Cruise Control intermittent broken - simple fix

My 2008 4.0 Tacoma had an intermittent then failed cruise control - like so many others on the forum. I was certain it was the switch because as I cruised down the highway and clicked it enough, it would go on. But replacing the switch didn't fix it, and it finally seemed to fail around 180k miles. I was ready to give up and accept that after 14 years, finally something doesn't work in my Taco.

As it turns out - a dusty engine compartment was both part of the problem and part of the solution.

Today, thinking I needed to wash the engine again, I remembered the cruise starting to fail after I last washed down the dusty engine. I wiggled the wire harness showing out from the top cover and the cruise control works again for the first time in 10k miles! And the dusty engine makes it easy to point out the problem. (see photo)

I might even take that connection apart and clean it! Spare no effort to keep the sled cruising along!

(Yup - glad to finally post something useful after learning so much here over the years)

 

I hate to pop your bubble, but that connector with the dust arrows pointing at it is the MAF (Mass Air Flow Sensor).

It has nothing to do with the Cruise Control Problems you are suffering from.

The cruise control problem is more likely to be caused by a failing spiral cable in the steering wheel.

 

This.

If that sensor plug was not connected all the way or having issues, you would see a check engine light.