Cruise control is quite a useful feature that can be seen in an increasing number of vehicles these days. It can make longer journeys more convenient for drivers. However, due to the driver’s reliance on this feature, its failure can have dire consequences.
When a car cruise control is not working properly, there could be various possible reasons. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons for cruise control not working in your vehicle.
Reasons for Cruise Control Not Working
If you experience any of the following signs of a bad car cruise control, you must take your car to a workshop to get the system repaired or replaced, depending on its condition. However, make sure you first learn how to use cruise control in car.
Your Car Has a Bad Brake Pedal Switch
Putting your foot on the brakes turns on the lights at the rear of your car that signals other drivers that you are about to slow down. Thus, it’s the brake pedal switch that turns the brake lights as soon as you press the brakes. Given cruise control is a safety feature, it turns off when you press the brakes.
With a bad brake pedal switch, the cruise control would not receive correct signals, making it extremely unsafe for your car as well as other vehicles on the road. Faulty signals mean the cruise control may receive commands that the driver is applying brakes even though he/she is not. Moreover, the cruise control may turn off frequently automatically, while you are driving due to wrong signals from the bad brake pedal switch.
Your Car has Bad Brake Lights
Bad brake lights tend to create issues with the cruise control engagement. However, this is one of the reasons for cruise control failure that varies from automobile makers to car models. On the other hand, your cruise control may also fail to recognise additionally installed LED lights, which is obvious. Hence, the cruise control may not respond and remain off.
Your Car Has a Bad Spiral Cable
Cruise control is activated by a switch, which is on the steering wheel in most modern cars. The switch is connected with a spiral cable inside the steering wheel. Any problem with the cable, such as if broken or frayed, leads to an open circuit. As a result, when you turn on the cruise control, it may not engage as it should.
Your Car has a Bad Fuse
Like other electronic components in a vehicle, the operation of the cruise control system relies on a car fuse. If the fuse burns out, then there will be problems with car cruise control as well. This is because the pathway of electrical power is interrupted.
There could be many causes of car fuse damage. However, in such a case, locate the cruise control fuse to replace it with a new one. The replacement and repairing work primarily depend on the make and model of the vehicle. You might have to check the owner’s manual or look it up on Google to determine the location of the fuse that controls the cruise control system.
Your Car has a Bad Vacuum Actuator
A cruise control relies on a vacuum actuator and its cables, depending on how old your vehicle’s model is. The cables connect the cruise control to the throttle to ensure its proper working. Hence, if either the cable or the vacuum actuator goes bad, the cruise control will stop functioning. In such a scenario, the damaged hoses failed cables and the actuator need to be replaced.
Your Car has a Bad Speed Sensor
Speed sensors in a car regulate the fuel’s flow other than just keeping track of your vehicle’s speed. These sensors also help in operating the cruise control. Before switching on the cruise control, you need to set your vehicle’s speed at a particular pace. If the speed sensor has failed, the cruise control will receive wrong signals about the speed at which the car is running, and as a result, the cruise control may not work.
You Hear Hissing Sounds
That’s right; you might experience hissing noises emerging from the cruise control vacuum bleed switch that’s located somewhere inside the dashboard. While this might not be true for all vehicles, the vacuum may go through to the switch on the pedal underneath the dashboard in other models. When there are problems with the vacuum hose, you will hear hissing sounds emerging due to the leak in the system.
Your Car’s Check Engine Light is On
Typically, applicable to newer models of the vehicles, the check engine light will pop up on the dashboard when you are no longer able to engage the cruise control. It will remain on to prevent you from using the cruise control until you reset the check engine light.
Your Car has Electrical Issues
Various electrical faults can result in malfunctioning cruise control in a car. Therefore, it is important to inspect for any such errors, to ensure nothing is frayed or broken internally, like harnessing wires, connectors and other electric components.
One of the primary reasons for cruise control not working is poor vehicle maintenance. Periodic maintenance and inspection by professional or service centres is mandatory in order to keep the performance of all features up. In case motorists fail to take their vehicles for regular maintenance, the result could be completely opposite. Besides, here is what you can do if the cruise control stops working.
The new car models come with an adaptive cruise control feature. This is a new version of cruise control that can sense other vehicles automatically around. If you wish to buy an affordable car with adaptive cruise control, you might consider buying a used car in the UAE.
Here are some of the affordable used cars with adaptive cruise control available for sale on dubizzle:
- Second-hand Hyundai Sonata 2020 for sale in the UAE
- Second-hand Nissan Altima 2020 in the UAE for sale online
- Used 2020 Kia Soul in the UAE
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more comprehensive guides on different auto features and tools.
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