Cruise Control Situation

[JEB]

I need a little help. I do not use the cruise often, so I don't know for sure when the problem happened. However, the only change that I have made to the car is LED tail/brake lights. Due to the low electrical power draw of the LED bulbs, could that keep the cruise from engaging? If that is the case, what can I do to correct the situation?

[LS1Chris]

Yes it does, low current will cause the cruise control to think the brake switch isn't working. It uses brake light input to disgage it.

You'll need to wire a resistor inline with the brake light wire at the back, I don't know the value but I'm sure someone will chime in.

[JEB]

Thanks LS1Chris. That seems to confirm my thoughts.

[02z28ls1]

Wouldn't that just keep it from disengaging? I'm not looking at the schematics yet,but I don't understand how that would keep it from engaging.

[ssute57l]

I had the same probe, to overcome this you could use a 2-3 watt globe hidden in the boot , the cruise control needs to sense earth, this can not be done through leds. Once you have put this globe in it should fix the cruise control prob.

[JEB]

Thanks LS1Chris and ssute57l, I have ordered a set of load equalizers from Jam Strait. Them claim that the Load Equalizers will take care of the built in safty switch of the cruise control which reads the proper amperage in-order to engage. With the low amperage required to light up the LED bulbs, the cruise thinks that there are no brake lights or there are burned out bulbs and will not engage. Anyway, the load equalizers (one on each brake light) should correct the cruise control problem. Thanks again for your response.

[JEB]

I received the Load Equalizers from Jam Striat today and installed them. The cruise control system works perfectly. I felt that it was due to the LED bulbs that I installed in the stop lights and of-course it was. As I said, the Load Equalizers fixed the problem.