2004 Freestar Cruise Control Not Working

[04freestar]

I have a 2004 Freestar Sport with approx. 74,400 KM.

When I turn on the cruise control on the highway it does not come on. Sometimes I would see the cruise light flashing but it does not work. It worked great before.

The dealer road tested vehicle with computer attached and found system functioning normal. Later that same day I tried it on the highway but did it didn't work.

Any Suggestions?


Update 2007/01/03

I finally took my freestar to another ford dealership.

They found the problem. It was a defective deactivation switch. It cost approx $150.00 (CAD) to diagnose and fix.

[bshawmain]

I have a 2005 Freestar with 34,000 Miles and I have a similar problem. Cruise control was working fine, next time I went to use it, the cruise control indicator blinked but did not engage. Cruise control has not successfully worked since this problem started, and now the light will not blink at all when I try to engage it. I have not yet taken it in for service, but I suspect a sensor somewhere is malfunctioning (probably took a hit from one pot hole too many). I would be interested to hear about your resolution once your problem is solved.

[Rowlison]

We have a 2005 Freestar and the cruise control is doing the same thing. I'd like to know when you find the problem.
Thanks,
Brian

[Rowlison]

My wife took the van into the Ford dealer last week. They found the brake disconnect switch sticking. New switch $20. Labor $90. Works fine now.
Brian

[jemahon]

On our way from Northeast Connecticut to New York City last Thursday the cruise control on our 2005 Freestar wouldn't work. Driving 400 miles round trip without cruise was not a treat. The van only has 14,000 miles on it and is very well taken care of. We also own a 2005 F150 XLT 4X4 Super Cab that feels much more durable than the 2005 Freestar. My wife mostly drives the Freestar. Whenever I have to drive it I hate it more and more. It's always another squeaking door and rattles. We had a 1996 Windstar that was a much more durable vehicle.

[zbad1]

I just registered to comment on this. I found this thread and it helped me solve my cruise issue on my 05 Freestar. Like the others, my cruise would work once in a blue moon, usually I'd see a very quick flash of the green cruise light on the dash, and then it would shut off. The cruise would never take over.
I bought a part from the local dealer, they had to order it in, but it only took about 2 hours from the warehouse.
The part was $22.22 and was quite small. All I needed was a adjustable wrench and a small screwdriver to get the electrical connector pryed off.
The part is called a cruise control deactivation switch. Is sits right on the end of the bottom of the brake master cylinder under the hood. When you take the old one out the brake fluid starts to run out, but there's plenty of time to get the new one threaded in before the brake fluid gets below the minimum mark. It's kinda weird getting it to thread, but you don't need to do anything special, just turn it, until it finally catches and goes on.
Plug the new connecter into the old wiring, and BINGO, it works again.
You need a turkey baster or something of the likes to replenish the lost brake fluid.
Now, i Just wish that I had found this thread and figured this out BEFORE my trip across the country. (but that's what gave me the motivation to figure it out, I guess)
Easy fix, anybody can do it!

[coopma]

I have a 2002 Windstar.
Brake light stayed on and cruise control light would not come on.

Just paid $25 for the deactivation switch and $200 for the labor.

I looked on Google on Ford Windstar deactivation switch and pulled up lots of info on vehicles catching fire.

Was this switch supposed to be replaced for a recall because of a fire hazard?

[shootingstar]

My 2004 Freestar has an inoperative horn and sthe speed (cruise) control does not work. I have checked the fuses for the horn and they check good. The horn will chirp when the alarm is activated. The brake disconnect switch has been replaced with no help. The clock spring has also been replaced... no difference. The radio controls work fine, but no speed control or horn. can someone please offer some advice?????

Thanks

[1funryd]

I just ordered my Cruise Control Deactivation Switch, and should get it in about a couple of hours.

I drove 18 hours from WA to San Deigo without the cruise control and man that sucks!!! I am glad I found this site, and am currently waiting to fix this part.

Sean

[1funryd]

Ok ladies and gentlemen, I decided to document my work for future members who run into this problem.

First of all this had to happen on my two week vacation! So here goes the story.

I thought it was going to be straight forward, but as in all things, something has to go wrong.

I ordered the part, and it came in under two hours, (yay!!) so I removed the airbox, and used a 7/8" wrench to loosen it, when I started to notice it was hard to loosen.
Immediately, I felt a very bad feeling.
I continued on to remove the switch and unplug the wire harness.

I immediately tried to rebolt the new switch but it kept on spinning. I tried the old one, and it too kept on spinning. I looked at the old switch, and to my surprise, it was cross-threaded.

Now, things started to get frustrating from here. I figured since the switch was cross-threaded, that the brake master cylinder was probably too.

I called around including the dealer, and found NAPA to be the cheapest one. $111.++.
I had to order it before 6pm for it to come in the next morning so that we can start our journey toward home and continue on with our vacation.

Here are the pictures for you all to see what I had to do, and I am still waiting on the part as of this post. It will be in tomorrow morning by 10:30am.



Here is the switch attached to the bottom of the Master Brake Cylinder


And here is the Master Brake Cylinder with the insides smoothed out.



The old switch is on the left as you can see the last part of the threads are threaded, and the one on the right is the new switch.


To be continued.... tomorrow.


Sean