Cruise control intermittent failure?

[BajaSportsmobile]

I had to replace the "Clock Spring" assembly under the steering wheel on mine to get the Cruise Control to work as well as the Horn.

[Guitarvan]

I thought about replacing the clock spring but everything I have read, if the airbag light is not lit and the horn works, then the clock spring is fine. Am I correct in my assumption?

Have not experienced it cutting out but some days it will engage and some it won't. Also puzzled by the fact that there is no indicator light on the dash to tell me it's on or off.

Incidentally, it has new controls installed as the originals where broken.

[CJ]

Mine just died last week on a trip thru Utah. No scan gauge faults. ????

[BajaSportsmobile]

Originally Posted by Guitarvan

I thought about replacing the clock spring but everything I have read, if the airbag light is not lit and the horn works, then the clock spring is fine. Am I correct in my assumption?

I believe so.

[mikracer]

Bringing this thread back to life. Ever since I picked up my 05 Chateau, the CC didn't work. I tried it today and it happened to work, but again, it wouldnt.

Everything I've read about the clock spring is that my horn wont work. My horn works fine. I do notice that there is some friction noise when I make a U turn or something coming from the steering column which I've read could be caused by the clock spring too.

Should I just try replacing the switch on the master cylinder?

I also did not have any type of indicator light when the CC did work. Is that normal for an 05?

[mikracer]

After some google searching I found that you could unplug the harness from the master cylinder and use a jumper to see if the CC works. I did that on mine just now and the CC works perfectly every time. Is it ok to leave the jumper in? Does that create any type of fire hazard?

I'm a little confused as to what the switch on the master cylinder does. With the jumper in, I was able to cancel CC when I tapped my brakes. I thought maybe the switch had something to do with canceling CC when you hit the brakes but apparently not.

[JWA]

The master cylinder pressure-activated switch is just another canceling feature of Ford's Vehicle Speed Control aka cruise control. Wiring around it isn't all that dangerous but its probably a good practice to replace the switch and keep that secondary safety feature in place.

The part from Ford is about $20, part number:1L1Z-9F924-AA or Motorcraft #SW-6350. There should be plenty of aftermarket replacement switches too.

[mikracer]

Thanks for the info and the part number. Just ordered the Motorcraft unit for less than $20. Amazon Prime should get it to me by Wednesday.

[BajaSportsmobile]

If the Clock Spring is not broken (horn and turn signal tests pass) then the pressure switch will most likely be your problem - we have replaced several lately and solved intermittent CC problems. Identified the first one as being bad by scanning the full system - since then just replaced them.

[JWA]

There was a Ford recall on the M/C switch----they were leaking, fire sometimes resulting from brake fluid hitting hot surfaces. If your van came equipped with CC they'd replace the part free of charge in one of their shops--OASIS would/did track if it had been replaced by a PO.

As Mikracer says its available for $20 or less---I paid just under that at the local stealership's parts counter.

I will add that in the just over 2 years I've owned my current '03 E250 I've had intermittent CC issues, one with the M/C switch, the other with failed clockspring. Lucky enough both were easily fixed with new parts, not overly complicated to install.