrectly.

The cruise servo should have a constant vacuum source.

Hope this helps!
Scott

blackmaxima88

the servo does have constant vacuum when the engine is running. when/IF it ever stops raining I'll start checking it with the FSM.

max95q

iTrader: (10)

Thanks for this help I know there are got to be some hoses misguided somewhere. I know for a fact when they were doing the top end they didnt label any of the hoses. I even checked on it but I assumed they knew what they were doing for they had just did a rebuild on a 1986 maxima right before mine went in. Of course after mine was out that same day the one prev. before mine was back in because some electrical wires werent wired right. Im just surprised these cars still run with hoses incorrectly connected.

86Wagon

Yeah, after test driving a 90 Max the other day and finding
it much quicker than my 86, but everyone here telling me that
my 86 should be able to keep up with a 90 Max any day of the
week... and with all the vacuum lines not routed correctly...

Makes me wonder if the lot I bought the car from did a poor
job of installing the timing belt as well...

It would be pretty expensive to "just find out" and I don't
have the time to tear into it right now to find out myself
either.

I'm wondering if it might be off a tooth...

Scott

maximase86

iTrader: (24)

Well here is the thing, if your timing belt was even off a tooth, that would spell big trouble. That would cause head/valve damage if it was even off as much as that.

S