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Cadillac Repair/cruise control does not engage.

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Expert: - 2/9/2010


Question
cruise control in my 1987 cadillac refuses to engage. The cruise control light switch lights up and the letters tell me on the dash that cruise control is on, but the cruise control does not engage.  I found a wire under the dash disconnected, but i wanted to ask you before i connect this grey colored wire.  the shape of the connector end is dome shaped and a receiver dome shaped is also there disconnected, except that one wire is grey comming from the steering area and the other end is a different color, eventhough boyh ends seem to be dome shaped.  Please help. joe.

Answer
Hello,


I haven't worked on one of these for 15 yrars. The only thing I can tell you is send me a pic of both connectors and it might jar my memory. Send to robo14@aol.com

I worked on these cruise systems to a point, but I don't consider myself fully knowledgable on diagnostics.

There is a lot more to it than you see. The cruise is controlled by tge ecm (computer) as well.


Rob

Cadillac Repair

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Rob Painter

Expertise

Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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