I am driving a 2003 Honda CR-V. It has 120k miles. automatic transmission 4 cylinder v-tech. I purchased the car from a Honda dealership here in California. As I was driving home, I set the cruise control when on the highway (I checked the cruise control during the test drive). My cruise control sets and works for a bit (depending on if my transmission needs to shift) and then shuts off and my car decelerates. First, when my cruise control shuts off, the light on the dash panel goes off, but the main switch stays lit. If I shut off the main cruise control switch and then turn it back on, I can set the cruise once again and it will repeat the process. Second, my transmission has no issues shifting otherwise, ever. And, I live in San Francisco so it is virtually impossible to drive on a flat road. I took the car back into the dealership. I explained the situation and the mechanic took the car out to test the issue. He brought the car back and told me nothing happened, that it worked fine. I explained that it wasn’t and the randomness of the cruise control shutting off. He took the car back out, brought it back and told me that the cruise control shut off on him. He told me he would search for the problem. Four hours later, they told me it was the cruise control actuator. They wanted to charge me $800. I instead purchased a cruise control actuator from a salvage yard. I swapped out the actuator and it hasn’t changed anything. Any one have any suggestions? Even though the cruise control shuts off when my car downshifts, when driving normally, my transmission has no issues. thanks for any help…
First, a disclaimer. I know nothing about the CR-V Hondas.
But I do know that cruise control systems must disengage when the brakes are applied, and I’m going to go out on a limb and say that must be triggered by a switch by the brake pedal, perhaps the same one that enables the brake light circuit. You might want to look there. NOTE: do not assume that becaue the brake lights work properly the contacts for the cruise control system aren’t flakey.
I have a 2002 CR-V EX …188,000 miles and runs like a dream.
jreid: “the same mountainbike” makes perfect sense.
I have a “shop” manual for 2002-2004 CR-Vs that I bought online for peanuts, and it shows (see below):
Perhaps you should buy one and try the simple diagnostics (it almost always works for me).
Cruise Control Actuator Cable Adjustment
Cruise Control Actuator Test
Cruise Control Actuator/Cable Replacement
Cruise Control Circuit Diagram
Cruise Control Communication Circuit Troubleshooting
Cruise Control Component Location Index
Cruise Control Main Switch Test/Replacement
Cruise Control Set/Resume/Cancel Switch Test/Replacement
Cruise Control Symptom Troubleshooting
Cruise Control Unit Input Test
Good Luck!
Bob
thanks for the input. can you be more specific on the “shop” manual? i would like to track one down myself.
Put a brake light switch in it, make sure it has a factory brake light switch stopper in it, and adjust it properly. By far the most common intermittent problem on your cruise. Inexpensive, simple repair.
hi guys
We just bought a CRV 2003 and we are running into the same issues we would like to know how you ended up solving your problem ,trying to avoid going through all the hoops you had too if possible
This is a four year old thread and the person who started has been gone for that long. Just start your own with clear descriptions of your problem and you will get better results.
If you have a friend who can drive behind you for a while, see if your brake lights are coming on briefly when this happens.