After a recent oil change that I had done by a mechanic, I noticed my cruise control stopped working. The light goes on, the fuses all check out. I suspect it is the brake sending unit that the mechanic accidentally yanked out. Trouble is, I don't know how to find it under the hood. Can someone direct in the right direction. The car is a '96 OB Legacy 5-speed.
many thanks
Did he say that he accidentally pulled out the brake sensing unit? If so that would be odd since it is under the dash on the brake pedal. I don't really see any need for the mechanic to be anywhere near anythign that could hur the functioning of the cruise control. Not saying it isn't related, but just that looking near the front of the engine, where the oil changing stuff goes on, likely wont' yield any answers as to how to fix it.
The things to check are:
--Brake pedal sensor, which is at the pedal under the dash.
--Neutral sensor. It is mounted to the transmission on the drivers side, and the wire runs from it, up to the back of the engine on the passenger side to a connector there where it then dissapears into a wire harness. The reverse light switch is also on the transmission and the wires run up to the same place. The neutral switch should be a closed switch(as in pass juice and have continuity between the two contacts.) if the car is in gear, any gear. The reverse switch only has continuity when the car is in reverse.
--There is another switch for the clutch. I am not sure where this sensor is, but assume it is on the clutch pedal arm just like the brake pedal switch. Another possible place would be in the engine compartment near the hill holder mechanism, which you can find by tracing brkae lines to a unit that has a cable running into it. That cable is the clutch cable. If there are wires running into that mess, then the clutch sensor might be there.
I am pretty sure that those are the only sensors that the car uses for CC, other than the speed input, but I assume you would have noticed that not working. I coudl be wrong. I read about troubleshooting this system years ago and it turned out to be the fuse, so if I didn't have to look at it, I might not remember it right now.
Good luck, Bill
The only time I ever lost my speed control, an observant mechanic noticed that a thin rubber hose had been pulled off its nipple on top of the engine (IIRC). He reattached it and the problem was solved. No charge!
Ben
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