Community Forums

takethehelm · 08-19-2010, 10:40 AM

Yesterday my cruise control stopped disconnecting when the brake pedal is pushed and my brake lights don't come on either. I found a thread about an '03 with the same problem and someone had sent pictures but they don't look anything like my '02. I checked the switch with my wife pushing the pedal and it appears to be working OK. (I used an ohmmeter and with no pressure there is no circuit but with pedal movement there is a circuit)Could there be some other problem? We are enroute so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Paul R. Haller · 08-19-2010, 11:01 AM

check fuses?

takethehelm · 08-19-2010, 11:06 AM

Sorry, I forgot to mention that break light fuse was the first thing I checked. I can't find a fuse for the cruise control.

GMDavidson · 08-19-2010, 11:11 AM

takethehelm,
Sounds like your most important problem is no brake lights, which makes you illegal. And if that's fixed it will probably fix the cruise control problem. Since you verified that the brake pedal switch works my next step would be to either check the fuse and use your volt ohmmeter to check to see if you have 12 VDC on one side of the brake switch with the pedal not pressed. If you do then check to see if you have 12VDC on both sides of the switch when the pedal is pressed.

Note: Some breaking systems are wired such that you would have 12VDC on one side of the switch with the bake pedal not applied, and 0 VDC on both sides when the pedal is pressed.

THis will tell you if the problem is before or after the brake pedal switch.

Gary

takethehelm · 08-19-2010, 11:25 AM

I'll go check that. I don't understand if you have a hot wire into the switch, how could opening or closing the switch affect that wire? Anyway, I'll check to make sure I have power to the switch.

takethehelm · 08-19-2010, 11:51 AM

OK. After all the checking, power at the switch, power at the fuse, good fuse, etc. I rechecked the brake lights and they are now working. I'm thinking the switch is going bad and I have an intermittent problem, now I will work on finding a replacement switch. I already checked a place called Cole Hersee and didn't see anything even close to what I need. Any ideas?

GMDavidson · 08-19-2010, 12:06 PM

A sometimes quick fix on an intermittent switch is to spray WD 40 on it somewhere where it can penetrate to the inside of the switch. May take 20 min. or so - work the switch on on off after penetration. If the switch has a plug on it, take the plug on and off a few times - a little WD 40 here would also help.

My 01' Alpine has had a number of loose connections that caused various failures - this might be one

Regarding 12 VDC at the switch, the 12 volts on one side of the switch with the switch off (brake pedal not depressed) is the 12 volts from the battery thru the fuse. After you close the switch (depressing the brake pedal) the circuit is completed to the brake light side of the switch, thus sending 12volts to the brake lights. If this is confusing I could try an explanation again.

Gary

wa8yxm · 08-19-2010, 02:40 PM

The cruise control looks for 12 volts on the "Hot" side of the brake switch and zero volts on the cold side, it puts a very slight current to the cold side

If the brake light fuse is blown,, NO 12 volts

If the brake light bulbs are BO (Burned out) no ground

If the wires are broken.. same problem.

On my coach I've had a connector come off the brake lights

Check to see if you have 12 volts on ONE side of the brake switch

NO= Blown fuse

IF you have 12 volts (or any voltage more than a tiny fraction ) on both sides, bad blubs or wires.

takethehelm · 08-20-2010, 02:28 PM

Thanks to everybody for all the suggestions and help. I've followed up on them and hopefully will be OK for a while. Would still like help identifying the switch, just in case. Anybody with an '01 or '02 ever look for and find one?

takepride · 08-20-2010, 11:56 PM

Take:

I had the same problem happen to me twice. Both times I was working on the coach's brake lights while installing or re-installing the brake controller for the toad. I couldn't for the life of me figure it out.

Both times I reset the main DC on/off switches (I know the house one was irrelevant) and both times it started working fine. I have a pre-Vansco coach like yours. Mine was manufactured in May '02. (74727)

Dave Fernandez · 08-21-2010, 09:59 PM

Hello Take the Helm:

Check this previous Post out regarding your problem with the brake lights and cruse control. It could have the answer to your problem.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f104/brak...one-67203.html

takethehelm · 08-22-2010, 08:06 PM

I've checked out two other threads that covered this problem and we all come to basically the same conclusion. Bad or intermittent brake light switch. So now I'm looking for a switch so I've got one on hand when I get home and I'll just replace it. I saw a part number in one thread but it doesn't look like my switch. Does anybody have a part number or manufacturer for a brake switch for a '02 34fdds?