P38A Here we go then.. And so it starts.

Martian said:

Mary,

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How do you know my 'weekend name'

The cruise lines are a common culprit on all model years of P38 - but also unfortunately on the earlier GEMS models, it is usually the cruise ECU that fails. I know a couple of owners on RR.net have fixed theirs, usually by reflowing the solder joints across the PCB of the cruise ECU, but a couple have also posted up pinouts for swapping the ECU for the later Bosch version, which doesn't seem to suffer the same fate.

The steering wheel switches are usually pretty reliable - the most common reason for them to stop working is if the rotary coupler fails - but then all the switches will stop, along with the horn - and you usually get an Airbag Fault as the drivers air bag loses connection. If you have none of those, then my bet is on the vacuum lines, or the ECU.

Also worth noting it that the power to the vacuum pump goes through the infamous 'kick panel connectors' in the LH footwell. They are known to go green and corrode, so could be another spot worth checking.

I think the reason they probably use a separate pump is so the vacuum can be varied to allow for holding the throttle and being able to move it to adjust the speed aswell. I guess if you could do it with intake vacuum, but having a controllable pump makes it easier for the ECU to control.

Marty

Marty,

Sincere apologies for the typo, (not sure if it was due to my over zealous predictive text utiliyor not)!

Looks like I have plenty to check!

My steering controls are 'crudded' up due to the previous history of the vehicle - it was literally covered in 'cr*p', (inside and out), and I cannot understand how this came to be?

It was that bad that, (once I had stripped the interior), I literally jet washed all of the inside!

Haha, don't worry about it - it's honestly not a problem.... The number of times I've done it when typing quickly, and then had to go back and correct myself!!

If the interior was that bad, then it's definitely worth a shot at removing and cleaning the switches if they're all gummed up.

From memory, when I last pulled a steering wheel apart, the actual switch contacts were pretty well sealed up - but entirely possible that if the plastic switch piece is full of crud then it might not move enough to actuate the switch underneath.

Sounds like another 'challenge' ahead then!

I plan to strip the switches, (as far as they will go), and then blast them with copious amounts of isopropanol alcohol in the hope that this will clear out the crud that is currently gumming up the switches.

I suspect that it is simply crud between the buttons and the outer casing - stopping the buttons from moving - and the actual switch should be fine - once I have got the switches toggling once again.

Martian said:

Sounds like another 'challenge' ahead then!

I plan to strip the switches, (as far as they will go), and then blast them with copious amounts of isopropanol alcohol in the hope that this will clear out the crud that is currently gumming up the switches.

I suspect that it is simply crud between the buttons and the outer casing - stopping the buttons from moving - and the actual switch should be fine - once I have got the switches toggling once again.

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Never mind about all that, get the red dressing gown on and post the photo's

tomcat59alan said:

Never mind about all that, get the red dressing gown on and post the photo's

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I think I have just walked in on an It 'ain't Half Hot Mum sketch.

Grrrrrr said:

I think I have just walked in on an It 'ain't Half Hot Mum sketch.

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I think you have Lofty, lovely boy.