I'll start of by saying that the cruise control in my 1983 300d always has worked fine since I bought the car. It engages, accelerates, decelerates, and cancels fine with the stalk on the steering column. That being said, since I got the car, when the cruise was on and I operate either turn signal, the car will surge along with the "clicks" in the signal.

Recently, however, I've been having more and more instances of it surging and bucking (the gas-brake-gas-brake feeling) even whith no turn signals on. The car started out doing this only when I'd hit a bump in the pavement (small hole, joints in the road, etc). I didn't think much of it, but then I noticed that I could duplicate the surging when I banged on the steering wheel...a little whack would start the car surging.

This morning I noticed that it was doing it ALL the time...not just on bumps or on bangs to the steering wheel.

I've adjusted the linkage and it is not loose, so I'm thinking it might be something electrical in the column, maybe at the stalk that is either loose or shorting out.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Joe

__________________
1983 300D - 314,640 miles (not all by me) - Daily Driver --Sold--
1983 300d - 215,000 miles (approximately)

The cruise stalk is bad.

The stalk is the primary issue:
* It is in the column by the multi function switch.
* It is directly subject to vibration when you whack the steering wheel.

Fastlane: Cruise Control Column Switch
http://catalog.peachparts.com/item.wws?sku=W0133-1606561



Cruise Control Repair Articles
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=883130





Have a great day.

__________________
ASE Master Mechanic
asemastermechanic@juno.com

Prototype R&D/testing:
Thermal & Aerodynamic System Engineering (TASE) Senior vehicle instrumentation technician.
Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH).
Dynamometer.
Heat exchanger durability.
HV-A/C Climate Control.
Vehicle build.
Fleet Durability
Technical Quality Auditor.
Automotive Technical Writer

1985 300SD
1983 300D
1984 190D
2003 Volvo V70
2002 Honda Civic

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Thanks!

Is it tough to remove that switch for replacement?

I suspected it was something related to the column....those road vibrations are directly translated to the column.....

__________________
1983 300D - 314,640 miles (not all by me) - Daily Driver --Sold--
1983 300d - 215,000 miles (approximately)

Also before you go replacing the steering column unit open your hood and have an assistant push down on the go pedal. Do this while the engine is off of course.

See if there is any play in the linkages. My car bucked slightly before I lubcricated the linkages. Take a look and see if this is the case.

__________________
-Typos courtesy of my mobile phone.

Was a new stalk the fix? Mine surges as well. It also takes about 10-15 seconds to engage initially.

Thanks,

__________________
John Breslin
93 500E, 92 500E, 86 190E 16V, 62 220SEb
Music City Chapter MBCA

I had the same problem and it was the cruise amp. I ran a soldering iron through it and it's all fixed.

__________________
08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D

If I were you, I would call Peter at GDL and describe your symptoms. He's got a ton of experience with MB cruise systems.

http://gdl-online.com/begin.html

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife