Adding Cruise Control to a 2008
 

My new steering wheel came in today, and I'm gearing up to put in on.

I found that a steering wheel without redundant audio controls does not have the wiring for them... the wiring harness in the steering wheel is different, but it looks easy enough to change. I have an email out to partsguyed asking if he can track down the wiring harness, but I'm not going to hold out hope. If I can't get the wiring right away, the radio controls might have to be a later project when I can get the wiring on my own.

Everything else look to be ready to go, and I'll being the swap as soon as I get my question answered. Writeup to follow...

Installed the wheel today... This writeup is for a non-tilt steering column, some steps might change for a tilt wheel.

simple enough procedure.

tools needed: 8mm socket, 5.5mm socket, flat screwdriver, T-50 Torqs bit, small mirror

First, park the truck and turn the wheel to where the top is 90 degrees to the left (9 o'clock position). Pull fuse number 32 from the SJB on the passenger side kick panel. Then turn the ignition on and make sure the air bag light stays on solid (no-blinking).

Next, disconnect all batteries so the backup power supply can drain. When the battery has been disconnected, you must wait 1 minute or more before removing the airbag. I used this time to remove the top and bottom steering column covers. Using the 5.5mm socket, take the three screws off of the bottom of the column, then gently pry the two halves apart. It takes a bit of force, but those clips are pretty sturdy. (This is where a tilt wheel would be different. The tilt lever has to come off, but I can't comment on that).

Now, the airbag module is ready to be removed. Using the mirror and flat screwdriver, find the three clips on the backside of the steerign wheel that hold the airbag in. They are now at the 12, 3, and 6 o'clock positions. Use the screwdriver to push the metal clip toward the center of the steering wheel. They will pop right out quite easily. Once these are unhooked, the module will come right off. There are two sets of wires attached to the airbag module. one is the horn, and the other for the airbag. Use the screwdriver to disconnect the horn connection, and then, while squeezing the airbag connection, pull straight out. Set the airbag module to the side.

The steering wheel is ready to come off now. Disconnect the wiring that connects to the clockspring, and use the T-50 torqs bit to remove the steering wheel bolt. Be careful not to turn the clockspring once the wheel is off. The wheel will pull right off once the bolt is out.

Installation is the reverse of removal. Put the steering wheel on and tighten the bolt to 30 lb ft. Connect the clockspring wiring harness. Take the airbag module and connect the two electrical connections, then press the airbag module into place until the three clips click to lock. I visual inspected the clips afterward. Snap the column shroud back around the column and secure it with the three screws. and everything is back together...

To repower the airbag, reconnect the battery and turn the ignition ON. While the ignition is on, replace the fuse. Turn the ignition OFF and drink a beer... or find something else to do for 10 seconds or so. Turn the ignition back on and make sure the airbag light goes off.

This, by itself will not finish the cruise control installation. The vehicle PCM must be reprogrammed to know that cruise control is present... I'll do that Monday.

Confirmed: there is only one clockspring on the '08-'10 pickups. The only thing preventing me from adding radio controls at the moment is the inability to get the correct wiring harness that is internal to the steering wheel. I will amend this writeup when I find that harness. I will also come back to confirm that my cruise control works after the PCM has been reflashed to reflect the changes.

I can't believe cruise control is still an option you can choose not to get...

so is air conditioning.

I got the PCM reflashed today and the cruise control works beautifully!

I even checked all of the "off" functions and they work... clutch, brake, shifting to neutral, off button... First pickup I've ever owned with cruise control!

sooo, all you need to do for cruise controll is replace the steering wheel and re-flash the computer? What year range is this good for?

This is good for '08-'10...and likely will continue

Previous years required a change of clockspring, too... but I can't say with any certainty which years. The big key is having a throttle-by-wire setup... The computer already modulates the throtle plate at your request... cruise control just removes the user input and the computer keeps the vehicle speed constant.


without throttle-by-wire, a solenoid will be required to modulate the throttle plate at the computer's request, as it is still a cable setup.

This is exactly what I was looking for. Did you notice and difference in gas mileage when using cruise? Also does cruise hold gears better then using your foot. I find my truck wants to down shift every chance ot gets but feels like there is plenty of power left. Most cats I've had with cruise kept it in overdrive and very rarely downshifted. This is what got me thinking about the swap

With the ZF6, my transmission only shifts when I force it to ;)

As far as fuel mileage goes, I think I can keep it a bit higher without cruise simply because I can anticipate hills, valleys, stops, and turns. I only have a few data points to back that claim up though, and they really cannot be compared since there were other variables at play, too.

I do know that with a manual transmission you can get an oscillation on downhills. The computer will idle the engine which causes the pickup to decelerate, then it will throttle back up. It isn't a very big oscillation, but I notice it.

Haha just saw you had a 6 speed. Little hard to compare trannys

i just completed this today - an observation about the tilt wheel - there is 1 torx screw in the paddle to remove, otherwise the steps are identical.

I actually had cruise already, but needed found a good deal on a wheel with the harness so went that route, it may be that you can purchase just the harness now, i do not know.

I did notice that my audio controls do not work, but i also have a used control - so it may be that the switch itself isn't working properly. My truck also came from Canada, where the available options are different than the states, so i may need to have the PCM flashed for it to work (i've no idea, really. just spit-balling here)

Pretty sure the steering wheel audio controls don't go through the PCM.

sorry BCM - i've been reading and it was suggested as a possibility on the diesel stop. i figure that it is likely a bad switch. who knows what the condition of this one was prior to purchase.

Sorry to dig up an old thread but I have one question. I found a tilt wheel with cruise and audio controls to replace my xl wheel and column. I got everything bolted up and all electrical connections made but my horn doesn't work now. Did yours work after the install before the reprogramming? I get the programing done next Thursday so I'll wait to diagnose the issue then. If it still doesn't work I'll swap out my old clock spring.

Found out it was a bad clock spring. Replaced it with my original one and the horn works fine. I found out it was the clock spring because when I turned the wheel it made a funny sound and the airbag light came on.