" 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!!!

'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.

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by PALS

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/vbul...r /> t=415280

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.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

Quote:

Originally Posted by RNRea

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.

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

Quote:

Originally Posted by RNRea

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.

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