[Rav4 Sam]

Hi I have a 98 Rav4 4 door with the 4th gen 3sgte swap, I'm here cause I can't figure out why my cruise control won't work.

I bought my rav4 from my old boss back then it was stock and he said in the 5 years he owned it the cruise control never worked, I was working in the engine bay one day after I finished I took it for a drive and the cruise control light was on so I was able to use it then but the switch wouldn't let me turn it on and off, and then I turned the car off and on again and it was off and wouldn't turn back on. I've gone through all my fuses and made sure my wire connections were good still didn't work and then I got a new switch and it still doesn't work I was told by a friend that it might have to do with the center brake light on my back door, but none of the electronics work on my back door previous to the previous owner backed it into a pole and so it has a replacement door, and I thought it could be the wiring harness so I replaced that and it's still the same. Only the lock works on the back door no sprayer no wiper no defrost no center brake light and no L.P.L.s (license plate light)check with a multi meter for the lights there getting some power but not enough to light up the light bulbs also all the bulbs are new, so if anyone has any advice on the electricall gremlins on my rav4 it would be very appreciated.

 

[LugNut]

Rear door: Is there a separate ground strap, from the door to the "frame," and if so, is it missing or damaged?

 

[iowagold]

Rear door: Is there a separate ground strap, from the door to the "frame," and if so, is it missing or damaged?

there is not on the 2000 rav 4
i just replaced the rear door on mine

the rear door stuff is most likely the harness where is runs from the door to the ps side rear in the side panel
on the ps.

remove the ps rear side panel so you can get in to where the rear door plugs are.
remove the rear door inside covers.
and pin out the wires one at a time
i bet you find breaks inside the ps side close to the plugs...
unless the bracket that holds the harness still inside the door is broken.

 

[Bigphil555]

Look at pg 24 on the attached.

A common feature as @iowagold mentioned i s the junction box JC15 - as you have "some power" as you say, there is probably green crusties somewhere on the connections causing a lack of 12V to each bulb - worth a visual in my eyes to start with

 

[Elle__Rav4]

Does your Rav have a manual transmission or an automatic transmission?

From a lot of experience with cruise control systems, the first thing I would check is the clutch switch (manual tranny) or the park/neutral switch (automatic tranny).

Next I would focus on getting the CC indicator lamp to light up in the combination meter (a.k.a. "instrument cluster"). For example, with the key in the "On" position (but engine not running), pressing the CC switch mounted on the steering column should cause the CC indicator lamp to light. You say the lamp does not light.

I attach the wiring diagram for the 1998-2000 Rav4 cruise control system.

The wiring diagram shows seven wires going into the combination meter that have something to do with the indicator light. The cruise control switch has only two wires to worry about: A ground and a wire to the Cruise Control ECU.

Initially, focus on where wire connection points and all switches. The chances of a fault are greatest at these connection points and switches.

Breaking this down:

Seven wires to the combination meter serving, one way or another, the indicator light
-- Two vehicle speed sensor wires. Let's ignore these two wires for now. Why? Because the engine is not even running.

-- One wire from the Turn & Gauge fuse. Check fuse. Continuity check possibly to be done later.

-- Check the ECU-IG fuse as well. It sends power to the manual tranny's CC switch and the CC ECU as well.

-- One wire for either the park/neutral switch (auto tranny) or clutch switch (manual tranny). These switches are prime candidates for failure. Go to the driver's footwell. Unplug the connector for the switch. On the harness side of the switch's connector, short the terminals. Put the key in the ignition and turn it to on. Press the CC switch on the steering column. See if the CC indicator comes on now. If there's any chance someone swapped a manual tranny in for an auto tranny (or vice versa) report back here. This does happen. I took five days to get a CC system running once, checking everything, until I found the five minute modification that was needed on one wire. This was all because the original vehicle had an auto tranny. A prior owner had swapped in a manual tranny.

-- Two wires that go to the Cruise control ECU. Find the cruise control ECU (in the passenger footwell, underneath paneling?). Look at the connectors. This is a great place for things to have gotten wet over the years. Like Phil said, disconnect the connectors at the Cruise Control ECU. Inspect. Clean. Possibly do checks for continuity.

-- One wire that goes to the Engine Control Module (Computer). Find the ECM under the dash, center, forward of the center console. Find the connector shown on the wiring diagram. Inspect.

Two wires to the Cruise Control Switch on the Steering Column
-- Ground wire. Check for continuity to the chassis (ground). Make sure the ground connection is, clean, not corroded and snug.
-- Wire to the Cruise Control ECU. Check for continuity to the connector on the cruise control ECU.
-- Consider shorting the two wires on the CC switch connector and seeing if the indicator light works now. I know you have a new switch. As it happens, there is a known defect in the older switches. I doubt your new switch has this defect. Still.

I do not think the rear lights would have anything to do with this, unless something way strange was going on, like a fault within a wire bundle somewhere. As I bet you know, such faults happen but are pretty rare.

 

[LugNut]

there is not on the 2000 rav 4
i just replaced the rear door on mine

the rear door stuff is most likely the harness where is runs from the door to the ps side rear in the side panel
on the ps.

I just looked at my 2000, and no separate ground strap there.

But I'd try, using a jumper cable, running from metal on the rear door directly to the negative terminal of the battery. If things now work, that isolates the problem to the negative wiring in the harness, etc. If they don't work, then likely a problem in the positive wiring.

 

[Rav4 Sam]

So no 98 rav4s don't have a ground strap for the back door. And yes mine is a manual, I'll check the ground for the back door, and I'll check the clutch switch although the one time it did work out of nowhere, when I put in the clutch or brake it would disengage the cruise control. I'll tell you what I find out, thankyou all so much for this information.

 

[Rav4 Sam]

Ok so I figured out the cruise control last night. It's the cruise control lever, the on/off button doesn't work it's missing the metal piece on the inside of the lever but I figured if you jump them with a piece of metal you can turn it on and off and it works decently, although since I did that engine swap and now it has the 3sgte it can get a little boost happy, but not too bad and it works great at around 50mph, although 80mph which is what the highway near me is it gets into boost a bit. I still have no idea on the back door, I'm probably gonna pull apart the interior tomorrow and follow the wires around and see if everything is fine.

 

[Bigphil555]

Well done on the CC find. If you are handy with the DVOM, try some continuity checks to start with - you may find a broken wire, then go for a visual as I mentioned above - I am still betting on corrosion somewhere

 

[Elle__Rav4]

I am keeping in mind that:

-- this Rav was rear-ended

-- certain lights are working but dim.

-- On the wiring diagram Phil provided, the circuits involved here appear on page 14 (defogger),page 24 (lights) and page 74 (rear washer/wiper).

-- J/C (junction connector) 15 involves the light wiring and the rear washer/wiper wiring, shown on pages 24 and 74.

-- The integration relay (mounted on the rear of the combination meter a.k.a. instrument cluster) involves the rear defogger and rear washer/wiper, shown on pages 14 and 74.

I would focus on getting one thing on the OP's list working. The rear high mounted center stop light seems like a good candidate for this. I would proceed as follows.

-- See page 24. Remove all bulbs in the rear right combination light (3 bulbs), rear left combination light (3 bulbs), the left rear side marker light (1 bulb) and the right rear side marker light (1 bulb) and the license plate light (1 bulb). A bad rear light fixture is notorious for causing faults. I would want these parts of the circuitry out of the picture while I check the rear high mounted stop light.

-- In the front of the Rav, also remove: the left and right parking light bulbs and side marker bulbs (four bulbs total). Notice how these front circuits tie into the rear circuits.

-- Press the brake pedal. Does the rear high mounted stop light shine brightly? If not, continue.

-- Find J/C 15 in the rear left of the cargo compartment. You will have to remove the rear left cargo panel. Holding the panel in place are: A number of phillips head screws, trim, and the rear left seat belt anchor bolt (requiring a 14mm socket). Fold the left rear seat forward to get at the 14mm seat belt bolt.

-- Like the others said, inspect J/C 15 closely for green crusties. If you need help getting J/C 15 apart, post back. I think I have photos of a very similar J/C (junction connector) at my web site (sites.google.com/site/ellessite/) , including how to take the connector apart, in the guide "Wiring & Connector Tips." Clean J/C 15.

-- Again, press the brake pedal. Does the rear high mounted stop light shine brightly? If not, continue.

-- For safety of property, remove the stop fuse and the tail fuse.

-- Dis-assemble the rear high mounted stop light assembly to get access to the bulb. Remove the bulb. Inspect the bulb contact points closely. With the bulb removed, check the positive (green wire) side of the fixture for continuity to ground (the chassis). There should be no continuity. Report back.



Back to the cruise control switch for a minute: The defect on the older switches was that the back of the switch would come loose. The newer switches have a small screw holding the back in place.

 

[Rav4 Sam]

Sorry for taking this long, but I haven't had any time to work on it. But yesterday I got a new thing I shut the back door after clearing off the snow and the rear wiper turned on I opened and shut it again and it turned off I did it again and it turned on again but then I found out if you try and use the rear sprayer it turned it off, so I have no idea what that means, also the rear wiper switch was in the off position.

 

[LugNut]

You have a short.

 

[iowagold]

easy to get a donor back door harness from a pick and pull salvage yard.
if you are good with tools in warm temps maybe 1-2 hours to remove carefully for the first time guy working on the rear hatch.

i have an spare but the plugs are cut off by the salvage yard when they pulled the new to me rear hatch.