While I was away on travel for 2.5 weeks, my maxima sat in the driveway. When I returned, the cruise control would not function.

Symptoms:

(1) The cruise control switch next to the steering wheel will illuminate green/ON if pressed.
(2) If I push the "Set" button on the cruise control button panel, while going over 30MPH, nothing happens.
(3) The green "Cruise" does NOT appear on the dash
(4) If I hold down "Set" and then press the green/ON button next to the steering wheel, the "Cruise" on the dash blinks continuously (I found something about this in another forum, but can't find the forum again to read the rest of what is said).
(5) If I have the "Cruise" on the dash blinking continuously, I can temporarily slow down its blinking by pushing the buttons on the cruise control button panel. I'm taking this to mean that the cruise control module (ASCD) is working and that each sensor input or button push is some kind of interrupt command that it has to process instantly. Therefore, if I can slow down or disturb the blinking with a push of any button, that button must be working.
- If I push, any of the three buttons on the steering wheel, the blinking is disturbed. (Pressing it continuously will cause the "Cruise" to hold constant).
- If I push the brake pedal and keep pressing it, it does the same thing as above
- If I press the clutch pedal in the same manner as listed above, NOTHING happens. This makes me believe that the clutch pedal sensor has gone bad. I've taken the clutch pedal sensor (Yes the one that is for the ASCD module) and tested it with a multimeter. (Normally without anything touching it, the contacts are OPEN, if I press the button in, the contacts are CLOSED).

I'm thinking about tearing into the wiring under the dash and investigate the clutch pedal problem.

What is the input needed on the cancel pin of the ASCD? I hope to trick out the sensor so that I can determine if that is the problem or not.

Any ideas?

 

yea there is a real good trouble shooting guide in the fsm..

 

gremlins somehow got to yur wires. U gonna have to rewire prolly

 

Isn't the cruise control vacuum controlled or engaged?? I could be wrong but if so would be good to check.

 

its vacuum

 

take the cruise cancel switch on the brake pedal and disconnect it.....jumper the connector with a wire.......try the cruise again. this is the most common prob i see with them.

 

SOLUTION! CRUISE CONTROL NOW WORKS! ...dumb a$$ fix

Finally got a chance to dig deeper into the system....

Let me back track a bit. A few months ago, I noticed this broken piece of round plastic on the floorboard. That night, my neighbor knocks on my door and tells me by brake lights are on.

Car off...all lights are turned off...yet, the brake lights are on! Whaaa?

-Well, the brake light switch turns the lights on when the brake pedal is released. There is a hole in the brake pedal lever with a plastic stopper in it. Guess what? You're right, the switch is pushed back from the plastic stopper to push in the switch and turn off the lights. The plastic stopper had broken and fallen in the floor which allowed the switch to not be pushed in. I got a dime and some electrical tape and taped the dime in there...everything works find.

- The next week, my cruise control stopped working. I investigate all the pedals and sensors (So I thought)...and troubleshoot as I previously mentioned....


Today, I found a "Second Switch". The brake pedal has the switch for the ASCD and the brake lights (I knew this but thought it didn't matter because of my trouble shooting procedures mentioned above). I also never really looked for it as its behind the steering column (It's a tight fit under the dash!). Today, I looked at it. SURE ENOUGH, there's another rubber stopper that had broken out. I got another dime and taped it up...and BOOM! Cruise Control!


....I don't really understand Nissan's choice for the stopper....

 

My cruise control was not working. I can switch on the light but when press set or other two buttons nothing happening.

I took the car to the mechanic, he charged me $40 and said he could not see command passing to the engine, he needs to open up the dais and it gonna cost me lot so better not open it.

I followed the forums and as said pressed Set and switch on the light button. cruise control on screen starts flashing. as I pressed buttons I see criuse control flashing stops for a sec but the cruise still not working

I look beneath the dias Board and looked for stopper. I see a hole in the stopper. I use quick fix glue to put a dime over the hole. Criuse control is working now..

Thanks you so much

 

On the subject of cruise control. Would anyone happen to know how or if it is possible to use an extra cruise dash switch to operate DRLs? I picked up the dash switch and the under hood relay at the wrecking yard but not have had any luck figuring out the wiring.
I want to install the switch to right of the steering wheel in the blank spot already located there. I have rewired my bumper and corner lights so that the corners are now the blinkers and the bumpers w/ clears installed are now the DRLs.

 

Probably not the right kind of switch. IIRC the cruise control switch is spring loaded; you push it to turn the CC on and then it pops back out. For lights, you need a switch that stays in position until you turn it back off.

 

I understand the switch function but I was thinking that if it is able to keep power to the CC it would be able to keep power to the lights. I believe that is what the relay will accomplish. I just cant figure out how to get them to work together. But thanks, that was my first mistake. Thinking I could simply use this switch and wire lights to it.

 

Not exactly the same problem, but i just got mine working yesterday for the first time since I owned the car. I used the fsm to trace a bad ground on the #3 pin from the ASCD control unit.

 

Usually use a relay to contol a high current load like lights with a low current signal. When you do that, however, you have to keep currrent flowing thru the "contol" side of the relay to hold the relay up. The cruise switch won't do that. I image that there are "smarts" in the cruise control module that hold the cruise on after the CC switch is release.

 

Thanks bobflood. After looking at the wiring diagram there are also other relays that may be accomplishing the same thing. I just wish I could keep this simple but who knows.

 

DRLs run whenever the car is on. Why do you need a switch? You could operate the DRLs thru a relay, and control the relay with a circuit that is always hot when the car is running. One possibillity is the accessory relay - it runs the radio, clock and a couple of other things. It would keep those lights on whenever those things have power.

 

I didn't want the DRLs on with the headlights. Looks too busy up front with 6 lights on at the same time. The switch allows me to turn them off when driving at night.

 

NissanSE98 : it appears I'm having the same issue as you are. In looking for the missing plastic pieces, I think I may have located the one by the dashboard, but can't locate the other. Is it possible for you to load a picture showing the location of these plastic pieces. Any help is much appreciated.

 

I had mine do the same thing draining the battery. But I dont remember seeing another switch on there. might be kinda tight but any chance at a picture? The brake light is kinda high up there. you are saying it is even higher?

 

I'll be away from the car for awhile due to work so can't make any pictures.


However, it's real easy to find...you just have to really get under the dash.

Follow the brake pedal up towards the steering column...this is where you'll see the brake light switch. Continue going upward and you'll see a similar setup just beyond the steering column.....if you still can't find it, just look at all the wires attached to the brake pedal under the dash.



(Cruise Control Brake Pedal Sensor)
-
-
-
(Steering Column)
-
(Brake Pedal Light Sensor)
-
-
-
(Brake Pedal)

 

Kinda old thread, but it helped fix my problem. I saw the same broken piece of round plastic on my floorboard the other day and something said, save it. Although it was unable to be re-used, it helped confirm that it was one of the stopped on the pedal.

 

I went through this same exact situation. I'm a 19-year-old, unmechanically inclined college girl and I figured out what was wrong and fixed it on my own. Ah, my accomplishment!

 

Congratulations!

There's too many guys on here that sit at their keyboards and keep typing "help me" and they never go out to their car and even look at it after someone tells them to check something.

Refreshing.

 

good job!

Yes it is indeed. I mean, if someone wants help, you'd think they'd be willing to get off their @ss and check what others tell 'em to, but apparently not the case always :

 

I had the same problem as well and fixed it. I remember the first time I drove past 30 mph and pressed the Set Button. I was going crazy .

 

You mention trouble shooting guide in the fsm(?) how do I find it? Thanks

 

Nissan calls cruise control ASCD for Automatic Speed Control Device. It is in the EL section. In the 97 FSM it starts on page 146. But the page number is not always the same in FSM's for other years.

You can download a manual from here:

http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/

 

This thread is quite old but I wanted to thank the OP for this thread! My battery died rather mysteriously. I recharged it. Drove around and the cruise control didn't work. I found this thread, went outside and my brake lights were on, lol. Looked in the floorboard and found a black round piece that was broken. Found the switch and slipped a dime in there to turn off the brake lights so the battery wouldn't drain. Now I haven't decided if I'll just tape the dime in there or actually try to find the replacement part, if it exists. It's basically a dime shaped piece of plastic with a nipple on it that you shove in a hole in the brake pedal lever to hold it in place.

 

Nissan calls the rubber bumper thing "Stopper-Rubber". there are 2 part numbers listed for it but I don't know what the difference is. They are:

46584-S0100 list price $3.23 Used on 1995 through 1997
46584-5P010 List price $14.05 Used on 1996 through 1999

 

Well I posted a reply 2 days ago but a message said it had to be reviewed and a mod hasn't responded to my inquiry. I appreciate your help @DennisMik but I'm not going to post here if my posts aren't wanted. And I'm not typing it all over again. I'm fine with this being a read only forum since noobs seem to be looked down upon here.

 

Haha. Haven't posted in a real long time but recieved an email about this thread. I am glad you got your car working. I've found this issue on multiple nissans..including my Z. I see why there are two switches ....but in reality they could really be consolidated to one. Take care.

 

Okay, so I'm having a similar problem, cruise control not working, but the light turns on when pressed (1995 GLE, if that matters). I went under the dash to do some investigating, but what looks like a small green half-sphere is in place, and doing its job (or so it seems) of keeping the switch depressed unless i push hard on the brakes... am i missing something? Is it supposed to be a different part? I'd really like for this to be an easy fix, but the more i read threads about this, the more it seems it might be more complex. Any help would be greatly appreciated! I know I'm reviving a 2 year old thread, so it's a long shot, but I'd really love some help with this. Thanks!

 

It has been awhile since I've owned the Maxima but did you make sure you were looking at the second switch? There are two..just follow the brake pedal up into the dash. The top one is for the cruise control. Also, it might very well be the switch itself..you could take it out and do a continuity test to make sure the switch closes.

 

Years ago this happened to me when I first went off to college. I was so glad it was an easy fix for my 3 hour drives back home.