Adding cruise control

honda boi

Anyone any experience in adding cruise control to a car that doesn't have it.
Have a mk1 cmax.
From what I can see I just need to change the steering wheel because the controls are on the steering wheel.
Is it a matter of plugging it in and it working or would it need to be 'activated ' in the ecu?

how.gareth

honda boi wrote: »

Anyone any experience in adding cruise control to a car that doesn't have it.
Have a mk1 cmax.
From what I can see I just need to change the steering wheel because the controls are on the steering wheel.
Is it a matter of plugging it in and it working or would it need to be 'activated ' in the ecu?

I added it to a 2002 bmw 320 and all it needed was a new set of controls added to the steering wheel and a wire ran from the controls to the fuse box under the bonnet, no coding needed

colm_mcm

http://www.cmaxownersclub.co.uk/forum/main-message-centre-30/retro-fit-cruise-control-4850/#/topics/4850

honda boi

colm_mcm wrote: »

http://www.cmaxownersclub.co.uk/forum/main-message-centre-30/retro-fit-cruise-control-4850/#/topics/4850

Thabks colm.
Looking at it looks like ford need to programme it.
Found this tho
http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/tutorials/article/322-activating-cruise-control-focus-mk225-elmconfig/
May get a modified elm and try it meself

dr.fuzzenstein

Shietpilot has done one, no need to change the steering wheel.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=98344573&postcount=6270

It's something I'm planning myself in the future

hi5

You can have mine, It's a waste of time on Irish motorways, it takes more effort to use it than not.

The Americans invented cruise control and here's why.....

biko

I'm in two minds about getting it done.
My car (Grand Vitara) just needs a kit that is available to buy and install, but it's quite rare that I go on a motorway for such a long time it would be beneficial for me to have it.
The cars I have had with CC installed have been a joy to drive though, mainly in US where it is really needed.

Odelay

hi5 wrote: »

You can have mine, It's a waste of time on Irish motorways, it takes more effort to use it than not.

The Americans invented cruise control and here's why.....

I find cc a joy to use on irish motorways. No problem what so ever.

Clareman

hi5 wrote: »

You can have mine, It's a waste of time on Irish motorways, it takes more effort to use it than not.

I'd strongly disagree with this, I drive on motorways for ~1,000km every week and I'd be lost without it, I just set the cruise control to 120 when I get onto the motorway and go from there, that way I don't have to worry about having a heavy foot, it also means the car looks after the revs for the most economical settings (I've an automatic btw)

dr.fuzzenstein

Clareman wrote: »

I'd strongly disagree with this, I drive on motorways for ~1,000km every week and I'd be lost without it, I just set the cruise control to 120 when I get onto the motorway and go from there, that way I don't have to worry about having a heavy foot, it also means the car looks after the revs for the most economical settings (I've an automatic btw)

He does have a bit of a point. At 120 you're fecked in the left lane, as you will have to brake and wait behind every truck until you can pull out 284 cars later.
When you are out, you'll have cars up your arse and the car to your right that was doing 90 suddenly is matching your speed for the next 25 km.
Once you have overtaken them (by accelerating past 130) and are in front of them again, they'll immediately pass you, sit back in front of you, slow down to 90 and the game begins afresh.
Or you will just have to sit in the left lane like a rock and ignore the queue of cars behind you.
I find CC tricky enough in Germany, nevermind Ireland.
One of the cars at work does have radar guided cruise control where it will either keep at the programmed speed or match it's speed to the car in front.
I'd say in ireland that would freak the 90-120 yoyo brigade the fcuk out.

hi5

Yes, I always try to stay in the left lane plus you also have merging traffic which has to be accommodated.
It would be a lot easier to just set the cruise at 125 and stay in the overtaking lane I suppose.

honda boi

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

Shietpilot has done one, no need to change the steering wheel.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=98344573&postcount=6270

It's something I'm planning myself in the future

Thanks Dr fuzz.
Looks quite easy( famous last words!!)
I'm gonna go ahead and do something like that since I've rang all local Scrapyard's and not one has one and there going for €65+ on eBay.
Have no idea meself if the cc will be worth while since I've never driven a car with it.
Off to an electrical wholesalers at some stage to pick up cable,resistors and some push buttons.

Henry Ford III

Adaptive cc ftw!

Stallingrad

ACC is what CC always was meant to be, it's a fantastic feature.

Alanstrainor

I use cruise control every time I join the M50, or any other Irish motorway. Mine is just regular old cruise control, but I love it. Couldn't imagine a car without it.

Zoney

Even with adaptive cruise control, you've to watch out for the 60 km/h dawdlers, at least in rural parts.

Although you can go a step further and get a car with active braking, not just engine braking, for the adaptive cruise control. Seems like that would encourage lack of driver awareness though. I've to be alert even with cruise control and ready for spotting that slow driver ideally even before the car sounds an alert and switches off cruise control (that's literally all it does in that scenario).

Odelay

I'm not sure how some find the cruise control so useless. On the motorway I find it very useful, simple adjustments with thumbs on the steering wheel.
Obviously not much use in heavy traffic but it is something I would miss if it wasn't in the next car.

honda boi

So a bit stuck at this now.
Got a modified obd for the programing.
Ordered switches and waiting for resistors for the controls.
However when I checked the wiring in the car it seems I don't have the 2 cables to the steering wheel for cruise control so plan on running my own two.
Only problem I'm having is a stupid one. what's the name of the ferrules used at the end of the cables at the fuse box.
I've attached pics of it.

honda boi

So finally got this done on Tuesday .
Thanks to shietpilot for the idea!
Here's my home made switch to test it out.

Didn't have exact resistors so had to wire a few in series to get the right reading.







Drilled holes out ,got it all wired up then hot glued it.
Made the holes to big so switches not sitting 100%.
Programming only took 10 minutes to do.
All in all for the modified elm327 cable,micro switches and resistors it cost me €25


Yay!!!

Tigerandahalf

I have it in my own car and I drive a fair bit on motorways but don't find it very useful. I found I was constantly putting it on and off coming up behind slower traffic.

I do find it handy on 100km roads where you would have a tendency to go over the speed limit.

Can anyone tell me what the minus button is for?

pablo128

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I have it in my own car and I drive a fair bit on motorways but don't find it very useful. I found I was constantly putting it on and off coming up behind slower traffic.

I do find it handy on 100km roads where you would have a tendency to go over the speed limit.

Can anyone tell me what the minus button is for?

The minus button is to reduce the speed, or at least it is on my car.

CC shouldn't be used in traffic anyway. The clue is in the name. It's for cruising.

I fitted it to my 05 Avensis, and my dad's 131 Auris. My steering wheel had to come off and there was a little bit of cutting, drilling and wiring but nothing spectacular. And it works perfectly without having to be programmed or anything. The Auris was a doddle. The airbag popped of by means of a large horseshoe shaped spring, 2 screws and plug a connector block in, and clip the airbag back in. Done.

Tigerandahalf

pablo128 wrote: »

The minus button is to reduce the speed, or at least it is on my car.

CC shouldn't be used in traffic anyway. The clue is in the name. It's for cruising.

I fitted it to my 05 Avensis, and my dad's 131 Auris. My steering wheel had to come off and there was a little bit of cutting, drilling and wiring but nothing spectacular. And it works perfectly without having to be programmed or anything. The Auris was a doddle. The airbag popped of by means of a large horseshoe shaped spring, 2 screws and plug a connector block in, and clip the airbag back in. Done.

I'm talking of cross country motorway, not the m50 type. It was still hassle switching it on and off. If you had a quiet motorway it would be handy to stay within the speed limit.

I find sometimes you want to accelerate that bit more when overtaking but with the cc the overtake is slower in the outside lane. Granted again you are staying within the speed limit.

Keith186

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I'm talking of cross country motorway, not the m50 type. It was still hassle switching it on and off. If you had a quiet motorway it would be handy to stay within the speed limit.

I find sometimes you want to accelerate that bit more when overtaking but with the cc the overtake is slower in the outside lane. Granted again you are staying within the speed limit.

You can always push the pedal to go a bit faster for the overtake if you need to and then it decelerates back down to the set speed after.

I love the cc for cross country journeys on the motorway.

honda boi

Ye i havent used it yet only on a quick drive after fitting it, as the snow has stopped me going out.
More did it as I like adding features to the car meself.
I can see it being great with helping to drive at the limit.
Anyone here know if it actually increases mpg when using it ? As in when on a straight road/motorway ,obviously won't in 50/60kmh zones.

Isambard

i'm new to CC but I love it too. I use it whenever I can.

New car has auto lights and wipers too so I only have to change gear and (i think) steer. Won't be long before fully automatic.

The Ging and I

I use it a lot on motorways in Europe and find it great. I use it more for 30/50 kph zones in France where its les flic do a lot of radar traps.

Isambard

The Ging and I wrote: »

I use it a lot on motorways in Europe and find it great. I use it more for 30/50 kph zones in France where its les flic do a lot of radar traps.

I'd do that only my car also has a maximum speed setting.... so far unused.

colm_mcm

I think mine only works from 45kmph upwards.

dr.fuzzenstein

colm_mcm wrote: »

I think mine only works from 45kmph upwards.

I was driving to a job around Lake Konstanz and it was early in the morning. The entire seashore road is limited to 30 km/h. And littered with radar traps.
Cruise control was sooooo good to have. I would find driving at 30 on a completely deserted street for many kilometers stressful, but this way I could crawl along quite comfortability.