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Thread: 540 /6 - Cruise Control not working - Need some help from others who have been there!

  1. #1
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    540 /6 - Cruise Control not working - Need some help from others who have been there!

    So my cruise control did work up to about 5 years ago, just haven't got around to it until now. There is a button on the dash not steering wheel to engage it, once lit you than normally can control it from the steering wheel. Button on dash working but nothing else, can someone advice how to start with testing the motor or other areas?

    Thanks,
    Frank
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  2. #2
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    So the cruise control comes on, it won’t engage? If it didn’t come on at all, I woulda said check your wheel speed sensors in the rear, but since it is coming on, then I would check the slip ring in the steering wheel, may be worn out and a contact has come disengaged. Do any of the other steering wheel controls work?
    Set the controls for the heart of the sun

  3. #3
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    98 540 6, SC'ed, 16psi
    Old style. Likely the actuator under the hood.
    98 540i 6, 525 whp, 120 mph 1/4, V3 Si S/C'er @16 psi, W/A I/C, Water/Meth, Supersprint Headers, HJS Cats, 3" Custom Exhaust, UUC Twin Disc, Wavetrac LSD, GC Coil Overs, Monoball TA, AEM FP, Aeromotive FPR, AEM Failsafe AFR/Boost, Style 65's w/275's, M5 Steering Box, Eibach Sways, M3 Shifter, Evans Coolant, 85 Deg Stat, PWM Fan, 10" Subs, B.A. speakers, Grom Aux/BT, Still Rolling as my DD!

  4. #4
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    Other controls work, how can i test the actuator? Thats where would like to start, looks like from online pics has 7 pin connection. Does anyone know which ones i can connect 12v to test it?
    Thanks,
    Frank
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  5. #5
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    Im not sure how to test the actuator, but maybe someone knows. I suggested the actuator as mine went south a few years ago. I bought a used one off ebay and its been fine since.
    98 540i 6, 525 whp, 120 mph 1/4, V3 Si S/C'er @16 psi, W/A I/C, Water/Meth, Supersprint Headers, HJS Cats, 3" Custom Exhaust, UUC Twin Disc, Wavetrac LSD, GC Coil Overs, Monoball TA, AEM FP, Aeromotive FPR, AEM Failsafe AFR/Boost, Style 65's w/275's, M5 Steering Box, Eibach Sways, M3 Shifter, Evans Coolant, 85 Deg Stat, PWM Fan, 10" Subs, B.A. speakers, Grom Aux/BT, Still Rolling as my DD!

  6. #6
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    Thanks, i'm going to look mine over the long weekend coming starting with the contacts. If no dice i'll try look at a schematic to see how i can test it.
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  7. #7
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    Pull the clutch pedal back with your foot and try again. There is a switch on the clutch pedal to tell the CC module that the pedal is at the top.

  8. #8
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    Ok so here is the latest, i changed the actuator no difference, then i spliced in a new connector to the actuator and it started working. But now it works sometimes when i start the car and sometimes nothing. Any suggestions on where to go next? Can i jump the brake peddle switch for a test to rule that out?
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  9. #9
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
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    Its probably either an intermittent on the brake/clutch switches, or, your connector splice isn't perfect still. Did you try the suggest that Astrocyte made when its malfunctioning? You could try that for both brake and clutch....
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
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    2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
    2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)

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  10. #10
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    So i know the clutch switch is shot because the car will turn over in gear, been like that for many years. Might as well fix that since it looks like i'll be under there doing the break switch. Is the break switch single pole two wires on / off? Is this the same switch that operates the brake lights? if so probably OK.
    Last edited by Franktea; 07-20-2018 at 03:43 PM.
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  11. #11
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    Does anyone know if the brake lights work then there is no issue related to the cruise control? I have the switches for both brake and clutch but i have a feeling it will get me no where. Today i left the house cruise control worked for about 10m then cut out.
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  12. #12
    geargrinder's Avatar
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    Clutch switch (for 'MURCANUMBERONE at least) is normally TWO switches. A 'top' switch that cuts out cruise, and a 'bottom' switch that lets the car start.

    However your old prehistoric E39 seems to have just a single clutch switch, as I guess clutch interlock was probably not USA mandated yet.

    Brake switch wise, some cars also have double wiring from brake switch... one sectionfor lights and one for DME/cruise. But from quick look at yours, seems like the same switch wire runs to the LCM and the cruise. There's a separate line to the trans computer in a slushbox but that doesn't concern us. So yes, if the lights work then the brake switch should be working.

    I don't know too much about your ME5 non-vanos cruise setup... the diagrams are confusing and flawed for the older cars and there seems like some of that here.

    But the clutch switch seems to just run directly to pin 2 of the cruise module. Its a grounding switch so that it should provide ground when foot off, and interrupt ground when pedal depressed.
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
    2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
    2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
    2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)

    Former:

    1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
    1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)


  13. #13
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    I am stumped on this one, the former owner must have tied the clutch wires together as it will turn over in gear, but i know this is not the issue as cruise worked before with this condition. Brake switch sounds like a waste of time. Anyway to rule out the switches in the steering wheel? Is there a way to jump them manually when driving just to test them? Like splice in some wire and have them hang out of the steering wheel and connect when driving?
    Last edited by Franktea; 08-01-2018 at 05:48 PM.
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  14. #14
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    Which clutch switch setup do you have? There is a retrofit harness to adapt the inductive switch to the older cars. Pull up INPA and see what the DME and GM5 modules think the status of the switches and buttons are. See if there are any error (shadow or otherwise) codes. Check the EWS to see if it's configured to ignore the clutch switch. Hacking your wiring up will lead to heartbreak.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Franktea View Post
    I am stumped on this one, the former owner must have tied the clutch wires together as it will turn over in gear, but i know this is not the issue as cruise worked before with this condition. Brake switch sounds like a waste of time. Anyway to rule out the switches in the steering wheel? Is there a way to jump them manually when driving just to test them? Like splice in some wire and have them hang out of the steering wheel and connect when driving?
    Again: your old car doesn’t have clutch start interlock. Put that out of your mind. The clutch switch ONLY is for cruise and only GOES to the cruise. I even gave you the pin and all the frikkin details to test it. RiF, man, RiF.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by blarf View Post
    Which clutch switch setup do you have? There is a retrofit harness to adapt the inductive switch to the older cars. Pull up INPA and see what the DME and GM5 modules think the status of the switches and buttons are. See if there are any error (shadow or otherwise) codes. Check the EWS to see if it's configured to ignore the clutch switch. Hacking your wiring up will lead to heartbreak.
    Blarfo his old pre-face NV car is 100% mech switches and no clutch interlock apparently. I spent a while on the diagrams earlier, and it’s a dedicated cruise module, very difft from the facelift cars. Tho there are some apparent typos and gaps in the WDS which always makes you wonder...
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
    2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
    2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
    2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)

    Former:

    1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
    1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)


  16. #16
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    - - - Updated - - -Blarfo his old pre-face NV car is 100% mech switches and no clutch interlock apparently. I spent a while on the diagrams earlier, and it’s a dedicated cruise module, very difft from the facelift cars. Tho there are some apparent typos and gaps in the WDS which always makes you wonder...[/QUOTE]

    Ya, but those old mechanical switches are NLA so BMW sells a harness to mate the inductive switch to the older cars. Seeing "the former owner must have tied the clutch wires together as it will turn over in gear," indicates to me he hasn't actually looked. So, before digging into the wiring poke at the EWS unit with INPA and see if it's configured to check for a switch or if it just permanently thinks the switch is fine.

  17. #17
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    Have not had a chance to run INPA, I did take some pics of the pedals maybe this will shed some light?

    https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...EV?usp=sharing
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  18. #18
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    I only see brake switches there (white is for lights, black is for cruise).

    The inductive switch is mounted to the side of the clutch master cylinder and looks like this:




    The cruise clutch switch should look like this:



    The clutch starter interlock switch looks like this:


  19. #19
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    From my pics looks like the black switch bracket is bent, need to get under there for a closer look
    Last edited by Franktea; 08-02-2018 at 05:34 PM.
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  20. #20
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    Ok so i'm about 99% feeling the issue is with the clutch switch, looking at this upside down on the drivers side car floor this switch is above the brake light switch and is going to be very difficult to get in there. Anyone done any have any pointers?
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  21. #21
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    Astronaut position man. Yes I can confirm its a PITA. Yes I agree that switch bracket looks oddly bent up.
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
    2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
    2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
    2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)

    Former:

    1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
    1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)


  22. #22
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    Good news to report, last night i put a bar between my seat and clutch pedal to keep that pedal on the floor, did the astronaut position was able to get one arm in there to straighten out the bracket with needle nose pliers and changed the switch all using one hand. (Im 6.1 feet and 210 pounds just saying). The cruise control is finally working after 10+ years!

    Thanks,
    All!
    1997 540 / 6 Sport, 2001 540 staggered rims
    Suspension = Bilstein B8 Performance Plus Struts, Xeon headlights & fog lights, LED tail lights, Evo short shifter, Custom air engine intake, 3 inch dual exhaust hollow cats,NGK iridium spark plugs, removed -clutch delay valve

  23. #23
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    Yay!

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