[turdbomark]

hi guys,

Long time lurker, now joining the forum because I have a question, looking forward to your advice.

I sold my 2nd gen Focus about a month ago, and picked up a 3rd Gen.

It didn't come with cruise control, and my new job is about 40 miles each way. I was looking at getting a dealer installed kit, but seems to be too much hassle and too expensive.

After some searching, I found this kit:

http://www.tecmotive.com/focus-250-9612

Does anyone have experience with this kit? Easy to install, hard to install?

Please post pictures if you have this installed.

Thanks guys! [wave]

 

[SimonSellsAustin]

I couldn't own a car without cruise! Good luck on your install.

 

[Dondi]

I've ordered the same kit. Haven't received it yet. I had another Rostra kit on my Mazda Tribute. It worked beautifully. This kit seems like a much easier install since everything in the car is electronic. You essentaillly just plug it in and install the switch. The other kit I used was for a mechnical throttle. Not hard to install, just more work.

 

[HammerStriker]

I used a Rostra kit on my last ride and it worked great. Good luck and post some pictures before, during and after the install.

 

[flingwing1969]

hi guys,

Long time lurker, now joining the forum because I have a question, looking forward to your advice.

I sold my 2nd gen Focus about a month ago, and picked up a 3rd Gen.

It didn't come with cruise control, and my new job is about 40 miles each way. I was looking at getting a dealer installed kit, but seems to be too much hassle and too expensive.

After some searching, I found this kit:

http://www.tecmotive.com/focus-250-9612

Does anyone have experience with this kit? Easy to install, hard to install?

Please post pictures if you have this installed.

Thanks guys! [wave]

I had a mechanical Rostra system in my 2003 Elantra - worked great, until the tiny throttle cable broke. It was a bit of pain trying to find a replacement - local installers didn't have it and the area distributor couldn't find the part number in his list. I called Rostra to get the names/numbers and then called them back when I didn't have success. The rep at Rostra said he had two of them in his desk drawer and he would send them to me, no charge. He did, it was a 4 minute fix, and all was well. A good company.

 

[manderson952]

Sounds interesting. I have the SEL trim, which came with the cruise control, and what I like about it is, when active, it gives a digital read-out of the speed in the center screen...not exactly essential, but pretty cool =)

 

[Dondi]

My Rostra cruise control arrived Friday. It's been about 10 degrees F outside so I'll wait a while before I put it in. I'll try to post pics when I do.

 

[Dondi]

Finally put the criuse control in (www.rostra.com). Works like a dream. I hooked up the ground and power wire to the fuse panel above the passenger side foot well. Search for a post here where someone hard wired a radar detector. I did the same thing. I fished the wires through the consol over the metal bar that runs under the dash with a straightened coat hanger (take a look under the dash and you will see what I mean). The control unit is sitting on the panel that covers the steering column under the dash. The wires were plug and play. You have to remove the lower steering wheel cover (where the tilt wheel control lever is) to install the switch, but that's the hardest part and it's not that hard.

Enjoy.

 

[ross smith]

Really interested in this as my car has no cruise control either and I have a 7000klm road trip coming up, driving from melbourne to Perth.
I would be interested in a photo of the cruise control switch mounted on the steering column as I am a bit concerned how it would look and fit there.
So other than the power and ground wires all you have to do is connect the plugs to the gas and clutch pedal switches ?

 

[Dondi]

You also have to plug the OBD connector the the OBD plug. The OBD plug in the car snaps out of the bracket. The cruise connector snaps on to the end of the OBD socket it and into the bracket where the car's OBD socket was until you removed it. I problably made it sound harder than it is.

 

[ladytonya]

Pictures please? I would LOVE to get cruise installed but am worried about how it would look. I looked at the Rostra sight and posted in another thread where the OP linked me to the installation manual. That was like Greek to me! LOL! I would have to have it installed but I don't want to put something that is going to look bad in a car that I have had for 1 month.

 

[Dondi]

OK, photos.

Installed view from drives seat

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w514/mandarw99/2012_0225-Focus_Cruise0023.jpg

Installed view from door

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w514/mandarw99/2012_0225-Focus_Cruise0026.jpg

Installation. The panel above the driver's shins had to be removed to access one of the two bolts holding the lower steering column shroud on. The hidden bolt is a 7mm. The bolt near the steering wheel is a T-20. The panel that is covered by the door when the door is closed had to be removed first. It pulls right off. The lower panel also pulls right off except for one T-20 under the first panel.

http://http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w514/mandarw99/2012_0225-Focus_Cruise0025.jpg

This is the connection to the OBD port

http://http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w514/mandarw99/2012_0225-Focus_Cruise0018.jpg

This is the control modual under the dash before I connected and bound up the loose wires. The panel above the driver's shins is off

http://http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w514/mandarw99/2012_0225-Focus_Cruise0021.jpg

This is the steering column with the shroud off. Very little room inside. I placed the switch lever just in front of the blue thing. It could also go closer to the steering wheel.

http://http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w514/mandarw99/2012_0225-Focus_Cruise0020.jpg

Close-up of the installed switch. It does press against the dash a little bit and I may try to change the angle latter

http://http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w514/mandarw99/2012_0225-Focus_Cruise0022.jpg

The rest of the install is just like in the instructions. The instructions say to solder any non-plug and play connections. I did not because I did not what to solder connections under the dash just inches from my nose. Also, the clutch wire that one of the cruise wires gets connected to is very thin. Stripping the wire may result in cutting the wire. I used crimp-type connectors. Just what I did. Make up your own minds. FYI, the clutch pedal is plastic from foot pad to car body

 

[ross smith]

Thanks for the photos, it looks pretty simple to do. I have taken the steering wheel shroud off before without having to take the panel above you shins off, so this will be a cinch to do the installation. My only concern was with the actual control stalk, I didn't think there would be enough room to mount that on the steering wheel.
Wish I had one now as tonight I leave for a 7,000klm return road trip from Melbourne to Perth.

 

[ladytonya]

Looks good! I'd probably want it a little further from the dash, closer to the steering wheel, but it does at least look like it came that way from the factory. Still not something I would ever try myself and the hubby doesn't know a bolt from a washer so he's useless with this sort of thing. LOL! Anyway, thanks for the pics!


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?4f20nz

 

[Eurofordfan]

OK, photos.

Installed view from drives seat

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums/w514/mandarw99/2012_0225-Focus_Cruise0023.jpg

.......


The rest of the install is just like in the instructions. The instructions say to solder any non-plug and play connections. I did not because I did not what to solder connections under the dash just inches from my nose. Also, the clutch wire that one of the cruise wires gets connected to is very thin. Stripping the wire may result in cutting the wire. I used crimp-type connectors. Just what I did. Make up your own minds. FYI, the clutch pedal is plastic from foot pad to car body

Dondi, thank you for sharing this. Very instructive. And it makes getting an S model very viable..

As regards how it operates, can you adjust the "gain" so to speak; in other words is it really agressive in tracking the speed set-point, or can you tune down the agressivity?

I am wondering... if it is really agressive, then it might be incessantly on/off the throttle, and that'd be anoying, I would guess. I guess I am wondering if you can actually set a "deadband" -- where it does not react? If the deadband is too little, or if the "gain" is too high, then the control ends up being jerky, I believe.

Please, any specialists in automated control, jump in here!

In any case, each time the throttle is closed, it shuts off the injectors (I believe) and each time the throttle is reawakened, it turns them on again (on some cars, with a "start" or jerk). This is why I ask this.

In the lower gears, this jerking may be more noticeable... but likely of course, you'd be in 5th, in using the cruise control.

Also, if on the level, you set the speed for the cruise control (being in 5th) -- and then you hit a hill, and it cannot buck the hill, and buries the throttle... well, does the system you purchased, kick off cruise control, rather than lugging / damaging the engine? Does it, increase throttle by, say, 30%, and then cut out if that 30% increase cannot maintain speed?

Thx in advance, for your time in answering...

 

[Dondi]

The cruise is not aggressive in tracking the speed. There is no gain adjustment (or any other kind of adjustment). I use the cruise at highway speeds of about 65 - 75 mph. Any adjustments of speed by the cruise are not really noticable. No full trottle and full let off, for example. No jerkiness at all. It just seems to open up or close down the trottle a little as needed. I do have some hills on my commute but nothing really taxing so I can't say how it would work in really hill areas. As you guessed, I really only use it in 5th gear so I can't say how it would work in lower gears. Hope this helps.

 

[Eurofordfan]

The cruise is not aggressive in tracking the speed. There is no gain adjustment (or any other kind of adjustment). I use the cruise at highway speeds of about 65 - 75 mph. Any adjustments of speed by the cruise are not really noticable. No full trottle and full let off, for example. No jerkiness at all. It just seems to open up or close down the trottle a little as needed. I do have some hills on my commute but nothing really taxing so I can't say how it would work in really hill areas. As you guessed, I really only use it in 5th gear so I can't say how it would work in lower gears. Hope this helps.

It does help; thx.

Good install; good result. And the price is right, though you had to install yourself (which is probably not a 'real big issue).

Allows the option of buying, if you want, a decontented car (like the S Model, say) -- without the FoMoCo idea of packaging options. For me, all that's important is cruise and central locking. I am pleased to have a minimalist ride.

Now if only I can figure out how to knock out the traction control without losing ABS, too.

Would love to, also, cancel out ESC... without losing ABS.

The rear wheel brake proportioning would still remain active if i) ABS wheel sensors remain in service, and ii) if the solenoids associated with the brake ABS unit remain active. Any other ABS system fault that can be introduced into the system (by way of a switch) would leave a viable brake system (albeit without ABS control) and would then deactivate TCS and ESC -- for the short periods of time that i'd want that to be the case...

Thx again,

Eurofordfan

 

[babbo]

I ordered a new steering wheel with the cruise controls. I'm gonna install and it and see if flashing the software makes it work...*fingers crossed*

 

[Macbot]

Please keep us posted! How much was the new wheel?

 

[babbo]

I work for a Ford Dealership, so I upgraded and got the leather-wrapped wheel for around $189.