Relocate the Cruise Control Set/Accel Switch by jodaboda

4 minute read

Relocate the Cruise Control Set/Accel Switch

Compliments of jodaboda @ www.miata.net

For NB Miatas

CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH RELOCATION on a 2001 Miata SE

This is a cheap/free, quick, easy mod that I find very useful. It's the second-best mod I've made to my Miata (first being wiring in an ipod dock connector to the factory Bose head unit). Essentially, this mod allows you to keep your right arm down on the armrest while operating the cruise control. This is useful for me on long trips where it's a pain to always be twisting the wiper/cruise stick to make small adjustments to your speed.

If you're feeling lucky, don't disconnect the negative battery terminal, and let's begin...

You need:

• soldering iron and solder (optional-- you could just twist n' glue)
• some wire (up to a few feet, depending on where you're relocating to)
• 240 ohm resistor
• 910 ohm resistor
• a switch

Notes about switch selection:

If you're like me, you'll spend the vast majority of the time on this mod selecting a switch and choosing a location.

Ideally, you'll get a double throw *momentary* switch (this means it goes back to it's default position when you aren't pushing it). I couldn't find a momentary one I liked, so mine isn't momentary. If I throw the switch up, the car will accellerate continuously without any input from me (think of the fun I could have...).

You *could* choose a single-throw switch and just a single resistor, for setting the cruise control and decelerating. You would then use the gas pedal to increase your speed, and then just flip the switch again to set the new speed.

You could also use two separate single-throw switches (buttons, maybe?).

Summary:

There is a wire under the steering column that is red with a solid white stipe. If this wire is shorted to ground with a 240-ohm resistor, the cruise control will activate Set/Coast. If the wire is shorted to ground with a 910-ohm resistor, the cruise control wil activate Accelleration.

So you need one wire to splice into the red/white wire, and another wire to ground (any nearby ground will work; I used the one in the power window switch, since it's adjacent to my new cruise switch location). 

Note:

This switch relocation is entirely safe. The cruise master button is still effective, and will completely disable the relocated switch. And if you just tap into the cruise wire under the steering column (rather than cutting it), your original wiper-stick-twistie cruise control switch remains functional.

Photos 

Here are a series of photos, with captions below. 

Click any photo for larger (around 1000px wide):

The simple schematic.

The bigger picture.

This is my wire (the white-with-red-stripe) soldered onto the cruise switch wire (red-with-white-stripe).

The wire soldered above is the wire on the right here, and the wire connected to the center pole of the switch goes to ground. Just a minute of sloppy soldering to put this together.

Drill your hole, determine which orientation you want, and mount the switch.

Reconnect your battery, and take a test drive somewhere safe.

Enjoy!