My cruise passed away today....

[carterh]

1993 MTX with 160,000KM...
I had the car in the shop to investigate an intermittent CEL, noisy passenger front tire, and starter issues. CEL memory turned up codes 542 (fuel pump) and 176 (lean exhaust). They cleaned the MAF. The wheel noise was from the wheel bearing, which was replaced, and the starter drive was also replaced.

When I sent the car in the cruise control worked just fine, but now it will not respond at any speed/rpm. Do you figure the repairs may have had something to do with this, or that it simply died on its own? Where should I start for trouble shooting on this... I have absolutely NO experience with vacuum/cruise....

Cheers!
carter

 

[thecrew2999]

i think 93 and up the had mechanical cruise the box connected to the throttle

 

[shopartsnw]

1993 MTX with 160,000KM...
I had the car in the shop to investigate an intermittent CEL, noisy passenger front tire, and starter issues. CEL memory turned up codes 542 (fuel pump) and 176 (lean exhaust). They cleaned the MAF. The wheel noise was from the wheel bearing, which was replaced, and the starter drive was also replaced.

When I sent the car in the cruise control worked just fine, but now it will not respond at any speed/rpm. Do you figure the repairs may have had something to do with this, or that it simply died on its own? Where should I start for trouble shooting on this... I have absolutely NO experience with vacuum/cruise....

Cheers!
carter

You will get a 542 if the car stalls, so unless you have never stalled the car, I would not worry about that yet.

176 is a front O2 sensor, so if that was not changed, your CEL will come back.

I would bet your lack of cruise control is that someone disconnected the cruise control throttle linkage (or a vacuum hose) when they were cleaning the MAF.

- Mike

 

[carterh]

Thanks Mike!
Now where can I get a good repair manual? On my old Volkswagen things were mindlessly basic under the hood, and I was able to get by on a Haynes... I don't even want to start guessing on the SHO!!!

I suppose I should also ask what the average life of an oxy sensor is? Could this also explain crumby fuel economy?

 

[shopartsnw]

The Haynes or Chilton manuals work in a pinch, but they have some errors.

The Helms (Ford Factory Service Manual) is the best. You can find them on Ebay pretty easily.

You can also download the factory manual for free at www.fordcds.com

A great starting point for maintaining your SHO is SHOtimes.com for step by step guides

A bad O2 sensor can cause bad fuel economy.

They are relatively easy to change. If you jack up your car (support it so it can't fall on you), you will see the O2 sensor in the exhaust y-pipe (about 4-6" below the front exhaust manifold. Unplug the wire by pushing on the tab at the connector. Unscrew the O2 sensor using a 7/8" end wrench or an O2 sensor socket. Replace with new and reconnect.

- Mike

 

[rangerj]

In general the change interval on O-2 sensors is 100,000 miles. The recommended change interval on Gen I SHOs with MTX is 60K, IIR. If your O-2 sensors are 100K old, or older, replace them. The cruise control electrical connections should be checked for good clean connections and good vacuum connections if applicable. I neither of those are a problem then the "clockspring" is the next logical suspect. Helm is the official publisher of the Ford service manuals.

 

[carterh]

I feel really stupid on this one- the brake pedal was depressed just enough to prevent the cruise from engaging, yet not enough to engage the brake lights/brakes... Ugh! It seems so simple now!

 

[shopartsnw]

Glad you found the problem.

Cruise on.

- Mike

 

[carterh]

Glad you found the problem.

Cruise on.

- Mike

I am too! Its just too bad I put on over 1000 highway kilometers without it!!

 

[SHOsFAST]

I dont like cruise control! I really never use it I dont like the way it has trouble on hills the car will floor it because it's too slow to notice the incline untill it decels too much to hold the gear, plus I believe it consumes for fuel in long distances.

 

[carterh]

Oh! You gotta be kidding me! While my cruise was broken I had a 1000km road trip... Seemed more like it was 20,000km! I guess if you have more hills, curves, or traffic cruise may not be so novel. In prairie Canada where you can drive hundreds of kilometers in the straight flat line without seeing more than 15 other cars, it is a life saver!

 

[haydenm315]

I know it's an old thread, but my cruise is also messed up. It worked up until I did another upper and front 60k just recently. I think something may have gotten disconnected on the throttle body.

I'm not too fond of cruise control. It's extremely ******* the brakes when the terrain is demanding. If you live in the plains, cruise on perhaps. I've experienced noticeable brake fade from cruise control over a 5 hours period through moderate terrain in western md and va. I never use it.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

I know it's an old thread, but my cruise is also messed up. It worked up until I did another upper and front 60k just recently. I think something may have gotten disconnected on the throttle body.

I'm not too fond of cruise control. It's extremely ******* the brakes when the terrain is demanding. If you live in the plains, cruise on perhaps. I've experienced noticeable brake fade from cruise control over a 5 hours period through moderate terrain in western md and va. I never use it.

Umm, the cruise control system doesn't use the brakes.

In any case, check to make sure the cruise cable is attached to the throttle, the vacuum lines to the servo are connected properly, the electrical connector at the servo is connected, and the VSS is plugged in.

 

[haydenm315]

Umm, the cruise control system doesn't use the brakes.

In any case, check to make sure the cruise cable is attached to the throttle, the vacuum lines to the servo are connected properly, the electrical connector at the servo is connected, and the VSS is plugged in.

That's odd... How does the car keep the correct speed when going downhill?

 

[Mr Anonymous]

That's odd... How does the car keep the correct speed when going downhill?

Coasting fuel shutoff. The injectors stop putting fuel in the cylinders, and your engine is just an air pump and engine braking occurs.

 

[BlackonBlack89]

Umm, the cruise control system doesn't use the brakes.

In any case, check to make sure the cruise cable is attached to the throttle, the vacuum lines to the servo are connected properly, the electrical connector at the servo is connected, and the VSS is plugged in.

It doesn't use it to slow the car down but it does shut the cruise contorl off.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

It doesn't use it to slow the car down but it does shut the cruise contorl off.

Yes, I know. That's kind of cruise control 101. I guess I should have been more specific and utilized the term "actuate" instead of "use".

 

[haydenm315]

Wow.. so I learned something new. My rear brakes were probably sticking at the time. I've been through a caliper and e brake cables. Maybe this caused the feeling of faded brakes.

 

[93rev2sev]

I had to put a "helper" spring on my e-brake to make sure it would return to it's perch properly and not trip off the cruise control.