mercerguy323

Re: cruise control disengages in hot weather Cruise control shuts off intermittently

2008 Civic sedan 1.8 automatic

My 2008 Civic sedan cruise control shuts off on its own. Lately, it shuts off when engaged and I use the turn signal to change lanes after passing someone. The green light goes out and, sometimes the cruise control can be re-engaged immediately and other times it will not re-engage until after time has passed. Also, it will shut off by itself when just cruising along and also when hitting a bump. Basically, several things shut it off. Honda dealer here replaced the under dash switch ($245) but, it seems to even shut off more now! Any ideas? Thanks!

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

^^^ 8th gens had some "cruise main" buttons that would not latch.

Will cruise main light if you hold button in ??

mercerguy323

CraigW, thanks for your reply. The cruise main light has never faltered. It has always stayed on but, sometimes when the cruise control quits, the light that comes on (second light) when you set the cruise control wont come on and the cruise control wont set. After waiting a little I can " set" the cruise control again. The most consistent cause of the cruise control going off occurs while using the turn signal to switch lanes. Thanks

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

Could be a tough one to narrow.

mercerguy323

I'm headed back to Honda tomorrow. They want to try a second fix. They spoke of changing the turn signal mechanism next but, if it's shutting off when I hit bumps (occasionally) and for no good reason while just cruising along, I may be facing the dreaded "short" somewhere. Ugh

ezone

Turn signal stalk shouldn't have anything to do with it, since the cruise buttons are all on the steering wheel....and it's using the PCM and electronic throttle to operate.

MAaaybe wiring that is in the column area such as the clockspring (cable reel) harness is not fully seated?

While it's working, cruising along, maybe bang your fist on the steering wheel to see if that makes it disengage.

When it quits and won't engage, try lifting up on the brake pedal with your toe, does that make it workable again? Maybe the brake pedal switch is causing it... (misadjusted switch or flaky contacts inside the switch)
How far do you have to push the brake pedal before the brake lights come on? If the switch isn't adjusted correctly, they may flicker on with the slightest pedal movement--- like bumps in the road--- and that would kick the cruise off.

mercerguy323

Thanks for the reply ezone. When it disengages and wont re-engage simply by pushing the "set" button again, I experimented trying anything to get it to work again. One thing that worked was tapping the brake pedal once and then hitting the "set" button. This was my temporary fix if the cruise control wouldn't re-engage immediately after shutting off.

mercerguy323

I will try what you said about banging on the steering wheel. I understand your thinking with the turn signal but, at the same time it's the # 1 action that disengages the cruise control. Sometimes just one blink and other times 3-4 blinks disengages it but, almost 90% of the time it's successful in shutting it off. I'll also try the lifting of the brake pedal when it shuts off. Thanks again!

ezone

Soooooooo...brake pedal related, huh?
The switch may not be adjusted correctly?

mercerguy323

Could be. But, how did the switch on the brake pedal get out of adjustment? Also, how does that explain the turn signal disengaging the cruise control? At this point I have a few things to share with Honda tomorrow. They were quick to suspect the cruise control switch and, to charge me $254 for a parts swap that didn't change things. I'll suggest the switch behind the brake pedal to keep them from slapping in a new turn signal and charging me more. Of course, THEY are the experts so, I'm not sure how much they are going to be willing to listen to a layman. Thanks guys!

Mad Dog Tannen

They are not very professional if they are just throwing parts at the problem at your expense.

A Honda specialist, not the dealer, would be a better choice for help. They will also charge you less.

mercerguy323

Thanks for the reply MD. Where do I find one of those? lol

ezone

They go bad once in a while.....It was just a guess.
I thought someone had already replaced the brake pedal switch since you stated:

"Honda dealer here replaced the under dash switch ($245)"

so I guessed maybe the switch wasn't installed/adjusted correctly.


The only switch under the dash I can think of is the brake pedal switch...worth maybe $20 or so.
All the rest of the cruise related switches are on the steering wheel.

It doesn't. Yet.
But then, having the turn signal switch related at all is weird to me unless maybe it's jostling (loose?) wiring in the steering column somehow.

If you get an actual correct answer, let us know what the true cause is.
Again, how is this under the dash?
If that's actually on the steering wheel, they are a somewhat common failure (pattern failure).....but it's also easily verified before just saying it's bad and holding their hand out.

If you are paying a diagnosis fee I'd sure expect a correct answer for that fee, and you probably need to demonstrate the actual problem so they know exactly what your problem is.

I sure wouldn't want to pay for someone guessing or firing the parts cannon, it doesn't take a bunch of finely honed brain cells to do that.

Handy pic of a parts cannon, for reference:





A timely quote for you:

Almost everyone, except those of us who have worked at
dealerships, thinks that they hire, train and retain only
the best technicians. This is just more evidence to the
contrary. They are no better or worse than independent
shops. If the manager and owner hire a bunch of clowns then
you end up with a three ring circus.






Few shops anywhere are willing to hire a full staff of top gun techs.

Voice your displeasure about wasting valuable money on guesses that didn't fix anything?

mercerguy323

Thanks again ezone. I guessed that the part they installed is located under the dash somewhere by looking online trying to figure out just where the components of the cruise control go. My bad. I know the part was $57 and the labor made up the rest of the $245. They billed me for 1 1/2 hours labor but had my keys ready in under an hour. I never saw the part and when I questioned the Service manager whether the part went near the dash or under the hood he replied he didn't know. The part is called "Switch Assembly, Auto Cruise, part number 1 36770-SNA-A02.

Tomorrow, I plan to ride along with the mechanic who takes my car for a test drive. I offered to go today but, was informed that the mechanic went alone and didn't need me to ride along. Anyway, I'm here for help, not to complain about the dealership. I just hate parts swaps. I've paid for plenty of them in my life and, I always seem to have the problem with my vehicles that no one can find. Just once I'd like to have something fall off my car so I can point and say, " that parts gone, may I have another please!"

Not being a mechanic, I was unaware that this part gets installed at the steering. So, should the next place to look be that $20 switch under the pedal? Gotta be less than a turn signal! Thanks

ezone

Yeah that part number would be the set of switches on the steering wheel. Their price is a bit higher than MSRP, but that's typical.

You do realize you're doing almost exactly what the shop did?
Test, don't guess.
I guessed high LOL.
The brake light switch says USD $6.30.
It would be an easy DIY too, IMO

IF it's actually the problem.


HTH

ezone

Bad move for everyone involved IMO.

mercerguy323

I'd prefer they test too but, parts aren't free nor is labor. They test drove my car after installation and told me it was fixed. Ten miles up the road it failed. The service manager told me I would have to pay for the part (and labor I guess) because, otherwise he is stuck with a part he can't use if it failed. His diagnosis was either the switch in the steering or the turn signal. I suggested the brake switch above to save me $$$$$$. Hell, if we're guessing here, let's guess cheapest first.
Thanks for your insight.

Hopefully, it will get fixed tomorrow and I will have something to share here about a fix.

ezone

I sure hope you actually told them that.

mercerguy323

Today they tried the turn signal. Installed a new one but, didn't fix the problem. I got a free turn signal out of it but, no satisfaction. They are calling "Honda Tech" for help. Their next guess is some sort of relay that either controls the turn signal functions or has something to do with the cruise control. They're going to get one that works, try it in my car and see if it fixes the problem. I suspect they are almost out of guesses. Ugh!
Said they have never seen a situation like this before. Just my luck!

ezone

They didn't replace the brake light switch?


They installed a turn signal switch for FREE???

mercerguy323

Yes. They didn't feel it was the brake light switch due to the turn signal being the prominent thing that disengaged the cruise control. As far as I can tell, it's a brand new turn signal and, they left it in after installation!

ezone

Separated your half of the previous thread and moved it to its own thread.
------------------------------------------------

I can't see anything in the wire diagrams that would have turn signals being related to the cruise, nor headlights......
The only common thing I can find in diagrams would be brake lights that share grounds with the tail/park/turn lights.
Is there ANYthing abnormal back there?

Quitting upon hitting bumps made me think the brake light switch (it contains a cruise cancel switch too) might be flickering on when the brake pedal wiggles or shakes.

Keep us posted, this ought to be good

mercerguy323

The car was rear ended in April and rebuilt by a body shop. The tail lights were intact. Not sure if that disturbed the grounds. Today, the only thing that would disengage the CC was using the turn signal. Most times as soon as you used the signal it stopped. I tested it for 30 miles and it shut off every time for 25 miles. The last 5 miles, the turn signal would not shut off the CC. Strange. The computer part they are going to try has something to do with the turn signal relay I believe. I guess they are still chasing the turn signal. I'll suggest the brake light switch next visit.

ezone

Oh damn, you're Paul Harvey.
Now you tell "the rest of the story" LOL

Gotta shift my thinking cap now.
The problem will likely be found back there, just because it's been touched by human hands!
I didn't mean the lenses or bulbs necessarily,
I meant watching the lighting action overall looking for any anomaly, brightness, wrong lights dimming slightly as the main blinker is flashing, etc. There's wiring back there that can affect more than lights.

mercerguy323

I made no connection between the body shop repair and the CC shutting off through the turn signal. I'm not exactly sure when the CC started acting up so, I can't positively link the 2 occurrences. I know they replaced at least the right rear lens. If i can't get the Honda dealer to suspect the brake light switch under the pedal, there's no way they are going to follow a wiring lead linked to the back of the car. LOL

I suspect they are going to toss their hands in the air soon and move on. They'll tell me they've done all they can do. Then where? Give another Honda dealer a shot? I'll check my blinkers and brake lighting tomorrow to look for dimming or flickering. Thanks

ezone

You should clue them in that the car has been bodyshopped in the rear at some point in the past..... and it may or may not be related at all to the current issue but certainly worth letting the troubleshooter know about it.

Speaking as a troubleshooter, I want to know every detail like that, whether you think it's important or not..

Hell, one bodyshop I used to do work for couldn't ever tell us what was done or where and how bad the car was hit. Miserable.

mercerguy323

I did tell them. They are so focused on that turn signal. They've been keeping me isolated from the mechanic but, I did get a chance to speak with him today. I actually typed a list of symptoms and gave them to the service manager. What shop guy wants to listen to a layman? LOL

ezone

A smart one.

But you gotta hurry before my AADD kicks in.

mercerguy323

Let you know how this progresses. Thanks for all the advice.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

On 06+ the turn signals are controlled by MICU located in under dash box, and the noise you hear when flashing is just a relay in the cluster to make the clicking sound.

Make sure ALL of your brake lights are working, and as mentioned look for anything amiss with any of the rear lights.