Cruise control has long been a standard function in vehicles, and it has got fairly sophisticated in recent models. With cruise control, you may adjust the car’s speed without having to continuously depress the gas pedal.
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With the help of radar and camera technologies, it makes long interstate rides a little more bearable. Nowadays, you can even acquire cars with adaptive cruise control, which keeps a certain gap between you and the car in front of you.
However, if your Chevy Suburban cruise control isn’t working, there are a few things you can do to get it fixed
Possible Reasons Why Chevy Suburban Cruise Control Not Working
Bad Fuse or Relay
In today’s vehicles, computers control just a few functions within the vehicle. Basically, your engine needs a number of fuse and relay systems to work correctly, and something can cause one of them to go bad.
A faulty fuse could cause the cruise control system not to function, and if the fuse goes bad, all other equipment will stop functioning.
Repairing fuses and relays will sometimes fix a problem, but it’s important to have an expert check to see if the fuse or relay was defective in the very beginning.
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Wiring Failure
Since almost everything in modern cars is controlled by wire, it should be unsurprising that a wiring problem might prevent your cruise control from functioning. Rodents crawling underneath the hood and gnawing on items is a common source of wiring difficulties, but it’s not the only one.
A connector might loosen after running into a pothole or a wire harness could rub and cause a short. In this case, a qualified technician will have to replace the entire wiring harness.
Bad Brake Light Switch
Although it may not look like much, the brake light switch is an essential part of the cruise control system. All cruise control systems have to be linked to the brakes to be able to shut off automatically each time you step on the brake pedal. If that’s the problem, your brake lights will not turn on. You will want to address that as soon as possible by checking the switch and replacing it if necessary.
Defective Cruise Control Sensor
The cruise control sensor is located just in front of the driver’s seat, and it’s responsible for measuring the speed of the car in front of you. If there’s a problem with that sensor, the cruise control won’t work. In most cases, this will be an easy fix – all you’ll need is a new sensor. However, if the sensor is fried or damaged, it will require a more extensive repair.
Bad ECU (Electronic Control Unit)
The electronic control unit is what controls all the other functions in your car, like the engine, air conditioning, and headlights. If there’s a problem with that unit, your cruise control may not work. In most cases, an ECU replacement will fix the issue. However, if it’s something more serious – like a virus – then you will likely have to replace the entire computer system in your car.
Max Anthony
Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.
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