Well, like the title states. I've had this Ranger about a year (it's my third one, first being a new 2000). Got it by trading a 2000 Honda Rancher straight up. 115k miles, really nice, though it has needed a few things. Only things that don't currently work are the cruise and A/C. I'll tackle the A/C eventually, but right now I'm itching to get the cruise working. Not sure if a '94 even has a dash light, but nothing works cruise-wise, and not sure where to start the trouble shooting. Is there a thread that I missed, or someone that has some kind of procedure to trouble shoot it?

 

Welcome to the forum

The horn works right?
Than means the buttons on steering wheel have a good ground, control is all Ground based

Fuse 6(10amp) in cab fuse box powers Cruise

No, no Cruise light either on/off or SET, that started in 1996 Rangers, I think

Check vacuum hoses at servo in engine bay, one goes to the intake check it for leaks, and there is a 2nd hose that can be T'ed off intake line or hooked up separately to servo
This hose goes into the cab and to the back side of power brake booster where pushrod is, this is a Vacuum Dump, an emergency shutoff for cruise control because if opened the servo would lose vacuum so could no longer hold throttle open

There is a Clutch/neutral switch and also a Brake light switch
In a manual if clutch pedal is pushed down that would cancel Cruise set speed
Brake light coming on does the same, cancels set speed
But if either are broken then you can not SET a speed to begin with

In 1994 the cruise control amplifier(brain) should be above glove box
Fold glove box down(pinch the sides)
Remove glove box light bracket and you should see the cruise module bracket just above, remove its screws and lower down the module

Wiring diagrams below

You can ohm out the wires to see if buttons are working
And of course test for voltage and ground

 

Thanks so much. Horn does work, so okay there. No stranger to a wrench, so now I have a project! Got a set of factory manuals headed my way too for future stuff.

 

Ok, so the troubleshooting begins. Ground to the steering is good (horn works), #6 fuse is good. Brake lights work. I examined all the vacuum hoses to the servo, all good and soft, though I will check them more w/ some carb cleaner later. I did find the vacuum dump under the dash, and not that I think it's the problem but how does it operate? Other than being depressed and releasing vacuum, how does that happen? I see nothing that contacts the plunger. Nothing even close, and nothing appears to be missing. Picture is at an awkward angle, looking upwards from under the dash.