Jeff Wilcox

hello everyone. I have a 2007 f150, approx. 185,000 miles, 4.6L, 2wd. would like to know if anyone would have a hint as to why my cruise control just stopped working. I used it in the morning on the way to work, then it did not work on the way home. I've checked for burnt fuses....found none. The owners manual is no help.

thanks

Dirttracker18

There are a few common issues to look for.

A burnt out third brake light will cause this issue.

Do you happen to have a floor shift model? There is a common issue with those as well.

Jeff Wilcox

i failed to mention that it is an automatic transmission, but i will check the third brake light. how is that tied into the cruise control? that seems weird

2008__XL

Third brake light would have been my first guess. I'm not sure about other generations, but the CC is tied to the TBL for the 04-08 model years and if the bulb burns out, you lose CC. Possibly it was fords way of telling you if the TBL is functioning.

Dirttracker18

Again, column or floor shift?

Mod (Ret.)

In the early days of cruise control, it would turn off by either the driver selecting the "off" button, or pressing your brakes, which in turn, operated a switch by the brake pedal arm, simular to the one that operates the brake light circuit.

In later years, most auto manufacturers changed the cruise deactivation by elimination of the switch itself, and tying it into detecting a voltage change in the brake light circuit. When cruise is activated, and you press the brakes, the circuit in the cruise detects a voltage change (brake lights on), and the cruise is deactivated.

Along with this change in how cruise is deactivated includes how cruise is activated; cruise control will not activate unless it detects a load in the brake circuit, and if the vehicle is in park, reverse, or neutral, which is why folks are asking about your shifter. There's a switch that detects shifter gear position that may be bad. When folks install LED's in the rear brake light housings that do not have built in load resisters, the cruise may not activate. LED's have a lower current draw, and this causes the activation of the cruise to fail. The brake circuit that's involved with cruise activation are the rear brake lights, and the third brake light (on top of the cab). Most aftermarket manufacturers these days install a load resister in their LED bulbs to allow the cruise to work.
In your case, I suspect you have a burned out brake light bulb or its wiring, or gear selection switch issue, since it was working earlier in the day.

techrep

iTrader: (1)

well stated Bucko...