CCS-100 Quit working

[redbanks2]

I could use some help. I did some searching but can not find a possible solution. My Audiovox cruise control just quit working the other day after about a year of working fine with very little use, unfortunately...

Now, it will not activate and take over the throttle. I did the usual LED light troubleshooting checks, inline fuse, brake switch, etc. and the vacuum from the engine is also working. I sealed the control pad prior to installation, but in Southern CA the bike doesn't get wet, so I do not think it is that. Today when I unhooked the vacuum hose from the servo unit, I got a definite vacuum release. Is that normal?

Is there anyway to check to see if the cable is still moving and hooked up to the throttle without taking the tank off?

Any obvious things to look for with the servo? The three little "piston" things seem to move freely.

 

[jayke]

Make any changes to the bike, like LED brake light bulbs? Do you have brake lights?, Is the brake light stuck on?

Any voltage at all on the servo purple bike light wire will prevent the cruise from turning on. That's where I'd look first.

 

[wfooshee]

After that, go ahead and lift the tank and check the slack in the bead chain. If the clamp that holds the CCS throttle cable has sagged, it may have added enough slack in the bead chain to prevent engagement. If the cable moves far enough and nothing happens, the control unit gives up and disengages.

 

[mcatrophy]

I'm with jayke. Check the rear brake isn't staying on. It's a classic way to prevent the CCS from functioning. Usually the brake lever pivot needs lubrication.

 

[redbanks2]

No recent changes to the bike since install of the CC. Brake lights work as they should.

Guess it's time to pull the tank off...

 

[redbanks2]

I just found a post from August about the solenoid sticking issue. I did already lightly lube them. I'm thinking something with the servo until I can lift the tank off. The unit hasn't been used for awhile...shame on me!

 

[Harald]

Mine worked fine for years and then suddenly stopped engaging. During troubleshooting I found just a fraction of a volt on the brake light wire when the brakes were off. So I temporarily grounded the brake input to the cruise and it engaged just fine.

The long term solution was to add a relay that keeps the brake input to the cruise at ground until the brakes are applied. Works like a champ!

I'm still not sure why there's suddenly a fraction of a volt on the brake line or perhaps it's been there all along and the cruise has just gotten more sensitive to that voltage? It's not like the brake lights are anywhere close to coming on, so I haven't investigate further...

 

[odowda]

The symptoms described are similar to what occured on my 2004 with a CC1 unit. I checked all the usual possibilities suggested by the board members, including the electronic readings. The servo valves all tested ok. Everything checked out OK, but as a last measure I shot a hefty dose of engine fogging spray into the vacuum canister through the main port and rotated it around in a vertical position so as to lubricate the piston at the canister wall. It immediately started working again and continues to to date. I wish I had had a cut-away drawing of the internal construction to use in trouble shooting, but coul not find one anywhere.

Hope this helps

 

[redbanks2]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will continue to check it out as time allows.

 

[BrunDog]

My problem was the stuck solenoid valve. Cycling 12VDC on it broke it free. Then I lubricated it and it worked well again.

-BD

 

[redbanks2]

I went for a short check ride last night. The cruise control activated after holding down the switch for a few seconds and then held a steady speed. I tried a few more times and it was not consistent on activation. At least I know the cable is okay. Seems like the servo still needs some attention.

 

[ionbeam]

...The cruise control activated after holding down the switch for a few seconds and then held a steady speed. I tried a few more times and it was not consistent on activation. At least I know the cable is okay. Seems like the servo still needs some attention.

I understand your reasoning, but I think you may have it backwards. The servo is pretty much digital, either it works yes or it works no, never sort of, maybe, sometimes.

It does appear that leaning on the set button finally gets the servo's attention and then it sets speed. The set button is momentary, the servo only needs a quick pulse to set and a longer pulse to indicate deceleration, then it ignores the button until there is another pulse. What I think is happening is the servo is taking up slack in the bead chain until the next time it sees the set button pulse, then it gets an acceptable response from the throttle via the now tight bead chain. When the servo pulls on the throttle it expects a response in a set length of time and the response has to be scaled correctly. If these conditions are not met the servo won't set speed. Slack in the bead chain causes a delay in throttle response which can cause the servo to see an error contrition.

 

[redbanks2]

I can see the logic with some slack being in the chain. But on install the slack was adjusted per various install guides. How can it get enough stretch or slack with basically non-use since install to cause these issues.

I rode to work Sunday and today. Only living 3 miles away, I had to get creative...

It seems to work okay. I will try it on a longer trip in a few weeks. Other stuff has come up and will delay things a bit.

I will post results in a few weeks.

Thanks all for the responses!

 

[wfooshee]

The clamp that holds the CC cable next to the throttle cable can get bumped and twisted, and that allows the CC cable to droop, adding slack to the bead chain. Alan's description of the set behavior is spot on.... Hitting the button pulls a certain amount of cable, and the computer expects to see a response in RPM, if it doesn't, it gives up. It does not yank the cable until something happens. It gives a tiny tug and watches. Holding the set button forces a series of those tiny tugs until it finally hits.