Second Generation Mercedes-Benz Cruise Controls

STAMFORD, U.K. - June 20, 2013 - PRLog -- Second Generation Mercedes-Benz Cruise Controls

By Jeremy Stevens, Technical Director, The Mercedes-Benz Club

First generation & second generation Mercedes cruise control systems were stand-alone, acting directly on the vehicle throttle.  The first generation system, made by VDO, employed a vacuum servo and was replaced in the late 1970s with a totally electronic version using an electric servo-motor.  The system was much more sophisticated than the unit it replaced as it incorporated controlled acceleration and deceleration rates and was in use up to the early 1990s, when, with the advent of motorised throttle bodies, the function was incorporated into the engine management system software.  This add-on system was commonly installed on W116, W126, R107, W123, W201, W124, W140 and R129 models.

The second generation system is much more common than its vacuum predecessor and the electronic control unit does not suffer the ravages of time well.  Typical fault symptoms may vary from hunting, failure to engage and random drop-out when in cruise mode.  There are many different variants suggesting that the units were perhaps not the most reliable of beasts.

The good news is that the ECUs can be repaired and that this is a DIY operation if you are handy with a soldering iron and have around two hours to spare.  If not then there are people in the Mercedes Benz Club who can repair and test these modules.

For a detailed article on the subject visit the Technical Reference Library of the Mercedes-Benz Club at http://www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk

The Club is the oldest Mercedes-Benz Club in the world with around 10,000 members and covers all ages and models of Mercedes cars including the Smart range.