Cruise Control - disengages going uphill

[CMarken]

I have a 2004. 5 1 ton automatic 61,000 miles, with with a Banks exhaust brake. Most of the miles are from towing 14,000 pound 5th wheel trailer. Cruise has always worked until 2 weeks ago. Now cruise control engages with or without the trailer attached and the exhaust brake either on or off, but as soon as a slight hill is encountered the cruse control disengages and can't be re-activated until the engine is turned off and then back on. Then it will stay on till the next hill. My local Dodge dealer in Orange county CA says my problem is the torque converter and transmission and recommends replacing them both for $4500! I don't have any transmission problems driving or towing.



Any help or solutions will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Charlie

 

[Hoefler]

Fill in your signature with your truck info and location. Sounds like you need a new dealer.

 

[Lordsman]

Mine kicked out due to a rubbed out and leaking vacuum line. Turn ignition to on without starting it and if vacuum pump stays on for a long time you may have a leak. It should shut off once adequate vacuum is built.

 

[FourBarR]

vacuum leak some where. check lines between vac pump cruise control. on the 98-02 there is a vac. control under the left battery,that was eaten by battery acid.

 

[seafish]

Sounds like you need a new dealer.

X2... . $4500 for a vacuum leak??... .

 

[jhenderson]

There can be NO vacuum leak on an 04. As it has NO VACUUM PUMP. Please know before you speak.

 

[steved]

There can be NO vacuum leak on an 04. As it has NO VACUUM PUMP. Please know before you speak.

While our MANUAL equipped trucks don't have a vacuum pump, the AUTOMATIC equipped trucks do have a vacuum operated cruise control.



:-laf

 

[S.Morris]

+1 on what Steved said!

 

[Bob4x4]

The 04. 5/05 do not use vacuum for the cruise.



The speed control system is fully electronically controlled by the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). If equipped with a diesel engine, electronic control of the speed control system is integrated into the Engine Control Module

 

[Bob4x4]

I"ll try to remember to hook up a scanner to my truck tommorow to see all that can be monitored. A scanner is the only practical way to find your cruise issue. Some years will save the cause of the last shut down My CRS is kicking in so I will have to try it to see if the 4. 5 shows it

 

[Axekicker]

The 'fix'

CHARLIE: I had the same problem with my 2004. 5. I checked for 'vacuum' and had none so I replaced the vacuum pump (yes Elizabeth... . my auto 2004. 5 HAS a vacuum pump). Now it would hold on a level run but still kicked-out when pulling a grade. So I took it to Jim Marsh Chrysler and they found a faulty solenoid... the one mounted under the battery on the passengers side. Runs like a champ now. Cost about $325. 00. Since the repair, I've made two trips to So. Cal and one up to Salt Lake City and the cruise has worked flawlessly. (BTW: How have you been on this board since 2003 and this is your first post??? Wow!)

 

[CMarken]

Thanks for all the input you all have given me. Tomorrow I am taking the truck to another mechanic I've used in the past and thanks to Axekicker's reply today I will have him start with checking the solenoid first.



I'll post back in a couple of days when hopefully this problem is solved!

 

[JSooter]

My 04. 5 DOES have a vacuum pump for CC. The pump would run all the time, but CC still worked. If I disconnected the power to the pump, CC would not work.



I found a leak in the vacuum line near the drive side battery... one of the OEM zip ties use to hold the line out of the way, were a bit tight and eventually caused a leak.



You can check the line at several points by disconnedting the line and plug it with your thumb. If the pump turns off, move further away form the pump.



I ended up cutting the line at the leak, and splicing it with some rubber hose.



Now cc woks as expected and pump doesnot run all the time.

 

[CMarken]

Thanks for the tip tip JScooter I'll try that before I go to the mechanic tomorrow

 

[Axekicker]

Thanks for all the input you all have given me. Tomorrow I am taking the truck to another mechanic I've used in the past and thanks to Axekicker's reply today I will have him start with checking the solenoid first.



I'll post back in a couple of days when hopefully this problem is solved!

I found my invoice for repairs and the part is identified as 'Servo SPE 14002015' if that helps.

 

[CMarken]

Problem SOLVED!

Total cost $154. 97 at my now new mechanic's shop vs. $4300 the local Dodge dealer said it would cost to replace my torque converter and transmission, (that's what the service tech said the error code he read was the problem).





JSooter hit the problem right on the head, thanks to him and all of you who offered advise and support. I saved a total of $4300 thanks to all of you!



My mechanic found a small leak in the vacuum line on the drivers side of the engine compartment. It was caused by rubbing on a black ribbed plastic cable protector that was not separated and secured away from the vacuum line at the factory.



Thanks again for the support you all gave me. --- Charlie

 

[JJPage]

Problem SOLVED!

Total cost $154. 97 at my now new mechanic's shop vs. $4300 the local Dodge dealer said it would cost to replace my torque converter and transmission, (that's what the service tech said the error code he read was the problem).





JSooter hit the problem right on the head, thanks to him and all of you who offered advise and support. I saved a total of $4300 thanks to all of you!



My mechanic found a small leak in the vacuum line on the drivers side of the engine compartment. It was caused by rubbing on a black ribbed plastic cable protector that was not separated and secured away from the vacuum line at the factory.



Thanks again for the support you all gave me. --- Charlie

Glad you got it figured out, dang dealers. And, way to go JSooter, nice job!

 

[JSooter]

Darn dealers!

Glad you found some help on TDR. I know that my annual membership fee has MORE than paid for itself this year and years past.



Jerry

 

[WhiteSheep]

I was sitting on the throne reading the latest TDR wondering if I really need to renew my subscription since I hadn't learned anything new in a while when what do I find? An article about CC failure and the easy fix. My CC hadn't worked for about 2 years, but since I am a little low on $$, I figured I could pass on the fix. Sure enough my 4. 5 Auto had a leak due to a tight zip tie. Talk about a cheesy solution to a simple problem (the need for a vacuum pump to run the CC). By the way, a couple of wraps of electrical tape is doing the job for now.

I resubscribed and will do so ever again without doubt due to the money this alone saved me.