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ABS light/code and cruise control

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Old Apr 26, 2015 | 12:51 AM
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ABS light/code and cruise control

Since I bought the truck the abs light on the dash has been on and the cruise control hasn't worked, I am assuming that the problems are related after doing some reading. Now I don't really care so much about the abs but I wouldn't mind getting the cruise control up and running.


I checked the fault code on the abs today and got what I believe is a code 3 (2 short flashes in between longer flashes) which is for an open dump valve circuit. From the sounds of what I read online this requires the abs module to be replaced?


If this is the cause of the cruise control not working is there anyway to bypass the abs module? I'm not interested in spending the cash on a new abs module anytime soon. If this doesn't sound like the problem where else should I start checking?
 
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Old Apr 26, 2015 | 07:31 AM
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Originally Posted by shorerider16
Since I bought the truck the abs light on the dash has been on and the cruise control hasn't worked, I am assuming that the problems are related after doing some reading. Now I don't really care so much about the abs but I wouldn't mind getting the cruise control up and running.


I checked the fault code on the abs today and got what I believe is a code 3 (2 short flashes in between longer flashes) which is for an open dump valve circuit. From the sounds of what I read online this requires the abs module to be replaced?


If this is the cause of the cruise control not working is there anyway to bypass the abs module? I'm not interested in spending the cash on a new abs module anytime soon. If this doesn't sound like the problem where else should I start checking?
My brake light and abs light would always come on. I had issues with the rears locking as well and hanging up. i completely bypassed the RABS module, no issues since then. you will need a fitting adapter if you choose to go this route, cant remember which sizes.
 
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Old Apr 26, 2015 | 09:41 AM
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what truck? the 93 has a VSS in the rear axle for everything .the 90 has a speedometer cable and VSS in the tailshaft of the tran for speedo and cruise, and a VSS in the rear axle for the RABS.
 
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Old Apr 26, 2015 | 11:17 AM
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This is in the 90, sorry about that.
 
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Old Apr 26, 2015 | 11:34 AM
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on the 90, the brake light could be the parking brake pedal is slightly depressed, or low brake fluid level in the master cylinder.
reach down and pull up on the park brake pedal. if the light does not go out, make sure the master is at least 3/4 full.
 
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Old Apr 26, 2015 | 11:48 AM
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It's not the red brake warning light that is on, it's the yellow abs light. I did the trick with grounding out the plug to get the code on it yesterday but it sounds like the abs valve is dead.
 
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Old Apr 26, 2015 | 12:22 PM
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The cruise and ABS systems are NOT linked together at all on the 87-91 system (92 and up they share the rear diff vss and thats it) You can rip the ABS system out of both generations of trucks and the cruise wont even know.

For starters does your horn work? Any blown fuses?
This system is vacuum controled and has a dump valve that your brake pedal holds closed when the pedal is at rest, if that valve is out of adjustment or the vacuum line is off/broken it will never work either.

Other posible things are broken bottons on the steering wheel, bad (usually ground down to nothing) sliding contacts behind the steering wheel, rotted coffee can in the engine bay, broken or disconnected or missconnected vacuum lines. If its a standard a bad or bypassed clutch switch will make it not work either.

Having a electic to mechanical vacuum system built on top of each other makes this system a poor design, thats why I change to the electronic system of 92.5 and up, 7 wires and all testable from the cruise unit under the hood.
 
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Old Apr 29, 2015 | 12:36 AM
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Thank you, that's what I was looking for. Since the ABS light doesn't have anything to do with the problem I will just pull a truck driver and put some black electrical tape over the warning light.


There are two fuses that have speed control listed on the fuse panel, I'm assuming they are for the cruise control? The horn does work but I've never taken the steering wheel or column apart so I can't say for sure that the wires are okay. Is the cruise control module the metal box in the centre of the dash below the stereo and ash tray?


I'll check over things like the brake and clutch switches the next couple of days but the truck is not roadworthy at this point proper trouble shooting will have to wait for a bit.
 
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Old May 1, 2015 | 12:33 AM
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Originally Posted by shorerider16
Thank you, that's what I was looking for. Since the ABS light doesn't have anything to do with the problem I will just pull a truck driver and put some black electrical tape over the warning light.


There are two fuses that have speed control listed on the fuse panel, I'm assuming they are for the cruise control? The horn does work but I've never taken the steering wheel or column apart so I can't say for sure that the wires are okay. Is the cruise control module the metal box in the centre of the dash below the stereo and ash tray?


I'll check over things like the brake and clutch switches the next couple of days but the truck is not roadworthy at this point proper trouble shooting will have to wait for a bit.
There is one fuse for the cruise control, fuse 6 and another one is for the brake lights that feeds it a brake signal, fuse 1 (both 15A)

No the gold metal box (black on 92 and up) is the ABS computer, behind that towards the firewall you'll see a black box with two long plugs on it, thats the cruise control computer.
 
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Old May 3, 2015 | 12:34 PM
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I finally got the truck back running and on the road last night, now I can start poking away at the cruise control issue. (As well as the wiring massacre that is the trailer wiring )
 
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Old May 6, 2015 | 10:31 PM
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inside your steering wheel under the horn pad is clockspring. takes about 30 minutes to replace. check that out.
 
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Old Jun 18, 2015 | 01:11 AM
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Things with the bed removal and fuel tank work got a little out of hand and I never did get around to working on the cruise control when I had the truck in the garage for work. I was working underneath the dash today, trying to figure out what the hell the PO had done with the trailer wiring, and I noticed that dump valve on the brake pedal was way out of wack. I pushed it back into the bracket and adjusted it down, now I have working cruise control.


Just thought I'd follow up even though its been a while, and thanks to all who helped out.
 
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Old Jun 18, 2015 | 06:17 AM
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Originally Posted by boots6868
inside your steering wheel under the horn pad is clockspring. takes about 30 minutes to replace. check that out.
no clockspring assembly on a 90, that is a 92 and newer contraption.
 
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