Cruise control not working

[MGO45]

Hi all
Have a 96 Q45, love it , trying to attend to one thing at a time now up to the cruise control, not sure where to start the trouble shooting process pls help someone.

[VStar650CL]

The most obvious thing to check is the brake switch (and clutch interlock if it has one). The brake switch for the CC is usually separate from the brake lamp switch on Nissan products, and most of the older ones have a "rubber stopper" in the pedal bracket that can wear out and fall out. With nothing to stop the switch plunger, the CC will never come on because it thinks the brake is pressed all the time. Same for the CC clutch interlock if it's a M/T.

[MGO45]

Will do thank you for your advice will try it today and let you know. Thanks again.

[3Q Jay]

Indeed, the G50 platform has separate brake pedal switches for the stop lamps and the speed control. If I remember correctly, the stop lamp is the blue housing, and the speed control is the green housing.
Page EL-219 of the fsm has some other system component and location info.

[MGO45]

Thank You, I’m just having a hard time getting access So I’m trying to go and see a friend of mine at some stage today to give me a hand with it. Will keep you posted

[SolarReaper]

Had the same issue on my 2000 Q45. The switches could also be out of adjustment. You can adjust the switch up and down so it might be engaging and not letting you use CC even though the brake light doesn't come on.
In my case the vacuum pump that operates the CC was dead so I had to replace that. FSM helped me troubleshoot every component of the cruise control system.

[MGO45]

Thanks for the advice will follow that up.

[98_Q45]

The most obvious thing to check is the brake switch (and clutch interlock if it has one). The brake switch for the CC is usually separate from the brake lamp switch on Nissan products, and most of the older ones have a "rubber stopper" in the pedal bracket that can wear out and fall out. With nothing to stop the switch plunger, the CC will never come on because it thinks the brake is pressed all the time. Same for the CC clutch interlock if it's a M/T.

Yup, same thing happened to mine. I actually found the issue so quick by googling the question which lead me to a thread on here years ago lol. I came home one day, my brake lights were ON. Thought someone had cut my brake line lol.

Turned out to be the rubber stopper broke (I was messing with the parking brake while doing some radio work). A month or so later, the cruise control stopper broke. Stupid simple fixes. But dealer only part. You can temporarily fix by using duct or electrical tape in the hole where the stopper normally would be.

Easy fix, but uncomfortable position to be in, to install. That’s why I waited for the cruise control to break before replacing, to avoid removal.

[VStar650CL]

Turned out to be the rubber stopper broke (I was messing with the parking brake while doing some radio work). A month or so later, the cruise control stopper broke. Stupid simple fixes. But dealer only part. You can temporarily fix by using duct or electrical tape in the hole where the stopper normally would be.

Very common on older models. For budget customers, I fix them using a large size Nissan push-clip with a dab of gray death underneath to cushion and hold it (genuine Nissan death, but you folks can use Permatex Ultra Gray, it's the same stuff).

[MGO45]

I’m going to give another go this weekend fingers crossed

[98_Q45]

Very common on older models. For budget customers, I fix them using a large size Nissan push-clip with a dab of gray death underneath to cushion and hold it (genuine Nissan death, but you folks can use Permatex Ultra Gray, it's the same stuff).

It’s just crazy though. Like I always say around here, I have a 97 maxima which has even more miles than the Q, and those little “small” issues haven’t cropped up.

The Max has had its day with aging issues too, mainly suspension/alignment and alternator/starting related over the years, but with the Q, it’s just been dumb stuff that shouldn’t break, that has lol. Like airbag light, brake stopper, and the little switch under the hood that made the alarm go off every 5 minutes (which has been unplugged lol).

[MGO45]

Still no luck with with the cruise took it to an auto electrician as he says it might be the module any thoughts?

[VStar650CL]

Older cruises can be a complete PITA to diagnose because they're usually separate modules that don't communicate. Sad to say, if it isn't something dumb and simple like a bad pedal switch or leaky vacuum line, then it's going to take old school voltmeter diagnosis and it's likely turn out ugly, expensive or both.

[3Q Jay]

looking back through this thread, I don't see the actual observables.
To the OP, can you methodically describe what is going on? Including the sequence of how you try to enable the cruise, and what you see in response to each input?

[cbird805]

Does the cruise control switch on the dash (on the lower left panel) light up when pressed? Unlike most cars, you have to activate cruise control by switch first every time you start the car. Do you get a cruise light lit up on dash when you press "Set" on the steering wheel?

[MGO45]

FINALLY!!!

Believe it or not out of the blue my brake switch failed so naturally the gear lever locked which indicated to me I had no brake light. After I eventually located the genuine rubber stoppers, I change the one on the cruise and the one for the brake. Lo and behold I went and got the factory brake switch, and to my absolute delight not only does the brake light work, but so does the cruise control!

I gotta thank everybody that gave me advice on how to troubleshoot the situation.

As I say the case is now closed!

[OldZedFan]

My 1993 Q45 cruise control stopped working. On inspection I found that the plastic stop pad under the switch on the brake pedal was missing. I found the broken pieces on the floor. So I measured the thickness on a piece and it was 4.5mm. I found a bolt that was close to that and would fit in the hole. It was a struggle to get it in but it is there forever now and fixed the problem.

Now how do I replace the little light in the cruise control switch on the dash??? Any ideas please, thanks.

[MGO45]

Is your cruise working? If not replace the brake switch, that’s what worked for me.

[3Q Jay]

Now how do I replace the little light in the cruise control switch on the dash??? Any ideas please, thanks.

you mean the master switch on the left side under the hvac vent? That's probably the easiest area to get to (compared say to the rear window defroster switch on the right side).
check pages BF 12 and 13 in the FSM (referencing the '94 fsm--93 could be different I suppose). in general, the trim surround pops out--I think you can remove it without removing the lower steering column panel, but it's been a while.
Is it the night illumination of the switch, or the LED enabled status?
If the former, I'd buy a handful of the generic 12v filaments--likely you have more than one burned out.