cruise control 97 Passat VR6

[trtctchr]

Please HELP?
I have a 97 passat and the cruise control just stopped working, so the first thing I did was check the fuse and much to my dismay the manual says the 5 amp fuse is above the relays so I unclipped the fuse panel and lowered it and could not find any 5 amp fuse. If anyone has an idea where this fuse is I would very much appreciate the help. Thanks alot.

Frustrated beyond belief,
Blair

[Deakins]

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=460825

[septemberfreedom]

Where exactly is the aux fuse panel? I had my interior ripped apart the other day and couldn't find it. The only thing I saw that mildly resembled an auxillary panel had three things on it: two 30Amp fuses and a relay (175 stamped, I think). It was all the way at the firewall and the fuses and relay were mounted horizontally facing the engine bay. So, far above and forward of the fuse/relay panel is where I looked and didn't find a 5A fuse.

Anyone got a video of replacing the fuse? Pictures? Anything better than word-descriptions? I'm beyond frustrated. I want to have my car stolen and collect the insurance money.

[boschmann]

Auxillary panel is just the area above the main panel where they clip on any relay & fuses for optional items. You car will only have that fuse if it's an automatic. From what I remember its in a plastic holder, possibly blue. More often a cruise failure is due to a vacuum problem.

[septemberfreedom]

I traced the wire that is supposedly fused with S51 all the way from the Transmission Control module 68 pin connector, pin 61, to the bottom of the cruise control switch. Where the wiring diagram says there is a fuse, there is none. The wiring diagram shows a blk/grn wire coming from TCM, hits a single pin connector. Blk wire goes from single pin connector to S51, then Blk/Yel wire from S51 to another connector (where the power from S14 ties in) and then on to a 4 pin connector and another 4 pin connector before it reaches the switch. I did a voltage check on the wire (disconnected upstream of the tie in to S14) with the Trans in Drive. It read 0VDC. I still have no idea where the aux relay panel is. I replaced my heater/AC controls and had basically the whole dash ripped out and searched for hours and couldn't find it. Everyone seems to give the same response "it's above the fuse panel".

Has anyone actually physically touched or replaced or made any kind of contact with the auxillary relay panel? What is the panel that I did find (on the firewall with two 30A fuses and a relay)?

I got a really good Troubleshooting guide for the cruise control system that I will post. I'll employ it this weekend and rate/take pics/give response/keep posted. I realize that too many people have problems with their Cruise.

[septemberfreedom]

oh yeah, I forgot.

I took the connector off of the vacuum pump and hot wired the pump to test all the vacuum components and they all work well. The brake switch vents vacuum properly and everything. NO LEAKS. It absolutely must be an electrical problem.

BTW, did Volkswagon wire my car differently than every other 1997 VW passat GLX/Automatic, or is the Bentley wrong?

[boschmann]

I've never located it on a '97, but have seen the fuse on other cars. Did you physically follow the wire from one point to the other? I would just do a continuity check from TCM pin #61 to the switch & be done with that side of the problem & move on. You can put 12V+ power to that wire (eliminating the TCM) to test the TCM's function.

[septemberfreedom]

Allrighty then. I performed the troubleshooting procedure and on the first step found that I wasn't getting power to pin 9 of the CCM connector. I found that my Cruise Control Switch (CCS) wasn't functioning properly. In an attempt to avoid the back-breaking pain and expense of replacing that switch, I jimmy-rigged a new, much less expensive CCS.

Procedure:

1) Locate the CCM harness connector (for 97 GLX - behind Center console storage bin) and remove connector.

2) Clip wire for pin 9 (Blue/Black I believe) and connect a new, better wire (with an inline 5A fuse) from a switched 12V source (any ignition controlled fuse) to the connector line 9. This basically makes the CCM always "on". Check to make sure you got it right by using a multimeter and testing from pin 9 on the connector to ground with the ignition ON. You should get +/- 12VDC. If so, you were successful. If not, learn more about basic electricity.

3) The wire that controls the set function is connected on pin 8. It is orange and yellow. In order to bypass the CCS on the steering column, you need to wire the same 12VDC that you used to hotwire the CCM to a pushbutton switch and then wire the other side of the switch to pin 8. This makes that new pushbutton switch the set switch. I mounted my new set switch in the plastic for the Headlight control switch. You can check to make sure your set switch works by voltmeter between pin 8 and ground, Ignition On. With the Set switch not pressed, should read 0VDC. Pressed, should read 12VDC.

4) Go out and have fun with the Cruise Control system that now works.

5) If your cruise control doesn't work still, then you need to replace the CCM (the silver box). It'll run you about $300. Sorry.