Cruise Control questions

[Robdrums]

Hello all,

Just had a bit of a search on this and read the car's manual but still not 100% sure on a few CC related things.

I went in my uncle's Passat last night, which has CC, and I assumed it'd be the same in the Leon, but I'm not sure now.

Basically, does it have any kind of display? Can you set the speed using the stalk and it's displayed on the trip screen or anything, or is it all done by 'feel'?

So you turn it on, reach desired speed, say 70, click set and that's it? And if you increase (say to overtake) it'll go back to 70 once you let go? What about if you have to brake, will it speed up itself or does that disengage it (would make sense really)?

What impressed me about the Passat was while driving on the M25, as he came to a 50mph limit, he could set it down on the screen and the car would adjust itself, from 70, 60, 40, whatever it was on, subject to gearchanges (which I know disengage it) but this doesn't seem to be the case on the Leon? You'd have to slow down and redo it, at the risk of inprecision as well as you have to set it when you're there (might be 41 etc?)

Also, is there a light on the dash that comes on when it is operational?


Finally, what should I expect my local main dealer to fit it for, or is there anyone in the Surrey/Berks sort of area that would do it fitted for a good price?

My car is a 150bhp FR TDi by the way, which is apparently slightly cheaper to install as the wiring is there already I understand?

Thanks in advance for any advice

Rob

 

[m0rk]

You can increase & decrease the speed on the stalk - the display would be 'the speedo'

If you change gear, it cancels it - so just hit resume & it'll take you back to the set speed.

 

[Robdrums]

In the manual it says if you press 'button B' once the speed decreases by a 'preset amount', anyone know what this amount is? I believe it's the same for increasing, but you use the slide switch somehow.

Doesn't seem quite as good as the Passat's one then. Although I realise you have the speedo to do it, and you can apparently drop or speed up in 'preset amounts', you can't literally set '70', '40' or '130' on the screen and let the car do it quite as easily.

Rob

 

[m0rk]

the preset 'click' is 1mph - no on screen display no, but it's a useful thing to have (I use it a lot)

 

[Robdrums]

1 mph? That's a bit silly, it'd be better if it moved in 10mph increments so you could swap from 70 to 50 with two simple presses...

I gather from the manual though that if you hold it as you decrease or increase acceleration (the switch for increasing, button for decreasing) then release when you're at the right speed (as in that example you'd probably need to change gear anyway) and it'll store that new speed.

If you're holding it and decreasing, to move from 70 to 40 quickly, does it still work if you change gear or does that still kill it?

Rob

 

[m0rk]

it's so you can make incremental changes... so you can move a little bit faster

it's cruise control, not 'hand throttle' controls

 

[Fl@pper]

touch any of the pedals and it defaults to a "wait mode" basically its no longer operating your car - as you are

hit resume and it goes back to the speed you set it too anyway

what year is the passat ? as the display type one is in the latest car cruise mk2 version isnt it ?

 

[Robdrums]

It's a brand new 06 plate Passat. Has a lot of toys that I expect to see making it onto the Leon soon. Though a lot of them are silly ones where the car tries to drive for you (can't move off if driver doesn't have a seatbelt), hydraulic handbrake that is automatic etc but a lot of nice things too, like this version of CC and push button start. Not sure if the current Leon or even the Golf has this?

Anyway, so how much should I expect to pay, fully fitted? £150?

Who can do it in Surrey/Berkshire apart from the dealer? I haven't managed to get a quote from anyone but seems about the going rate for a diesel as there's little work involved.

Rob

 

[PlatinumR]

The later stalk which most people have has a main slide switch facing you ( on/off) and then a toggle on the end (up/increase or resume. Down/decrease or set )
as said before theres no light on the dash and the display is the speedo.
Brake or clutch disengauges it. hold the toggle either way and you get continuous increase decrease until you let go.
With it on punch the accelerator and let go and it returns to the speed selected.

 

[Robdrums]

Having trouble finding anyone local that can do it, round the Surrey way. I'll be calling the dealer on Monday, see how much they want for it (as I get a 10% discount there), but the only VAG specialist place I found weren't able to.

Any ideas, or how much have people paid for the job all in?

Rob

 

[Ju.]

I did my own for about £80 all in and that included the extra loom that you don't need.
It's easy to do and all you need when it's fitted is to get it activated via vag com.
Not too sure whether a dealer would do it to be honest as I believe it wasn't an option.
But It really does work great and you don't need a light or a read out on the dash to operate it effectively.
It is one of the best , easiest and cheapest mods to do!!

 

[Robdrums]

I've read a guide on it, but I'm really not confident doing it myself, as I understand you have to take the steering wheel off, and I'm not happy messing with airbags. Plus I don't have the means to activate it.

It was a factory option on the FR. I'm worried about asking them, after being quoted nearly £400 to supply & fit a CD changer by them, but I do want to do it. It was also about £350 to have it as a factory option if I remember correctly.

I will scour for local VAG specialists that might do it. Wheelbase/Mega4 weren't able to advise me yesterday so I am hoping for good news from the dealer tomorrow.

Rob

 

[Robdrums]

OK, not had a very successful day with this today and now need some serious advice please.

My main dealer has basically said no it can't be done. Apparently it can be done to an earlier, non PD diesel engine, but not the 130/150 bhp ones such as in my FR. It was of course a factory option on my car so I can't believe this.

So I rang another main dealer who was more helpful, but also said it can't be done and that the part doesn't exist. There is a kit but it is specifically not for use on my car apparently.

The issue of wiring came up, and all concerned knew nothing about what I've read here, that a diesel has the wiring already in but a petrol doesn't. Now, I am torn between believing what I read on the Internet and believing an actual Seat dealer, but I really am not convinced about what I'm being told.

Can anyone please confirm that they have had it retrofitted to a 55 plate era Leon FR Diesel and who installed it? I am having difficulty finding independent people that would know what they're talking about in Guildford BErks area, so any suggestions on that would be great and I can ring a few.

Thanks

Rob

 

[m0rk]

Rob - try these guys as they're locaish

http://www.wheelbase.uk.com/

I wouldn't believe your dealer.... they're not geared up for retrofit. The parts are available, it's just the 'how' to wire it in (and if it's indeed possible)

you need to see if the ECU can be activated to understand the cruise signals (easy peasy if you have vag-com) once thats done - it's a case of wiring (or more likely in your case) plugging it in.

 

[Robdrums]

Thanks M0rk, I rang them on Saturday actually and they didn't know either. He said he'd done it to a Passat before and it was more complicated than he anticipated, but of course his only response would be you'd need to talk to Seat.

I don't have VAGCOM unfortunately, or the facilities or confidence to attempt anything like that myself, which is why I need someone local that'll just take it from me and give it back to me in 2 hours' time in exchange for £150 with it all fitted and working! I thought this would be an easy one to arrange!

Rob

 

[m0rk]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/dgace/cruise_control.htm

perfecto

I'd do it for kicks, let alone £150, but I'm just unable to spare any time.

it's straight forward & can be done in stages - so one weekend you could fit the stalk (that alone would be a major confidence booster)

edit: to work out if your ECU supports it....

Select engine control module by pressing "01Q".
Select read data function by pressing "08Q".
Read group 06 by pressing "06Q" or "006Q" depending on which version of VAG 1551 tool that you have.
The 1551 will display a bunch of numbers. The fourth group of numbers, on the far right of the display will be either "0" or "255". "0" means that cruise control is already enabled.

 

[Robdrums]

Blimey... that guide certainly makes interesting reading but I still don't fancy it... The latter half of your post also, I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'm tempted to show all this to my dealer, it's really wound me up talking to so many people at Seat who couldn't help me. It's not so much about the CC now, it's about proving them wrong, I hate being told conclusively you can't do something by somoene in authority like that, rather than that they don't know.

I've found a local APR outlet who might do it, as a search reveals Awesome GTI have done it, but I can't work out if this is their own version or the OE part. I would prefer to keep it real.

Rob

 

[m0rk]

it'll be with an OE part that awesome used (no other is available)

a lot of places confuse can't with "don't know" - and dealers are prime for that - because they can't spare the time to work it out

I posted the 2nd half as instructions, not because I wanted to baffle you - but if you found someone local with vag-com they'd be able to follow those instructions to the letter & check your car out

 

[Robdrums]

Thanks for all the advice mate. I'll give APR a go tomorrow, if that fails then I'll have to go more hardcore into it.

Stumbled on this while searching on here, seems somebody used him and seemed pleased, but I'm of course always skeptical about eBay traders, probably unfairly. Any opinions?

http://search.stores.ebay.co.uk/hazzydayz-ltd_cruise-control_W0QQfciZQ2d1QQfclZ4QQfsnZhazzydayzQ20ltdQQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQftsZ2QQsaselZ126999178QQsofpZ0

Claims to 'specialise' in Cruise Control and will fit it all in at your home/work for £130 it seems, and he is an actual limited company it seems.

Rob