Cruise Control

[Seorsum]

Ever since I bought my car I have had an issue with the cruise control. I have to hold the button in for it to work, if I just push the on button, it comes on then it goes off as soon as I let go. I hardly ever use it because of that, my finger gets tired of holding it down. I don't have to hold down the set button or anything else, just the on button. I think it's just the button, so if I just replace it, would that fix it? Or would I have to replace the entire part that connects to the steering wheel?

[DeeJayy]

For my cruise control I turn it on then set it and it stays on. By pressing the on button shouldn't work. At least in mine.

[billytheman1188]

You're prob going to have to replace the buttons....which means you disconnect the battery....give it 5-10 minutes to sit (because you have to take the airbag out and they stay active for at least 5 min). Now that you've waited...take the airbag off by taking the two screws out of the back (i think their torque head screws). Pop air bag out and now you can unscrew the buttons and put the new ones in.

[sleepyalero]

Manwhore sticks a dime in the bottom of his cruise control button because I believe he has the same problem. If you don't feel like replacing it, just stick a dime under the button when you want to use it. Does well.

[rocketfast321]

Not a bad ideal, my car had it air bags replaced and so i have to hold down the button.

[zzyzzx]

Is there a How on the fix for this? I am wondering if there is a broken piece of plastic or maybe a spring issues here.

[RalphP]

I dunno, how much jerry rigging is acceptable for a $35 part?

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/rafr...&parttype=1510

RwP

[03glgold]

no how-to...I think you might be correct about the spring issue, however the only fix that I know of is to pull the air bag and replace the switch, or shove something in to hold it on...My button still works but I just leave it on full time in order to minimalize the chances that it will be stuck off

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by RalphP

I dunno, how much jerry rigging is acceptable for a $35 part?

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/rafr...&parttype=1510

RwP

Now that I know I can just order a new one off of Rock Auto, I might take mine apart and try to fix it, and not worry too much if it breaks. I would have guessed dealer only or much more expensive than that. That and I suspect that the replacement is just as bad as the original, so if I can make it better, why not try?

[zzyzzx]

Slightly cheaper off Amazon and qualifies for free shipping.

[zzyzzx]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fix-...ero-and-Other/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fix-...-switch-works/

Notice the tiny three-arm paw in the foreground. That is what holds this switch in the "on" position. Notice the white center. It is actually clear and it is an axle that has broken off of the clear plastic block surrounding the white "T"-shaped piece in the very center of the switch assembly. See the yellow text boxes. This little axle is slightly less than 1mm in diameter. Plastic tends to become brittle with age, and it was only 1mm in diameter from the start. That little broken axle is the reason these switches fail.

I deiced to drill into the center of what is left of the axle and glue a new metal axle in the hole. The next step describes how to get the clear plastic block out of the switch assembly so the necessary work can be done to it.

They used part of a small nail to replace a piece of plastic that broke. That's cheaper AND better than using a new part. My Alero only has 37K miles on it and I do use the cruise control and plan on keeping the car for along time, so fixing this would be nice.

[That01Olds]

Originally Posted by sleepyalero

Manwhore sticks a dime in the bottom of his cruise control button because I believe he has the same problem. If you don't feel like replacing it, just stick a dime under the button when you want to use it. Does well.

Mine had the same problem while my dad was still driving the car and he did the same thing. Then he gave the car to me and I drove it around like that until I sold it to my sister with no issues. Here is a pic of what it looks like with a coin holding the cruise control button on.

[Nas Escobar]

I had a worse problem in my Grand Am. The Grand Am's CC is at the bottom of the wheel. It wouldn't work, even if I held it.

There's a plastic pin that falls out of those things. You have to replace the whole assembly, which means taking out the airbag. The screws behind the airbag are T30 I believe (at least in the Grand Am), and are a bitch to take out. If they're not T30, then they're T25.

[sleepyalero]

Damn that shift knob is glossy!

[Redog]

I have to replace mine, too

I have the part, picked it up on eBay for $21 shipped, Buttons work fine, but the lights burned out on the reset/cruise accel buttons

Yes, I'm that anal

[the1lyden]

Originally Posted by sleepyalero

Damn that shift knob is glossy!

hahaha look like he sprayed the whole thing down with Armor-All.... Looks nice though!!!!

[That01Olds]

Originally Posted by sleepyalero

Damn that shift knob is glossy!

Originally Posted by the1lyden

hahaha look like he sprayed the whole thing down with Armor-All.... Looks nice though!!!!

Haha yep. I had just finished cleaning the interior when I took that pic and thanks man.

[zzyzzx]

Indestructables say to use a T27 to remove the screws from the back, but I do not see how to do that. My socket is to big to fit into the hole there, and there is not enough clearance. Getting it back in should be at least as fun so I will use the coin or piece of paper for now.

[03Sleepr]

Its a t27 bit. I always use a 1/4" drive deep socket to hold my bit and it fits through the back of the wheel perfect.

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted by 03Sleepr

Its a t27 bit. I always use a 1/4" drive deep socket to hold my bit and it fits through the back of the wheel perfect.

Indestructbales says that it is a T27, and I do have the bit. I will have to try that 1/4" deep drive method when I make my next attempt to remove the switch. That's the info I needed earlier today and it sounds like it would work.

Here is another fix-it webpage for this switch, that I wish I had seen before I tried to fix mine and broke it:
http://oldsmobileforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2895

This one at Oldsmobilefun seems more applicable to my situation as well since the reading through it, it seems to make more sense since I was wondering that that little triangle part was for.