2010 - Cruise Control

[bogatyrs]

My cruise control has quit. It started to act up intermittantly. It would work and when I downshifted it would disengage but when I got going again it would not engage. I would turn it off wait a few minutes then it would engage. Finally it just wouldn't engage at all anymore.

My dealer can't seem to find the problem and Kawi has not offered a solution. It is still under warranty.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks

[ray2]

Bogie Let us know what you find out about the cruise control. Have not had any trouble with mine yet but it could happen. You might try disconnecting the battery(sort of a reset type thing) Also in the 1700 service manual chapter 16 page 79 has some info about the cruise control. You may get an idea from there.

[cactusjack]

Make sure your brake light is functioning correctly. If there is a malfunction in your brake light circuit (stuck on/burned out) you can't set the cruise.

[Old Crow]

Mine acts exactly the same way. When I've downshifted and then accelerate and upshift it will not engage again. Cycling the cruise on/off switch will not help. I don't think time is a factor in that I've gone ten or fifteen minutes and it still won't re engage. However, as soon as I hit a stop light or stop sign and accellerate up through the gears it will engage and work like a champ, even if it's been just a couple of minutes.

I've even gone to the length of coasting, shutting the engine down, cycling the main ignition switch, starting it back up, resuming speed and it still won't re engage......until I come to a stop or slowdown and get the bike into either 1st or 2nd gear. It has never failed to engage at that point.

I suspect that it's losing what gear it's in and won't re engage until it finds itself when you come to a stop/near stop and drop to at least second gear. The system is gear/speed specific and won't operate unless one is in 3rd or higher and above at least 35 mph. (min speed may be different but you get the idea). Haven't taken it to the dealer yet.

In a thread on another board they talk about cruise cut off switch on the rear brake, and an adjustment helping this problem. Not really sure if it's the same issue or not, though.

Here's a link: http://www.vulcanforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2573

[replay13]

Mine was the same way. I checked for the error number in the trouble shooting sequence in the service manual and then adjusted the rear brake switch and all is good since.

There is a brake light switch and a seperate switch just for cruise cancel. The cruise cancel switch on the rear brake has been out of adjustment on a few bikes that I've heard of.

You can just slip a piece of folded paper or something between the switch to test it and see if it needs adjusted in some, it will stay in there till you use the rear brake. Get down and look under the rear brake to see the switch.

If that don't do it the dealer should be able to trace it with the error number checking described in the service manual.

Good luck and keep us posted,
James

[bogatyrs]

Thanks guys,

Yes we checked the switch and my dealer even switched out the Cruise with the demo in his shop.

I am passing on your comments to him all the same. He has another Nomad in with the same problem.

I don't want to come all the way to the Rally without cruise as it makes it easier on my hand that has arthritis in the thumb area...

[cactusjack]

Thanks guys,

Yes we checked the switch and my dealer even switched out the Cruise with the demo in his shop.

I am passing on your comments to him all the same. He has another Nomad in with the same problem.

I don't want to come all the way to the Rally without cruise as it makes it easier on my hand that has arthritis in the thumb area...

You shouldn't have to ride across town without cruise control. YOUR DEALER SHOULD FIX IT. If the dealer is incapable of fixing it, then get on the phone to Kawasaki. "Can't fix it" is an unacceptable answer.

[bogatyrs]

[quote author=bogatyrs board=1700garage thread=23795 post=361753 time=1306666872]

You shouldn't have to ride across town without cruise control. YOUR DEALER SHOULD FIX IT. If the dealer is incapable of fixing it, then get on the phone to Kawasaki. "Can't fix it" is an unacceptable answer.

I know what you mean and he is a Kawi only dealer; but I do have faith in him and his tech. They did most if not all the things suggested including swapping out parts with their demo bike to see if that would fix it. Right now they are waiting for a switch from Kawi but it has been on b/o.

Thanks for the suggestion and I am not adverse to elevating my issue with Kawasaki.

[replay13]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but didn't your dealer put your bike in the "cruise switch cancel diagnostic mode" ? That will tell him where the problem is, and he doesn't have to swap out a switch to test if the switch is bad. It only takes a few seconds to enter the self diagnostic mode and see what error code number comes up... I can't see why he would order a switch if he didn't test to see if the old switch was bad, and it never helped swaping the switch off of a new bike either.

The reason why the rear brake cancel switch gives intermittent problems, is its just a screw pushing on a spring like switch arm. So it has to push the spring arm enough to make the switch. Sometimes they don't get it set enough to make the switch all the time because the switch it pushes on is a spring arm, so a few of us has to set the screw in a little deeper to make the switch when the rear brake is up.

Anyways good luck, I hope it gets fixed for you before your trip!
James

[bogatyrs]

Yes he did and it came back (I think it was) Error 2 but I could be wrong.

I know they ran a diagnositic on it.

[Old Crow]

I'm convinced that mine is rear brake related. Whilei on a 160 mile round trip on the interstate this weekend I tried a cuple of thngs that almost make it certain.

When the system would not reengage first I would pull up the brake pedal with my toe. This worked 2 of the 4 times I tried it. The 2 times it didn't work a firm press and release of the brake pedal did the job. Didn't touch anything else. In addition, any time I disengaged the system through either the clutch or front brake it never failed to reengage.

It's gotta be the rear brake switch.