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Recently updated on April 6, 2021 at 10:19 am
Cruise control is ideal for long motorway journeys. It brings comfort on board and ensures a constant speed. And when it is switched on, you are not tempted to step on the gas any more. Because the car automatically maintains the previously set speed at the push of a button. This consistency when driving can ultimately also save fuel. The cruise control also prevents fatigue of the foot, which otherwise has to constantly be on the gas pedal and hold it. In Germany, however, only a few cars are equipped with cruise control as standard. The manufacturers offer these up to the small car, but almost always only for an extra charge.
Retrofitting is possible, however, insofar as it is not a ACC system is. This is also feasible, but only if the manufacturer also offers the function as an option. So far there are no third-party providers! Retrofitting a cruise control is sometimes time-consuming and costly. In addition, there have to be some prerequisites in the car so that retrofitting the cruise control is possible. In the case of retrofitting, it should also be a cruise control that is especially suitable for the respective car. There are universal products, but installation is sometimes very complicated.
Requirements for retrofitting
A car that is suitable for retrofitting with a cruise control should also necessarily have an electronic Throttle pedal feature. If a car does not have this device, it will be difficult if a cruise control is to be installed. Although there are possibilities here as well, a servo unit with Bowden cable, an electrical module, the speed sensor, the cable set, the clutch switch and the universal control must be connected. That means more effort and more costs. Ideally should the car is also one with an automatic transmission.
In cars with a manual gearshift in connection with a cruise control, problems can arise, especially on inclines, so that the set speed can be maintained. If you have installed a system that does not have the engine speed in mind or is linked to the clutch, it can happen that the engine is running while driving is strangled, if you use too high a gear. The easiest way is the retrofit of a cruise control on a car model, which can be supplied by the manufacturer in an option with cruise control.
Retrofitting: from simple to complicated
Since a cruise control is often controlled via the steering column lever, in such a case it is only necessary to replace the corresponding lever and to activate the software. If the car model is not available from the manufacturer with the cruise control option, the replacement of the steering wheel is usually necessary. Because the buttons for operating the cruise control sit in the wheel of the steering wheel. With older car models it may be that the retrofitting of a cruise control complex recabling (as already listed above) is necessary. Alternatively, often only switches for the operation of the universal cruise control can be installed. These are then visually not exactly cheap anywhere on the dashboard. And of course, such switches must also be inserted and wired accordingly.
Questions / answers / tips on the topic:
- Check in advance whether ready-made retrofit kits are available for the vehicle you want.
- There are original retrofit sets (OEM) from the vehicle manufacturer and from third-party suppliers.
- If feasible, you should opt for original retrofit solutions.
- Alternative vehicle-specific retrofit sets are available from providers such as WAECO (Magic Speed MS-50 etc.), Kufatec etc.
- The scope of delivery usually includes the control element, the control unit and the appropriate cable harness.
- Vehicle-specific retrofit kits usually work only with e-gas.
- Vehicles with a gas Bowden cable or with a gas linkage can be installed using a universal retrofit kit with negative pressure and / or a servomotor.
- Installation time / effort depends on the workshop, the car, the system.
- Normally the systems can even with older models can be installed flexibly.
- Material costs: approx. 150 to 600 euros
- Workload: one to one and a half hours. 100 to 150 euros.
- total cost for a cruise control with original parts: approx. 250 to 800 euros.
- Modification: Either the steering column stalk, individual buttons on the steering wheel or the entire steering wheel are exchanged. The new control elements must also be software-based learned .
- Advantages of OEM cruise control
- perfect integration into the existing control elements
- Display in the instrument cluster
- easier installation
- increase in value - Disadvantages OEM cruise control
- not always available
- high costs - Third party benefits
- available for many vehicle models
- cheaper in price
- Integration also possible without e-gas
- Increase in resale value - Third party disadvantages
- Installation effort usually higher
- Quality may be worse
- Seldom a perfect fit optically - Retrofitting from cruise control yourself?
- For safety reasons, a specialist workshop should always be available
- Missing diagnostic tester can be a problem
- It may be necessary to work on the airbag
Cruise control must be taught
The cost of retrofitting a cruise control can therefore be expensive. Of course this also affects the costs. If you are familiar with the wiring in your car, you can also install the cruise control yourself and maybe even by means of OBD dongle unlock. At least that should work in the case of an original component. The universal variant, on the other hand, makes it more difficult.
We hope that you the info report on the topic / term Cruise Control (Further designations / keywords: Cruise Control, cruise control system, gas assistance) from the field of autotuning. Our goal is that the largest German-language tuning dictionary (Tuning Wikipedia) and to explain tuning terms from A to Z easily and understandably. Almost every day we expand this lexicon and how far we are, you can HERE see. Soon the next one will be Tuning scene concept be illuminated by us. By the way, you will be informed about new topics if you have ours Feed subscribe to.
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