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  1. #1

    Default Intermittent Cruise Control

    I drive an 86 GT Convertible 5.0/5spd. I have been having different issues with the cruise control for about two years now (so the issues predate my owning the car by who knows how long). When I bought it the only buttons that worked were ON, OFF, and SET. COAST and RESUME have never worked. It never really bothered me. All I would have to do is tap the brake and reset the cruise., rather than coast.

    Probably 6ish months ago I took my car into a local Lincoln dealer to get the brake booster replaced. They had everything apart and replaced the brake light switch as well. I got the car back, and the next weekend discovered that my cruise didn't work at all. After going rounds with the dealer (and them wanting to charge me $1300 to fix it) they took a look at it to determine if it was their fault. They went through everything on the vacuum side of things and determined that the dump valve right next to the brake light switch had been knocked out of adjustment. They readjusted it and got the cruise back into as close to working order as it had ever been.


    Well now I don't know what the f***. None of the buttons seem to reliably work. I can get the cruise to set, but it usually takes me up to 6 or 7 miles at interstate speeds to make it work. I was wondering if it was an issue with the whatever it is inside the wheel that allows buttons to turn relative to the rest of the wiring as you turn the wheel. I slowed down, and shook the wheel back and forth very quickly. This *seemed* to make the cruise work better, to be moving the wheel as I try, but obviously that is not a solution. Last thing you want to be doing in any car (let alone a fox body convertible) is to shake the wheel erratically at interstate speeds to set the cruise.

    I was wondering if anyone has any experience troubleshooting the cruise, anything I can check with a multimeter, etc? IDEALLY- I would like to get all 5 buttons working reliably, but I at least need to get ON OFF and SET working again.

    Thanks guys!
    Triple black '86 GT Convertible 5.0/5spd (T5Z, hurst short throw, VM-1, 93 leather, all black tmi door panels, 93 cobra wing, strut tower brace, sub-frame connectors, 13.5 degrees base timing).

  2. #2
    FEP Power Member
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    The first thing you need is to get is the 86 EVTM manual. It sounds like the problem might be in the steering column or maybe a ground issue.
    Fox Body/3rd Gen MCA Gold Card Judge
    84 SVO 24K miles, 85 Mclaren Capri Vert. 84 GT Turbo Vert.
    88 Mclaren Mustang Vert 20K miles, 89 Mustang LX Sport Vert,
    03 Mach 1 7900 miles, 74 Mustang II, 69 Mustang, 67 Mustang, 07 GT500,
    14 Mustang CS/GT, 15 F150 FTX Tuscany, 16 F250 Crewcab, 67 Tbird 47K miles

  3. #3
    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Dec 2016
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    I suspect the brushes or contacts in the column. Mine all worked fine in my 1/2 million mile column when I removed it for other reasons. Worth taking that one apart to see how they work first. Will need to replicate it in the Momo yoke for my 85 soon. We can play with it sometime soon.

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