Well spring has sprung and I'm ready to drive a little more often. During the winter I only drive a few days a week and put on less than 100 miles a month.

So a couple months ago my front turn lamp stopped working. No biggie. The housing was cracked by a rock, I'm thinking moisture got in after snow and ice and as we had a warm week it got moist and ruined bulb. I ignored it. This week I went to change bulb and found 3 baby squirrels living in my passenger front fender. Nice.

So remove a ton of leaf grass debris and replaced chewed through turn lamp harness and im ready for summer.

Well went to tow the boat on a 360 mile trip (5000lbs tandem axle, through north and nw Arkansas and ne Oklahoma, she climbed those hills like a champ...an 8mpg or less at times champ but a strong champ!) She did great...2250-2500rpm on most flat or mild inclines, as long as I kept it to 65mph, which is appropriate for trailer tires. Up over 3000 climbing steep rolling inclines in Arkansas.

However this was the first time since last year i used cruise control and it didn't work at all.

I would turn it on, nothing, no light. I think I should have a light when it's on before setting it (been a year though so feel free to correct me) certainly set did nothing.

I see no fuses in the block.

Im suspicious of my critters.

Does the lack of "on" light point to starting with electric or should I start with vacuum. Everything else is ok. I had some trans issues last fall but they haven't been consistent enough to troubleshoot (now that I'm driving more again. They may)

I love cruise when towing. I have a habit of going faster than taller tires should go and getting them too hot. Anyone ever having a doublw trailer tire blow out in the middle of no where will understand why I drive granny slow 60-65 on those tires.

Gotta get this fixed before it finishes warming up!

 

Probably chewed through the vacuum lines under the battery or they just rotted away sitting.

 

What year is your truck?

The cruise switches get power from the PCM, they modify the voltage, and send it back. The PCM interprets the voltage drop to determine which button you are pushing. So, start with electrical. If you don't have a service manual for your truck yet, download one from here.

 

It's a 1999.

I read through the manual - I think electric as well. However, just because it was easy to visually look - I did look at the servo under the battery looking to see the state of the vacuum line, and the electrical connections. It wasn't obviously corroded, or obviously chewed up by my furry guests.

Also heating/air/fan speed all works fine - which I think uses the same vacuum reservoir - so that seems to indicate it's less suspicious.

So now I have to make some time. At least it's nothing critical/can't live without it.

Ray