Cruise Control Not Working - Help

[gschroeder]

I have a 98 Oldsmobile Intrigue with the cruise control not working. It suddenly stopped working a couple of weeks ago, and has not worked since. I am looking for some advice on what the problem may be. Below is what I have checked so far:
1.) Fuse OK
2.) Throttle/Cruise cables under the hood OK
3.) Brake lights/switch OK
4.) Nylon rope inside cruise control module OK
5.) I pulled the 10 pin wire connector off the cruise control module and confirmed the following circuits:
Pin A (on/off switch on the dash) OK.
Pin B (set/coast switch on steering wheel) OK.
Pin C (resume/accel switch on steering wheel) OK.
Pin D (clear switch on steering wheel) OK. Always hot until clear button is pushed, or brake pedal depressed)
Pin E (black wire). Not sure what this does. Maybe ground? Can't get power to it.
Pin F (brown wire). Not sure what this does. Maybe hot wire? Always has power.
Pin G (brake pedal switch) OK
Pin H (green wire). Not sure what this does. Can't get power to it.
Pin J (green "CRUISE" light in the dash) OK
Pin K (green/white wire). Not sure what this does. Can't get power to it.

Any advice or help in diagnosing this problem would be appreciated. I hate to start randomly replacing parts unless I know what the problem is.

Thank you

 

[C&C]

Removed my original response; sorry, was thinking a/c function (it was a long time ago and I made a mistake in my original thinking/response).

But on to your pin functions: (per 2000 Intrigue service manual)

Pin E - ground
Pin F - fused ignition feed
Pin H - cruise control inhibit input signal
Pin K - vehicle speed signal

 

[gschroeder]

C&C,

Thank you for your information. Do you have any idea what my problem is? All the circuits appear to be working fine, except I have not tested Pin H or Pin K (not sure how to do that). Any suggestions on what else I can test to try to find out what part(s) to replace? Thank you again for your help.

Thank you

 

[C&C]

I've got the service manual but without a scanner it is nigh near impossible to go through the diagnostic troubleshooting scenario. Per chance, are you having any traction control errors; a speed sensor on the wheel provides input that is required to give the cruise control the signal for vehicle speed (which is obviously required for function).

 

[gschroeder]

C&C,

Thank you for your reply. To answer your question, I have no traction control errors, or any other errors for that matter, as I had the computer scanned with no codes found. The cruise just suddenly stopped working without any warning signs.

Since all the switches and circuits to the cruise control module appears to be working OK, is there a way to test the cruise control module itself? I hate to buy a new one for $300, and find out that's not the problem. Any other diagnosis suggestions would be appreciated as well. Thank you again for your help.

Thank you

 

[gschroeder]

C&C,

Thank you for your reply. To answer your question, I have no traction control errors, or any other errors for that matter. I had the computer scanned, and no errors came back. The cruise control just suddenly stopped working without any warning.

Is there a way to test the cruise control module itself? All the switches and circuits to the cruise control module appear to be functioning correctly (except pin H and K that have not been tested - not sure how to test these). I hate to spend $300 on a cruise control module unless I'm fairly certain its bad. Thank you again for your help.

Thank you

 

[Papa Rad17]

I did some looking into the cruise control a while back. My cruise system works perfectly fine until the auto lights kick on on dusk/night. During the day if you manually turn on the lights it will make the cruise control un-setable as well. I found on some prints that it talks directly to the main computer, where the inhibit comes from. I stopped there because it's not worth replacing the computer to me. Be sure to post what you find out, I'd like to check over my intrigue as well. +1 on great info C&C

 

[gschroeder]

C&C,

I replaced the cruise control module with a used one, but unfortunately it did not solve the problem. However, my daughter did tell me that once in a while, the traction control light does briefly come on. Would a bad vehicle speed sensor cause the trac light to come on once in a while, and make the cruise control inoperable all the time? If so, where is the speed sensor located. Thanks again for your help.

Thank you

 

[C&C]

You've got four wheel speed sensors; all are on the back of the hubs. I would check the connectors first, as the sensors are not separately changeable (the whole hub/bearing needs to be changed).

 

[gschroeder]

C&C,

Thank you for the reply. Your help is much appreciated. I am aware where the wheel speed sensors are located, and I will check all 4 to them tonight.

What about the Vehicle speed sensor (VSS) on the transmission? Can a bad VSS cause the trac light to intermittently come on, and in turn inhibit my cruise control from working? I know terminal K on the cruise control module is VSS input, so I thought maybe that may be the problem. Again, thank you for your help in guiding me to the problem.

Thank you

 

[gschroeder]

C&C,

I checked all 4 of the wheel speed sensors and wheel bearings, and found nothing obviously wrong. Hubs turned nicely, wires to wheel speed sensors looked good, and I put some dielectric grease on each connector. I also found the Vehicle Speed Sensor on the trans and checked it as well. Again, nothing obviously looked wrong with it as I cleaned the connector and put some dielectric grease on it.

The only thing suspicious I can report is the used control module I got from a junk yard does do something different than the original one. For the junk yard cruise control module, when I hit the "set" button, the green "cruise" light does briefly flash on the dash (but cruise does not engage). My original cruise module does absolutely nothing. When I hit the "set" button, the green "cruise" light does not come on at all.

Do you have any suggestions on what I can check or do next? I'm somewhat convinced the problem lies with terminal H (cruise control inhibit signal), and/or terminal K (vehicle speed sensor), but I'm not sure how to verify without throwing a bunch of new parts on the car.

Thank you

 

[gschroeder]

C&C,

I checked all 4 wheel speed sensors

 

[G-720789]

It's your ignition switch. It controls HVAC, cruise and DRL. I had same problem

 

[ironjohn]

It's your ignition switch. It controls HVAC, cruise and DRL. I had same problem

Thanks for adding that fix. Just ordered an ignition switch for my daughters Intrigue. It's her first car, and I've been driving it to get a feel for the little repairs. Cruise doesn't work, AC is flakes out when you catch a highway bump, then comes back on at the next bump, wipers do what they want instead of what they are told, etc. I will report back after replacement.

I'm also 3d modeling the sun visor / sun shade retainers and will share the files for everyone to 3d print when finished.

 

[ironjohn]

Thanks for adding that fix. Just ordered an ignition switch for my daughters Intrigue. It's her first car, and I've been driving it to get a feel for the little repairs. Cruise doesn't work, AC is flakes out when you catch a highway bump, then comes back on at the next bump, wipers do what they want instead of what they are told, etc. I will report back after replacement.

I'm also 3d modeling the sun visor / sun shade retainers and will share the files for everyone to 3d print when finished.

The replacement ignition switch did not fix anything.