DieMaster

iTrader: (5)

if u've installed LED tail/brake lights or changed to LED bulbs then u've seen this problem w. the Cruise conttrol. it wont stay engaged and or dosent work at all.

TOOLS REQUIRED:
sedan
(simular to coupe).

coupe:
8mm ratchet.
T15 torx adapter or screwdriver.
a 10K (brown-black-ornage) 1/4 or 1/2 watt resistor. (radioshack should have them. very common part.)
soldering iron
solder.
about 45 mins to do it.

in short the problem is this: the CC computer uses a logic input (on or off digital signal) to enable or disable the CC from the brake pedal. and theres 2 signals for redundancy and saftiy. we will only consitrate on the WHT W/ BLK STRIPE wire. this is the brakelight wire that has 12v when u push on the brakes. and feeds 12v to your lights in back.

this WHT/BLK wire also goes to the CC computer. (under the dash for sedan, engine bay for coupe.) i have a coupe so the pics and instructions pertain to a coupe but the sedan is very similer. same steps just in a diffrent location. (under the dash vs under the hood.

the CC computer needs a on or off signal no in between. if it's neahter on or off it's what in electronics called a floating input. this "floating" is what causes the CC to randomly cancel when engaged or can prevent it to engage.

when light bulbs are instaled the filiment allows curent to flow in both directions. one way to light the filiment and light the bulb but the otherway is GND flowing though the filiment and creating a "off" on the signal. it pulls the signal down to prevent the floating. and thus creats a on or off digital signal. when u remove the filiment and replace it with a Light Emitting Diode (LED) it prevents the reverce current and allows the floating. so we need to pull the signal back down to earth sorta speak

again the plugs are diffrent but there the same color wire in coupe and sedan.

ok enough electonic leture. heres how to fix it:

and be sure to dissconect the negitive battery terminal first

1. remove the resonator if u have the stock airintake. it frees up a hella lot of room. (not needed for sedan.)

2. locate the CC computer again under the hood near the passenger strut mount on the firewall (pic) or under the dash for sedan. unit is circled in yellow.


3. unmount unit from braket and unplug conector. 3 8mm bolts in red and plug in blue


4. rest unit on radiator support undoing throttle cable as needed. it's not needed to dissconect it at eather end. in fact dont do it it's a PITA to get it back on and adjusted.


5.remove the 4 T15 torx screws circled in red to reveal the computer's guts. u might need to pry off the plastic cover.


and here's the guts.


u can solder in the resistor here at the car or u can pull the board straght off the unit and do it in the house. pay attenton how it is when u pull it off. it's pritty self explanitory and it wont fit any other way. the pic below shows the board. it will be ontop of whats shown above.

solder the 10K resistor between the 2 red circled points. polarity of the resistor dosent matter.




like this:


close up.


and a sedan computer. u can solder a resistor across the 2 points on the plug or aross the 2 pads labled C903.



put evreyting back together reverse of assembly. reconect the battery. and go test it.

congrats u broght the CC back to earth!

UPDATE! i've found out 10K is a bit low for the voltage. this can result (as it did with me) as the resister turning to charchool. if u have a auto and have to hold the brakes down or do it anyway, i recomend 100K. (brown - black - yellow)

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

holy cow......this is super FREAKING AWESOME....


btw

so this is for the COUPE only?







and this for the sedan only?

DieMaster

iTrader: (5)

correct. same signal does same thing on both just diffrent phisically.

yingjai

what happens if you reinstall the oem tail lights and leave the resistor in?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

im still not sure why my cruise stills works fine with leds. ive used it for hours on the freeway without problem after installing the led tails.

DieMaster

iTrader: (5)

dosent matter if the resistor is in w/ the lightbulbs. just another path for the current.the resistor wont harm or change the stock setup at all.

gearbox it could be that it's allready installed or u simply dont have enough of a float to cause a problem. put the resistor in; cant hurt to have some insurance to make sure it works

TRIZ

iTrader: (14)

Wow, impressive write up. Good job man.

CivicFreak03

iTrader: (2)

This works like a champ did it last nite!!!! No problems other than the plastic cover was a pain to get off...I was def sweating it because having no cruise on a daily driver def sucks!!! Thanks for this thread DieMaster

Unevolved

Wow, I'm impressed. Good work. +1 for you.

spoonEM

iTrader: (15)

I never even thought about that. I thought my CC not working when my headlights were on had something to do with my HID's. Oh well, the car is no more now.

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

thats cuz ur gearbox....the coolest person on here

irontodd

Another satisfied customer. Got my DEPO lights from autodynamic (after a horrible experience with slickcar ) Installed them tonite and popped on the freeway, but alas, no cruise. Great instructions, I might add that I had to scrape some of the sealant off the terminals, it seems there was some coating on the board... And I was using my low-wattage iron to do the work. Maybe a higher power one would burn thru it.

Thanks!

- Iron

Nates02EX

iTrader: (2)

I have the DEPO tails on my sedan and my cruise works fine.

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

^probably because depo tail lights already have a built-in current resistor

K20A_Wanabe

iTrader: (3)

Or instead of going through all that just put a regular bulb in your 4th brake light socket thats inside your car and just zip tie it to the car and your cruise control will work. Thats how I fix my gf civic with led tails and spoiler.

DieMaster

iTrader: (5)

for your DEPO lights if u have the 3rd brakelight still a bulb then thats your ground path. i got the DEPO lights too and a 8th gen EX LED 3rd brake light.

and for the bulb inside the trunk that totaly defetes the reason to go to LED. all 3 lights draw ~ 1/2 an amp vs the 6 amps w/ bulbs. this can save gas in the longrun too.

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

^how does it save gas?

how much gas? like .00001 an oz? hahaha (but seriously, how does it save gas. legit question)

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

less strain on the electrical system. it steals energy as an extra load and that wastes gas.

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

^are u serious or joking gear?

cuz i seriously though once ur engine is on, its up to ur alternator for the output... and ur alt is a dependent variable, meaning its not gonna make the pully spin faster inorder to crank more juice.

the only way i see it possible if you start using above the maximum output CONSTANTLY while driving (2000w amp, car pc on, hids on, stereo blasted), then it will strain ur electrical systems (spark plug, ecu timings, etc...)

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

well anything that is "turned on" is gonna use power, and guess how the car makes power, using gas. at night just having the park/headlights on uses near 150w, the stereo uses alot too, so does the hvac controls. it keeps adding up so the more you can spare the better. even the turn signals use quite a bit of power. theyve done studies overseas on how much power DRLs use, either a hi beam at lo power, or full lo beams, or turn signal. and the full lo beams always lose cause they are using the most wattage and wasting the most gas.

K20A_Wanabe

iTrader: (3)

So your going to open your cruise control and take the chance that this might break your cruise control then waste a .001 of a gallon of gas every tank. Im sorry but i'll stick with the bulb in the trunk and btw if your so worried about power get rid of your stereo and that weight.

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

^no. you needa read the WHOLE thread before you post a comment like that.

for people who have LED tail lights (if there is no built in load resistor in the led's circuit), their CRUISE CONTROL DOESNT WORK.

"saving gas" is just a by-product of this

K20A_Wanabe

iTrader: (3)

And apparently you haven't read my last post that my gf civic cruise control didn't work either and all you got to do to make it work is put a bulb in the 3rd brake light inside the car and leave the light in the trunk or you can take the chances of breaking or frying you cruise control to save the 5v the bulb uses

K20A_Wanabe

iTrader: (3)

This is just my opinion but don't you think that Honda put this in the cruise control as a safety feature. Say you driving down the road and the cruise control can't read your brake petal but still seeing that resistor, that could turn out bad. I just think this was a safety feature that Honda put in for a reason.

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

that resistor is there to indicate to the ECU that there "IS" a bulb there.... according to ur reasoning, everyone who drives around witha regular flamet bulb is endangered because the "resistant current" is present (from the flamet bulb).

because with led tail light, the ECU senses there IS NO BULB there before there is no load on the "tail light"

and the point wasnt to "save any gas" cuz a mere 5W (not volt) isnt gonna do much. it was just a point someone brought up.

K20A_Wanabe

iTrader: (3)

I don't understand going through all that and all the chances your taking when you could just put the bulb in the trunk. I have my bulb in the trunk with the led tails and trust me it doesn't take much power at all. I have a volt merger in my car and it barely moves when I hit my brake.

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

^ya but see, that would require some more rewiring and some (the more technical i guess u can say) would rather have it done in the cruise control box...

(remember that not just anyone is gonna attempt this, some people cant solder if their life depended on it. and most the ppl who actually know how to solder have some kinda of electrical/diy type of background)

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

oh ya, i forgot to mention, the reason why ur volt meter doesnt move up or down drastically because ur ECU regulates it. like when ur alternator is running at higher RPMs, it will tend to increase the voltage output, but ur ecu lowers it so it can remain somewhat consistent. (i learned that from gearbox in another thread)

K20A_Wanabe

iTrader: (3)

I have the apexi v-afc II hooked up and it's pretty accurate and I even tested my volts with a volt tester my mechanic has and it's off by like .2 volts even at high rpms. If your having that much problems you need to get a better alternator or a new alternator.

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

i dont even know what we're debating now im so lost........HAHAHHA