cruise control broken ??

[peterdarby]

Sometime in the last few hours of a 16 hour ride in the rain my cruise control quit working. I could get the light saying is was ready to set but it wouldn't set. The MC shop is stymied. All voltage is good everything looks good, it just will not engage. They are working with Kawasaki and getting a new computer element. And everything will be under warranty they say. Meanwhile I have the bike in the shop. However they have said I can come get it until they get the part in. This weekend weather looks like I will have to do that. I get grumpy if I don't get to ride.

Has anyone else had a problem like this? Or perhaps suggest a solution.

[drno]

Last July I rode for 6 hours in heavy downpour with no issues. But I dont use the cruise in the rain and im 10 hours shorter on the ride.

[Sin City Stan]

Only problems I've had were of my own making. I wouldn't hold the slide switch in position long enough for the cruise to engage. Or I would push the wrong slide switch trying to engage the cruise.

Be sure to let us know what Kawasaki comes up with.

[peterdarby]

I don't use it much either, rain or shine, but it does come in handy for a few seconds at a time. Stan I also have done the push the wrong button routine. I will be sure and let the forum know what the problem is. In case it happens to someone else they can take the knowledge to their mechanic.

[merri1]

Hey,
I thought I was the only dummy that forgot which button to push.

The first day of semi-nice weather this spring, I took my bike to work. I leave before dawn and once I got to the highway, I started pushing the top toggle instead on the bottom one. I felt a bit stupid when it was finally light enough to see what I was doing.

I guess it's better to forget which button is the cruise control than to forget its heel to up-shift and toe to down-shift. Yeah, I did that too.

[muddler]

I'd guess this isn't your problem, but last summer my cruise kept going off or wouldn't set. I was getting on down the road pretty far when I realized the the leather hanging off my levers were being whipped around by the wind with enough force to "jiggle" the levers, thereby turning off the cruise. Took the leathers off and the problem was solved.

[gv550]

Yes, I've had the same issue with the cruise light being on but unable to set the speed.
Put the transmission is 1st gear, press and hold the S button, turn the ignition to ON. This enables the cruise control on-board diagnostics. If a number shows up on the display it is telling you there is a problem with a circuit, the number tells you what circuit.
If no number is displayed then all circuits are OK.
Then operate each switch.........throttle, front brake, rear brake, shift to neutral, clutch, set switch, resume switch...........and a number will be displayed as each switch passes the test. The cruise light will also go off then on each time. If no number is displayed then there is a problem with a switch.
Following these diagnostics I found the clutch switch was faulty, removed the switch and cleaned the connectors, added some dielectric grease and works fine now. Never even bothered the dealer about it.
If yours is displaying a number, let me know what number and I'll tell you what circuit to look at.

Garry

[peterdarby]

Garry,
thanks,
According to the mechanics it passes all tests and voltages with flying colors, it just doesn't engage. They think it is in the ECM so they are waiting to get a new on. Tomorrow I am taking it out of the garage so I will try the diagnostic just to see what i get.

[Yellow Jacket]

Check to see if your brake light is staying on all the time. If a brake switch is stuck on, the cruise won't set. I believe the brake light circuit is one of the triggers to turn the cruise off.

[peterdarby]

The oddest thing happened. The cruise control decided to work normally again. Not sure why but it did. I'm still waiting to hear from the garage on the new ECM (It was under warranty and if it went out once it might do it again) but for now the cruise control is operational.

[mark5]

Mine did that. The green plug on the bottom front of the engine came out just a bit. I cleaned off the excess lithium grease on the contacts and have not had a problem since, rain or shine.

[cactusjack]

I don't know how the OEM Kawasaki unit works, but my aftermarket cruise control wouldn't set and it turned out to be a burned out brake light. Replaced the bulb and tada! cruise worked again.

[rottenronnie]

16-80 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Cruise Control System Switches
• Shift the transmission to 1st gear.
• While pushing in meter switch [A], turn the ignition switch
[B] to ON.
○The meter display will enter the cancel switch diagnostic
mode [A].
○“CHEC” [B] will appear on the display.
If a number [A] is flashed, inspect the switch that matches
the number according to the above table (see Switch Inspection).
• Close the throttle [A] to the stop.
• The number 1 [A] will appear and the “CRUISE” indicator
light (LED) will come ON.
• While returning the throttle to the stop, the indicator light
(LED) will go OFF.
If number 1 does not appear, inspect the cruise control
cancel switch (throttle) (see Switch Inspection).
If the switch is good, check the throttle cable condition
(see Cable Installation in the Fuel System (DFI) chapter).
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16-81
Cruise Control System Switches
•Pull in the front brake lever.
•The number 2 [A] and 3 [B] will appear and the “CRUISE”
indicator light (LED) will come ON.
•While releasing the brake lever, the indicator light (LED)
will go OFF.
If number 2 does not appear, inspect the cruise control
cancel switch (front brake) (see Switch Inspection).
If number 3 does not appear, inspect the front brake light
switch (see Switch Inspection).
•Turn the ignition switch to OFF and reset the meter to the
cancel switch diagnostic mode.
•Depress the brake pedal.
•The number 2 [A] and 3 [B] will appear and the “CRUISE”
indicator light (LED) will come ON.
•While releasing the brake pedal, the indicator light (LED)
will go OFF.
If number 2 does not appear, inspect the cruise control
cancel switch (rear brake) (see Switch Inspection).
If number 3 does not appear, inspect the rear brake light
switch (see Switch Inspection).
•Pull in the clutch lever.
•The number 4 [A] will appear and the “CRUISE” indicator
light (LED) will come ON.
•While releasing the clutch lever, the indicator light (LED)
will go OFF.
If number 4 does not appear, inspect the cruise control
cancel switch (clutch) (see Switch Inspection).
•Shift the transmission to the neutral position.
•The number 5 [A] will appear and the “CRUISE” indicator
light (LED) will come ON.
•While shifting to 1st gear, the indicator light (LED) will go
OFF.
If number 5 does not appear, inspect the gear position
switch (see Gear Position Switch Inspection).
•Shift the transmission to 1st gear.
16-82 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Cruise Control System Switches
• Push the cruise control switch to the “SET/-” position [A].
• The number 6 [A] will appear and the “CRUISE” indicator
light (LED) will come ON.
• While returning the switch to its original position, the indicator
light (LED) will go OFF.
If number 6 does not appear, inspect the cruise control
switch (see Switch Inspection).
• Push the cruise control switch to the “RES/+” position [A].
• The number 7 [A] will appear and the “CRUISE” indicator
light (LED) will come ON.
• While returning the switch to its original position, the indicator
light (LED) will go OFF.
If number 7 does not appear, inspect the cruise control
switch (see Switch Inspection).
• To exit the cancel switch diagnostic mode:
○Push the meter switch IN for more than 2 seconds.
○Operate the motorcycle above than 3.1 mph (5 km/h).
○Or when the ECU does not receive a signal from the cancel
switches for 10 minutes while in the cancel switch diagnostic
mode.

[bogatyrs]

Same problem and I put a thread on looking for info as I felt the dealer wasn't doing enough about it. My bike is still under warranty.

Anyway yesterday they fixed it - I think Kawi has a design flaw in the switch at the rear break. It is too exposed and gets clogged with grit etc. Mine was packed therefore the connection was broken and the cruise wouldn't engage.

The dealer did all the checks and even took a control unit off his demo bike to make sure it wasn't there - it was the switch unfortunately the switches are on back order - now tell me Kawi isn't aware they have a problem.

My dealer stayed open after hours yesterday to fix the problem he took the break switch off his demo and installed it in mine and it works fine.

Hope this helps...

Now I can "cruise" to the rally ::)

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Bogie

Same problem and I put a thread on looking for info as I felt the dealer wasn't doing enough about it. My bike is still under warranty.

Anyway yesterday they fixed it - I think Kawi has a design flaw in the switch at the rear break. It is too exposed and gets clogged with grit etc. Mine was packed therefore the connection was broken and the cruise wouldn't engage.

The dealer did all the checks and even took a control unit off his demo bike to make sure it wasn't there - it was the switch unfortunately the switches are on back order - now tell me Kawi isn't aware they have a problem.

My dealer stayed open after hours yesterday to fix the problem he took the break switch off his demo and installed it in mine and it works fine.

Hope this helps...

Now I can "cruise" to the rally ::)

I was close!