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" Cruise Control "


PALS
06-17-2004, 12:27 PM
2001 chev venture with 90K. The cruise control just went on it yesterday. Fuse is O.K. Anyone have any ideas before I give another mechanic at the dealer's a nice vacation???

umina
06-17-2004, 03:35 PM
cruise is vacuum operated. Look under the hood at the cruse control unit (second cable coming off the throttle linkage goes to the cruise control pressure unit) make sure all vacuum lines are intact and not cracked or worn.

baruche
06-18-2004, 05:34 PM
mechanics deserve a vacation as much as the family van owner..check your haynes manual for cruise control operation..make sure your control switches are not the problem..take!

PALS
06-22-2004, 07:19 AM
I followed the Haynes manual troubleshooting section for the " Cruise Control " and found both brake light bulbs not blown but the base melted on one side of the terminal. After replacing both bulbs, the " Cruise Control " function is back in operation. I guess the brake lights (the third brake light on top was O.K.) are somehow interconnected with the " Cruise Control " function???

PALS
06-22-2004, 07:24 AM
Oh yah, thanks for the suggestion there " Bucaroo " or was it " Mr. Baruche ". Thank you, Thank you very much...TiK

DRW1000
06-23-2004, 02:40 PM
I too had the bulb bases melt. I feel this is odd. Has anyone else noticed this???

jayeli
05-31-2005, 09:24 AM
i too have had my left bulb base melt-about 6 months ago. lately, the left side brake light keeps burning out. this must be why the cruise control isn't working! i just replaced the bulb 4 days ago!!! :confused:

'97ventureowner
06-05-2005, 10:14 PM
My cruise control became inoperative a few weeks ago. I finally got around to looking into it today. I found that the fuse was okay but both taillights were burned out and the CHMSL was the only light that worked. I'm going to take apart the rear lights AGAIN tomorrow and replace the brake lights AGAIN. I've had this problem for 3 years now, and am thinking of replacing the wiring harnesses in the back as I have read that, that is one of the only ways of fixing the problem with the brake lights continually burning out. I can't recall how many bulbs I have replaced in the past few years,now I buy them in bulk and keep them in the glove box. :lol:

GregA
06-05-2005, 11:24 PM
I seem to recall reading a TSB (Tech Service Bulletin) about this a while back.

I think that said it could be caused by moisture getting into the light bulb sockets and changing (lowering) the resistence across the bulb contacts. This would mean MORE current and therefore more HEAT (which could cause melting of the sockets).

I think the TSB said to put "dielectric grease" on the bulb contacts, but I can't find the TSB right now and can not be sure.

I have not had this problem (yet), but I would try to do something to help keep the moisture off the circuit boards and out of the bulb sockets. Maybe seal the top of the tail light assembly better?

Just a thought.

jayeli
06-06-2005, 07:10 AM
thanks! i found a tsb on edmund's that i am giving to the dealer when i take it in today! everything you said makes sense. i hope the tsb solves the problem.

ypelchat
06-06-2005, 11:13 AM
I followed the Haynes manual troubleshooting section for the " Cruise Control " and found both brake light bulbs not blown but the base melted on one side of the terminal. After replacing both bulbs, the " Cruise Control " function is back in operation. I guess the brake lights (the third brake light on top was O.K.) are somehow interconnected with the " Cruise Control " function???

Click on the following links for additional information on this problem.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?
t=415280

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=415034

I have a 2001 Venture, and last time i checked, my left rear bulb casing was melted too. From what I have read on the subject, it's a problem waiting to happen on all Venture/Montana/Silhouette models. If you experience odd behavior with your cruise control, that's the first thing to look into IMHO. GM should have issued a recall to fix this problem.

Yves.

RNRea
07-11-2005, 04:13 PM
Moisture won't decrease the resistance of the contacts in the bulb socket (metal has a lower resistance than water). The problem is that it will *increase* the resistance between the bulb and the contact. This resistance will heat up the socket. Also, some of the bulb heat will try to sink through the wire, but because of bad/poor contacts will build in the socket. Dielectric grease should always be used for bulbs. Another option is to replace the standard bulbs with LED bulbs (check your parts store for availability). The LED bulbs are expensive (~$16/ea) but will last forever and don't heat up like bulbs.

ypelchat
07-13-2005, 07:21 AM
Moisture won't decrease the resistance of the contacts in the bulb socket (metal has a lower resistance than water). The problem is that it will *increase* the resistance between the bulb and the contact. This resistance will heat up the socket. Also, some of the bulb heat will try to sink through the wire, but because of bad/poor contacts will build in the socket. Dielectric grease should always be used for bulbs. Another option is to replace the standard bulbs with LED bulbs (check your parts store for availability). The LED bulbs are expensive (~$16/ea) but will last forever and don't heat up like bulbs.

For your information. I bought a set of LED 3157 replacement bulb from autolumination.com, and, surprisingly, the plastic socket of the LED bulb melted.... I was under the impression that these LED bulbs were using less current than the 3157 incandescent bulbs. I had to remove the LED bulbs, and put the regular glass 3157 back on. :mad:

Yves.

RNRea
07-15-2005, 02:00 PM
Hmmm... that has me thinking. The LED's do use less current than conventional bulbs, which is desirable, but is a problem for standard turn-signal flashers, which need enough bulb current to flash. If these are "replacement" type bulbs, the LEDs themselves probably won't supply enough current for thermal flashers, so they might have a shunt resistor on the brake/turn "filament" in order to draw enough current for the thermal flasher to work. If this is the case, then you're back to square one...

ypelchat
07-15-2005, 02:54 PM
Hmmm... that has me thinking. The LED's do use less current than conventional bulbs, which is desirable, but is a problem for standard turn-signal flashers, which need enough bulb current to flash. If these are "replacement" type bulbs, the LEDs themselves probably won't supply enough current for thermal flashers, so they might have a shunt resistor on the brake/turn "filament" in order to draw enough current for the thermal flasher to work. If this is the case, then you're back to square one...

I think the Venture uses an electronic flasher, and dont need the resistor.

Yves.

RNRea
07-27-2005, 09:23 PM
Even if the flasher is an electronic one, the LED bulb is designed to replace a regular bulb and has to work with thermal flashers, so it would have the resistor anyway.

ypelchat
07-27-2005, 11:23 PM
Even if the flasher is an electronic one, the LED bulb is designed to replace a regular bulb and has to work with thermal flashers, so it would have the resistor anyway.

The purpose of an electronic flasher, is to provide the same flashing speed, regardless of the load. An electonic flasher will flash at the same speed, even if the bulb is burned. If you have an electronic flasher, and want to use LED bulbs, instead of the incandescent ones, the resistor is not needed.

Yves.

RNRea
07-28-2005, 06:29 PM
You missed the point of my post. The company that makes the LED bulbs doesn't know what type of flasher will be used with their bulb replacements, so they have to make on that will draw enough current to make the thermal flasher work. For this reason they put the resistor in. You don't have a choice on what they put inside the bulb - the resistor is there whether you need it or not.

ypelchat
07-28-2005, 11:16 PM
You missed the point of my post. The company that makes the LED bulbs doesn't know what type of flasher will be used with their bulb replacements, so they have to make on that will draw enough current to make the thermal flasher work. For this reason they put the resistor in. You don't have a choice on what they put inside the bulb - the resistor is there whether you need it or not.

A typical LED (Light Emitting Diode), operate at a voltage range of between 1.5 to 4 Volt. As you can see, this voltage is far below the 12.0V to 14.4V, normally seen in a car's electrical system. A 4 Volt LED would burn instantaneously at 12V. Therefore, to operate at 14.4V, each of the LED's must have it's own resistor, wired in series to the cathode of the LED. This resistor will create the proper voltage drop that's needed for the normal operation of a 4V LED, at 12V.

An LED bulb is built using an array of individual LED's (some LED bulbs have as few as 4 LED's, and some LED bulbs have 40 LED's or more).

40 LED's.... 40 resistors. (Anyone wonder why LED bulbs are so expensive.. :rolleyes:) However, some unscrupulous LED bulb manufacturers, are cutting corners, and put only ONE big resistor, for all 40 LED's, (instead of putting all 40 resistors) in order to decrease the manufacturing cost of the LED bulb.... :rolleyes:


In addition to the resistors, another diode must be added, to protect the LED bulb against possible polarity reversal.

In fact, the LED bulb's built-in resistor, is there, only to adapt the LED bulb's to the vehicle's voltage. It was never meant to adapt the LED bulb to a thermal flasher. In fact, if your vehicle is equipped with a thermal flasher, and still want to use the newer LED bulbs, in most cases, you will have to ADD another resistor. The added resistor (wired in parallel) will decrease the resistance across the LED, thus providing the correct load for the thermal flasher to operate correctly, and flash at the correct rate.

If you're using an electronic flasher, you don't need the additional resistor, because the electrical switching circuitry (the circuitry that actually apply the voltage to the load) is independent of the timing circuitry (that determines the flashing rate).

If it would be possible to post an attachment, I would draw a typical LED bulb circuitry, and post it here. To help you further in your understanding of how LED's operate, i've searched the internet, and found 3 interesting links that explain the basics of LED operations..


http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/components/led.htm

http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/ohmslaw.asp

http://www.ledtronics.com/datasheets/auto_index/auto_index.htm

Yves.

RNRea
07-29-2005, 12:44 PM
You're not telling me anything I don't know. What you're describing is what *you* would do if you were going to make an LED replacement for an automotive bulb. If you are a company that markets the LED bulb as a *replacement* bulb then you have to make one that will work in all the vehicles that it could be used. If, for example, I want to replace the brake/turn-signal bulbs in my '67 Mustang with LED bulbs, and I pay $32 for the pair, I expect them to work. Without a shunt resistor they'll be drawing 10's of miliamps rather than the couple of amps that the old bulbs drew. So the bulbs won't flash with the old thermal flasher. If I am a regular kinda guy, I don't think about needing to draw more current for the flasher to work. I think "I paid 32 bucks for these things, and they don't work. I want my money back." The LED bulb maker doesn't want to take back product that is good. So they throw in the resistor so that it will work with either type of flasher. That's why it's there. If you don't want the shunt you could take the thing apart (good luck) and pull it out, but the manufacturer still puts it in there.

ypelchat
07-29-2005, 01:10 PM
You're not telling me anything I don't know. What you're describing is what *you* would do if you were going to make an LED replacement for an automotive bulb. If you are a company that markets the LED bulb as a *replacement* bulb then you have to make one that will work in all the vehicles that it could be used. If, for example, I want to replace the brake/turn-signal bulbs in my '67 Mustang with LED bulbs, and I pay $32 for the pair, I expect them to work. Without a shunt resistor they'll be drawing 10's of miliamps rather than the couple of amps that the old bulbs drew. So the bulbs won't flash with the old thermal flasher. If I am a regular kinda guy, I don't think about needing to draw more current for the flasher to work. I think "I paid 32 bucks for these things, and they don't work. I want my money back." The LED bulb maker doesn't want to take back product that is good. So they throw in the resistor so that it will work with either type of flasher. That's why it's there. If you don't want the shunt you could take the thing apart (good luck) and pull it out, but the manufacturer still puts it in there.



http://www.ledtronics.com/ds/aut3157/

RNRea
07-30-2005, 01:49 AM
Good link. I was basing my info on the local auto parts store's replacement version (don't remember which brand, but were for 1056 or 1057 bayonet base bulbs). Funny that they sell a load resistor that costs more than my electronic flashers though. Anyway, why were your sockets melting even with LED bulbs? Where was the heat coming from?

tpjankowski
01-22-2015, 09:44 PM
Thanks to everyone who mentioned checking the the BRAKE LIGHTS. I found this forum and read a bunch of entries and checked today. I've been driving around for about a month without my Tail light brake lights working. The only one that worked was the top bar on the cargo door. Oh and it got my cruise control working. But the sockets are corroded. Any ideas on where to get a good replacement that doesn't break the bank. Thanks

rkvons
01-23-2015, 12:34 PM
Thanks to everyone who mentioned checking the the BRAKE LIGHTS. I found this forum and read a bunch of entries and checked today. I've been driving around for about a month without my Tail light brake lights working. The only one that worked was the top bar on the cargo door. Oh and it got my cruise control working. But the sockets are corroded. Any ideas on where to get a good replacement that doesn't break the bank. Thanks
Try amazon.com. They are about $13. What you do is search for "Brake & Tail Light Assemblies" for your vehicle.

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