Cruise control quit

[Bmitch]

I have a 2018 2500 and the cruise control will not come on. Acts like a dead button. Any ideas?

 

[EdGs]

Not sure if the newer Rams have this, but check for a switch on the brake pedal.

You might have 2, one for brake lights, and one to deactivate cruise control. IIRC, the switch should be closed when the brake pedal is up and open at the slightest press to disengage cruise.

Or, it might only have 1 switch controlling both, not sure.

I have never messed with cruise control on the Ram, just going by other vehicles I've had.

 

[SeventyGTX]

I had the same problem with my 16 Cummins. I got on another forum and someone said to give the switch on the steering wheel a good slap. I laughed, but it worked. Worth a shot.

 

[crazykid1994]

I had the same problem with my 16 Cummins. I got on another forum and someone said to give the switch on the steering wheel a good slap. I laughed, but it worked. Worth a shot.

This. I have to smack the back of my steering wheel behind the cruise control. I would love to take mine in under warranty but it’s so random and not very often.

 

[SeventyGTX]

This. I have to smack the back of my steering wheel behind the cruise control. I would love to take mine in under warranty but it’s so random and not very often.

Actually I smacked mine on the button side, but either way obviously works. After I did it once, I only had to do it about every 10 times I used it, if that. Most of the time it would work fine and if it wouldn't come on, give it another slap. I still laugh when I think about it.

 

[TigreST]

FWIW: I had a intermittent cruise function issues for a part of 2020 and most of 2021. I've got a 2018 RAM Sport 4x4 here, with about 44,000kms on the truck when I finally decide to do something about it. Like many I was all set to order up a new steering wheel cruise button cluster (rights side unit) and pull the wheel myself to replace it. Then I thought better of that and just called the dealer to let them figure it out,...maybe I was still under warrenty? (NOPE). Having just hung up the phone with a service appointment made, I thought "What the heck"...I'll give the fuse/s a quick look" and even try the "bang on the steering wheel trick...again". The steering wheel "adjustment" had worked before but I hated doing that so was looking for another way to go...hence the dealer call. I did some reading on the site here which actually sort of lead me down a path of sorts...plus some "old school" test logic thinking.

Symptoms: When cruise on was selected, normally when required during multilane/highway/expressway/interstate transits...it would not always turn on. I would continue to hit the "on" button to no avail. I would continue to intermittently hit the "on" button as I traveled...and for reason unknown to me...more often then not, after 15, 20 or 30 min's or so the cruise would turn on when I hit the button while rolling down the highway. This was the case during 2020 and about half way through 2021. Afer Sept of 2021 the "failure to turn on" increased to the point that there was almost no success of a cruise system function. This is a daily drive truck that doesn't see any sever service at all. Nothing has been spilled on or near the steering wheel button clusters at all.

So below is sort of what I did to "fix" (?) if that's the right word? the problem.

1)Anyway, I started the truck and tried the cruise button and nothing.......of course.

2) I shut off the truck and went under the hood looking for the fuse box and the cruise system fuse....and found it. I pulled the fuse and then went looking for my Fluke multi-meter to check the fuse. Yes you can see the fuse bar in the fuse housing window and normally they are easy to see a good fuse from a blown one....but still I wanted to put the meter on the fuse and check actual continuity. The original fuse I found was good so was placed back in its normal slot in the box. Between the fuse removal and the return to it's home might have been about 5 min.'s or so while I tracked down my multimeter and then tested the fuse. (This may be important later!!!!!)

3) So I wrap up the Fluke multimeter test cords and put it away in the basement tool box...and for sh!ts and giggles I remote start the truck with the key fob OEM remote start system from my basement. When I get back outside the truck is running. I've not had any issues with the remote start system.

4) I climb back in the cab and (while sitting still) push the cruise "on" button, and hey presto...it turns ons. WTF?

5) Next I turn off the truck and make sure everything (as far as I can tell) is dead and its sitting in a parked as per normal condition. With that done I once again initiate a engine start, but with the dash push button start this time...but only after I allow all the normal warning lights to go to the normal "clear/good to go" condition. I hit the start button and the engine runs to normal idle and I give it a moment (crossing all finger's and toes at this poiint) and push the cruise button....and WTF....the cruise turns on again.

6) Next I shut down the truck and wait until the totally dead park condition....then I hit the start again....drive out the driveway headed down the street...at the corner I hit the cruise "on" button...and WTF?....it turns on again. I head around the block and back to the house.

7) I park the truck...kill the engine...exit the cab....enter my house.....pick up the phone.....call the dealer...and cancel the service appointment for next week.

For the next two or three weeks whenever the truck is rolling (from first start of the day) I cycle the cruise "on" button to see if it is still functioning like it should...and to date it does. WTF?

Theory: This is a total shot in the dark as I don't know anything about the new vehicle CANBUS/Computer controlled systems and such...but....I've got a possible idea.
For whatever the reason, if the computer skips a beat during boot up...maybe some of the code doesn't correctly set all the normal things in motion for vehicle operations like it should. Some of the items might need a "re-install" to allow the computer to "see" them again. When I pulled the fuse on the cruise system maybe this actually totally removed the "cruise" portion of the program from the computers start program. When I re-installed it, the computer once again "saw the new hardware" and so loaded all the "drivers" (no pun intended) to allow it to work again. Like I said...total guess here on my part for sure.

Disclaimer: The above steps are as I remember them. But in truth at the time I was doing the above I was not locking this procedure into the memory banks at all. I may have even started the truck while the fuse for the cruise was in the removed state...this would I expect very much make for a "hardware not found" state for the computer (another guess). But I swear...removal and checking the fuse was all I did and the cruise continues to function as new.

Now having said all the above...if I use the cruise today of course it will not work right...that's how this **** plays out normally.

Have a good one ladies and germs. I hope somebody else has this sort of success.

Tony

 

[Daw14]

For those of us with ADD ,can you shorten this ?

 

[Heatheroo]

For those of us with ADD ,can you shorten this ?

yank the fuse. Pop it back in. You're good to go

 

[RamInfo]

My 2016 still has the OEM battery, but I’ll be replacing it before long. Why? Because if I jump in the truck, step on the brake, and immediately hit the start button the truck starts and runs well, but the EVIC may show errors and cruise may or may not work.

if I power on the truck then wait to step on the brake and start the truck until after I’ve buckled in and checked mirrors, garage door, etc. then everything works fine. Old batteries can pose issues for all the systems checks and controller check-ins that need to happen. Just sayin…

best,
DG

 

[GTyankee]

Back several years ago, dirt would work its way under the button pad where the Cruise Controls are located.
People were using cans of AIR to hopefully break loose the debris
Then they were doing a finger dance with the cruise control buttons, pushing mostly the On/OFF button & + buttons

It may not be the same issue now, who knows

Of course, if you have a warning light on the Instrument Cluster, your CC will not function

 

[indept]

There was a thread on the forum about this. There is a TSB on it, the fix was to take the CC switch connector off then reseat it. That would usually fix it. If it didn't then they replace the switch.

 

[averageguy]

Common issue. I pushed the button like I was trying to break it and it has worked ever since.

 

[TigreST]

Update: It's about 2 months out (from the above post) and my cruise control continues to work without issue (fingers crossed) .

T.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I have to whack mine from time to time.

 

[tuckerdog1]

"Kinda" did what TigreST laid out in post #6. However, when I pulled the fuse, I started the truck before putting the fuse back. When I did this, the windshield wipers started, and would not turn off. I'm thinking, what Pandora's box of evil have I just opened? Anyway, put fuse back, and everything ( cruise control & wipers ) working as they should. YAY!