Mach2burnout

Ok guys, I need some help with the cruise control on my 01 F150 supercrew. It has the 4.6L engine. A little back story on the truck and myself-this is the 3rd truck of this generation I have owned, a 02 5.4 I bought new, an 03 5.4 I bought used and traded in not long ago, and this 01 4.6 that I bought originally for parts for the 03...it had a bad engine and my 03 had a dented tailgate and rear bumper. I got the truck very cheap so I intended to take what I needed and resale. Well, when I got the truck home and started looking it over I realized it was in way to good of shape for that. So, I did nothing but let it sit. I had too many other projects, etc. Then in Dec. 12 I traded my 03 in for a 12 F150 FX4 TT. Well my wife took a job on a huge construction site that is really dusty so I started working on the 01 to give her a work truck, but before I got it completed she got in an accident in the 12 FX4 and totalled it. So, this put me in desperate situation without a dependable truck. I pushed and got it running in about a week installing a 4.6 Windsor in the truck in the place of the original Romeo. But the cruise control doesn't work and I have no idea where to start looking. I have never done any troubleshooting on cruise controls before. I changed out the buttons on the steering wheel on a whim with no improvement. All fuses are good, but it doesn't even turn on when the on/off button is pressed. I don't know the history of the truck, but I can tell it has had regular maintenance and been well cared for. If you have some ideas I could really use the help.
Also, I can't for the life of me make the back up lights, work on this truck. Could these issues be from a common problem?

Please excuse the novel I just wrote.

Nicholas Thompson

check the cruise control sensor. its built on the master brake cylinder

Mach2burnout

What is the procedure for checking it, or is it just as easy to just replace it?

03f15012

There was a recall concerning the sensor. You may want to to get that thing over to the Ford dealer to check it out, or you may end up with an F150 bonfire... my 03 didn't have the issue, but it never hurts to check.

Mach2burnout

It's had the recall performed. Checked that before putting it on the road.

I am very mechanically inclined and do all my own mechanic work, etc. so....
My biggest reasons for asking these questions here are
a) I expected that someone here has had problems with their cruise and can steer me in the right direction to simplify the troubleshooting. b) at this time I am very pressed for free time to find the issue and am having to DD this truck 50 miles each way to work with no cruise.

I, Ike many other have gotten spoiled over the years and the cruise has saved me many tickets.

03f15012

With that in mind, the sensor could only be bad from age. I'll look into it more today as far as other possible causes. You wouldn't happen to know when if was done, do you?

Mach2burnout

No but I think there is a way, Iirc that I can check this at the Ford website. Seems like I did on my other truck. Thanks for reminding me and thanks for the info.

03f15012

No prob. I get the chance today, I'll look around for others with the same issue.

Mach2burnout

Looks like this issue has been around for a while. I found a thread on FordF150.net from 08 and it seems the issue is mostly the fusable link added at recall or the switch itself on the master cylinder. Some have had servo issues but that seems rare. I'll do some testing tonight and see what I got and post up the results tomorrow.

Thanks for the help guys.

03f15012

Glad to help. If that isn't if, let us know.