'Cruise Control Failure'

'Cruise Control Failure'

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Discussion

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,176 posts

64 months

Monday 19th August 2019
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I've had a 'Cruise Control Failure' warning pop up on my 2013 320d 3 times within the past 5 days, but after a couple of seconds it disappeared and everything seemed to be working ok. The same message has popped up twice before, once January or thereabouts and about in May. Now it's appeared more frequently I'm concerned there's a developing problem. I understand it could be the wheel sensor or the electronics in the steering wheel.

Anyone got any ideas what either is likely to cost? My WMS warranty runs out on the 30th and I'm wondering if I should get it diagnosed ASAP if it's going to be expensive.

Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Monday 19th August 2019
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Speed sensor dirty?
That bit in the engine bay that the gas pedal cable loops round to moderate the speed (sorry, don't know the name) getting sticky?

xjay1337

15,966 posts

117 months

Monday 19th August 2019
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WMS warranty?

BMW do a comprehensive warranty direct with them called BMW Insured, I would get that.

It needs a diagnostic plug in, probably a faulty switch or some sort of sensor.

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,176 posts

64 months

Thursday 22nd August 2019
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Took it to my local mechanic, diagnostic suggests steering column switch unit. They weren't 100% sure as it was a quick check and they couldn't fit it as they would be unable to code it to the car. Got it booked in to BMW for diagnostic, looks like this could be an expensive do?!

helix402

7,832 posts

181 months

Thursday 22nd August 2019
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Hoofy said:
Speed sensor dirty?
That bit in the engine bay that the gas pedal cable loops round to moderate the speed (sorry, don't know the name) getting sticky?
The op’s car doesn’t have a throttle cable. Re dealer charges. Probably 1hr diagnosis time at the dealer’s rate, followed by book time to replace whatever is faulty.

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,176 posts

64 months

Thursday 22nd August 2019
quotequote all
helix402 said:
The op’s car doesn’t have a throttle cable. Re dealer charges. Probably 1hr diagnosis time at the dealer’s rate, followed by book time to replace whatever is faulty.
It's £99 plus VAT for the first hour of diagnosis, about £175 per hour thereafter! Hopefully it can be done within the first hour?!

Funky Squirrel

365 posts

71 months

Thursday 22nd August 2019
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Is your battery healthy, random electric niggles can be due to low voltage

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,176 posts

64 months

Thursday 22nd August 2019
quotequote all
Funky Squirrel said:
Is your battery healthy, random electric niggles can be due to low voltage
It should be? I managed to get hold of a list of all the warranty work which the car has had after I bought it, one of the items being a new battery fitted in June last year. It's also had a new steering column switch cluster (SZL) fitted less than 2 years ago!

helix402

7,832 posts

181 months

Thursday 22nd August 2019
quotequote all
_Hoppers said:
It should be? I managed to get hold of a list of all the warranty work which the car has had after I bought it, one of the items being a new battery fitted in June last year. It's also had a new steering column switch cluster (SZL) fitted less than 2 years ago!
BMW parts have a two year warranty so if the same part has failed again it should be covered.

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,176 posts

64 months

Thursday 22nd August 2019
quotequote all
helix402 said:
BMW parts have a two year warranty so if the same part has failed again it should be covered.
Aparently not if the part was replaced under warranty, it's only guaranteed for the life of the warranty itself. I'll see what WMS say when it's diagnosed, if they won't cover it I'll query the fact it's failed within 2 years and see if BMW will offer some good will.

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,176 posts

64 months

Sunday 8th December 2019
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For what it's worth to complete the thread - Got the problem resolved after the warning message popped up too many times to become annoying! BMW replaced the steering wheel switches and that seems to have sorted it.

acatterz

3 posts

43 months

Sunday 30th August 2020
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I know this is old, but just got the same thing started to happen on my 2014 3-series. Do you remember how much the repair was?

It happened when I was in the drive through, obviously with cruise control disengaged, but seemed to happen when steering at low speed (crawling around the drive through queue), so I have a feeling it might be the same thing.

Locknut

653 posts

136 months

Sunday 30th August 2020
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Same here!

I have been getting the "cruise control failure" message for a few months but I can engage the cruise control immediately after the message and it works perfectly. It seems to happen mainly after some slow manouvering.

The only other clue that I have is that sometimes the horn stops working. I can get it going again by turning the steering wheel and pressing the pads, and it will keep working for the rest of the journey at least.

I wonder could it be in the connection between the steering wheel and the column?

The car is a 2013, 320d.

acatterz

3 posts

43 months

Monday 31st August 2020
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Mine’s a 320d too (as was OPs). As you say, only occurs during slow manoeuvring. Haven’t noticed any problems with the horn myself, but then haven’t had to use it recently. I’ll hold out for a few months I think. MOT in November so I might take it to the dealer for that and see if they’ll give some sneaky advice whilst the car is in.

_Hoppers

Original Poster:

1,176 posts

64 months

Monday 31st August 2020
quotequote all
Repair was £350 including diagnostic at a BMW dealer. I got a little discount on that price too! I tried the horn when the error popped up but I can’t remember whether it worked or not. Other failures could be with the clock spring (steering column SLZ I think it’s called), that’s an expensive one, or the wheel speed sensors.

BFleming

3,589 posts

142 months

Monday 31st August 2020
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The SZL that BMW will sell you is the complete set of switches (wiper/indicator stalk plus the slip ring - because of course the slip ring isn't available separately. There are many part numbers depending on the options fitted to your car (Steering wheel heater, Rain sensor, High-beam assistant, Lane departure warning, Lane-change warning, Driving Assistant), but luckily most F20's & F30's have the rain sensor & that's it. The new SZL price is disproportionately expensive (more than the £350 mentioned above for the part alone, usually) but secondhand can be an option.
If you can hear any grating from behind the steering wheel, or things like the horn or media buttons don't work any more, it is probably the slip ring. It's rarely a speed sensor as that's a function of the DSC module, which will throw its own faults.

Edited by BFleming on Monday 31st August 10:05

acatterz

3 posts

43 months

Monday 31st August 2020
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_Hoppers said:
Repair was £350 including diagnostic at a BMW dealer. I got a little discount on that price too! I tried the horn when the error popped up but I can’t remember whether it worked or not. Other failures could be with the clock spring (steering column SLZ I think it’s called), that’s an expensive one, or the wheel speed sensors.
Thanks for getting back to me. I’m going to see how it goes for a while. I don’t hear any mechanical issue and the car is still functioning as normal. The timing couldn’t be more ironic because I just paid off the loan on the car rather than give it back, due to it being so reliable for the last 4 years.

JPHULL

1 posts

58 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
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Sorry only just found this forum. Any help will be very appreciated. I have a 2005 320d and I have this issue we’re the cruise control issue warning light comes on, when it does my engine loses power and then cuts out! This has happened on the motorway several times and also on short journeys. I took it to a bmw specialist who believed it was a drive shaft issue? And refurbished them for £300. Yet three weeks later, look what happens. Same thing again. The thing is I’m never using cruise control when this issue occurs. It’s scary stuff. There two other warning lights that come on at the same time, these are the exclamation mark in the triangle with the arrow around it and also the hand break symbol. Why would any of these cause my engine to stop? Please help.

BFleming

3,589 posts

142 months

Tuesday 2nd February 2021
quotequote all
JPHULL said:
Sorry only just found this forum. Any help will be very appreciated. I have a 2005 320d and I have this issue we’re the cruise control issue warning light comes on, when it does my engine loses power and then cuts out! This has happened on the motorway several times and also on short journeys. I took it to a bmw specialist who believed it was a drive shaft issue? And refurbished them for £300. Yet three weeks later, look what happens. Same thing again. The thing is I’m never using cruise control when this issue occurs. It’s scary stuff. There two other warning lights that come on at the same time, these are the exclamation mark in the triangle with the arrow around it and also the hand break symbol. Why would any of these cause my engine to stop? Please help.
DSC issue, nothing to do with cruise control. Needs proper diagnostics though, hard to do that on a forum.