abunker111

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum and this is my very first post! I recently purchased a very nice 2010 Chevy Express 2500 Cargo Van with a 4.8 liter v8 engine. It has 162,000 miles, and looks and runs great. It was obviously well cared for and well maintained by the company that owned it before me. My wife and I plan to use this for weekend and vacation getaways and I am building a bed in the back.

I am having a problem with my cruise control. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't and now it has stopped working completely! On a trip to San Diego this past weekend, I engaged the cruise and set it at 55 mph. A short while later I had to apply my brake to slow down for traffic. When I tried to resume the cruise, it would not engage. I turned off the unit and on again several times, but it would not come on. I stopped and turned off the van, but it would still not engage. The small light on the cruise control comes on, but the light on the instrument cluster to show that the cruise is on, does not come on.

I checked fuses under the hood using a fuse tester. I also pulled and reinstalled the stop light fuses and all the lights are working.

Does anyone on this forum have some suggestions as to what else I can do to get the cruise control to work? I have read on the internet about it possibly being a faulty brake light switch. Would that apply to this van?

Thank you very much!

jsncrss94

I would do a test on your brake pedal switch. I have seen quite a few cars with cruise control to stop working with a bad switch.

abunker111

Thank you Jason. How do I do a test on my brake pedal switch?


Thanks,

jsncrss94

Well to start with make sure that all your tail light and brake lights are working. Incorrect resistance will make the system think you are hitting the brakes. Check your ABS fuse if equipped as well. Next, the only way to really test the switch, at least I personally know of no other way, is while driving down the road push the brakes and see if you can get the cruise to intermittently engage again. A lot of times the contacts in the brake pedal switches will wear out. I think a new one from a dealer is around 20-30 bucks. I hope this helps! Not having cruise can be a nuisance lol.

abunker111

Hi folks,

Thought I would report on the final outcome of the issue I had with my cruise control not working. I followed Jason's advise, but this did not solve the problem. I then googled a new brake pedal switch and was able to find one for $12.85 and free shipping - not a bad price!! The switch arrived from a GM dealer in NM.

I watched some Youtube videos on how to remove and replace the brake pedal switch - I replayed one of them several times and felt confidant that I could do it. Well, the best I could do was remove the bolt holding the switch onto the brake pedal, but I could not remove the funky retaining clip that fits over a small shaft. I tried everything. The space to work in an Express van is very limited. I even removed the driver's seat but this didn't really help. I was fiddling with the clip for about 2 hours, while lying in a very awkward position and eventually just gave up! I took it in to a shop today and they swopped out the brake pedal switch in less than 20 min - I paid $60 - and this fixed the problem - my cruise control is working again!

If I were ever to do this again, I would purchase a new retainer clip in addition to the brake pedal switch, so that I can understand how the clip works, and then would know how to pry off the clip!!

This was not a fun job IMHO!!

jsncrss94

Glab to be of assistance to you mate! Yeah, there is a lot of limited space to work around in those things lol. You almost have to pull a fetal position or back stroke lol.

jampg

Thanks for the follow up. Glad you got her fixed.
I hear ya on the room issue to get to this part. I replaced this on my sisters burb and I think I pulled a neck muscle.

Ben Sodenkamp

I was able to do this myself because the clip wasn't a bear on mine. Thanks to everyone on this thread. Saved me $120.

Ben

snk!

evsnova74

Cruise stopped working on my 09 but after taking the switch apart there didn't seem to be anything obviously wrong with it. I was going to back probe the wires to test it on the vehicle but as mentioned, not a lot of room. I'll probably just buy a new switch, seems to be the fix for a lot of people.