Cruise stopped working while cruising!

[iain1970]

Well, the first gremlin on my Altea 2.0TDI has appeared. I was doing a nice 80mph on the M62 this morning using cruise control and it just started to decelerate as though it had been deactivated. Can I get the thing working again? Can I bloodyheckers like.

Just got home, it's nearly dark, so I'm not bothering to start looking. Any pointers would be gratefully received though, fuse, stalk etc.

 

[CrispDust]

Mine has done the same, twice. Bizarley both times on M62 east going past ferrybridge. Worked OK next time engine started but refused to work before that. Suspect a glitch in ecu software. Or there's something around ferrybridge!

 

[robint]

Probably the stalk - take the switch to bits and clean the internal contacts - quick forum trawl should bring up the blow by blow account. Not too difficult but needs care. Also very cheap to do........

Did mine a couple of years ago after similar syptoms - been fine since.

 

[Fl@pper]

check your brake lights work ok too

 

[klawit]

As I see it, one of the 5 most mentioned complaints when it comes to modelranges up to 2008:

=> Cruise Control Intermittent Fault (see post #4, esp. links in there)

greets ... Klaus


btw. dealers tend to replace the stalk (at least here in Germany), well knowing that it might be easily repaired.
Seems to be a matter of guarantee and risk for them.

 

[iain1970]

Thanks for all the replies. I'd no idea it was such a popular problem. It didn't work again yesterday or this morning.

I'll report back once I've popped the switch back in the stalk, I just opened the back of it with my thumb nail. One of the four contacts was particularly grubby. I'll also check all the brake lights function properly too, I guess it could be fooled into thinking I'm braking.

I wonder if the other stalk can be cleaned up. The reset switch for the OBC can be very hit and miss.

 

[klawit]

Being a little confused, why Fl@pper mentioned to check brake lights ... ???

Ahhh ... I remember having posted quite a while ago 3 different reasons for CC (cruise control) failures:

=> Cruise Control

Listed is the rare circumstance, that the brake lamp switch/relais (brake pedal) failes and thus no continuous/interrupt signal can be sent to the ECU ... consequence will be deactivation of the CC, which should then be a constant state and no intermittant fault, as I see it.

greets ... Klaus

 

[iain1970]

Thanks guys (& girls). Cleaning the switch has worked its magic.

 

[CrispDust]

my reset switch dikie too

 

[kinjamin]

Being a little confused, why Fl@pper mentioned to check brake lights ... ???

Ahhh ... I remember having posted quite a while ago 3 different reasons for CC (cruise control) failures:

=> Cruise Control

Listed is the rare circumstance, that the brake lamp switch/relais (brake pedal) failes and thus no continuous/interrupt signal can be sent to the ECU ... consequence will be deactivation of the CC, which should then be a constant state and no intermittant fault, as I see it.

greets ... Klaus

Another thing is that car has gone in soft limp mode. A sensor within the car has detected a fault and the car limits the revs and power delivery to a lower bhp to stop more damage to the engine. This includes cruise control... When you turn the engine off and on the car will go through its sensor checking and normally this will clear the fault.. It is a safety feature and will get logged in VAGCOM. Mine went on the A1 and loss of power I could still maintain around 60-70 mph but hills were a bit scary!

Just a thought anyway!

Kinjamin