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Need after market cruise control for 2008?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by trof, Feb 23, 2008.

  1. trof

    trof New Member

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    OK, I plead guilty to 'stupid' but we didn't know that our 'basic' model 2008 did not have cruise control until we were on the way home from the dealer.
    It's a long and kinda funny story that maybe I'll tell later in the thread.

    To cut to the chase...
    Rostra Precision Instruments
    Rostra Precision Controls, Inc.
    Has one that will be available "2nd or 3rd week in March".
    Don't know price yet. Maybe around $350?
    Prius Kit part # 250-1731

    Anybody else have a Prius without cruise?
    And Hi everyone.
    Newbie here.
    :)
     
  2. Jack66

    Jack66 Kinda Jovial Member

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    I bought a 2008 with cruise control and the ability to play my iPod so I can't be of much help, but I wanted to thank you for posting the website. The company's stuff looks very good and I am thinking about using their baby and back-up camera that shows up in the rearview mirror.

    Thanks!
     
  3. ken1784

    ken1784 SuperMID designer

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  4. topo

    topo New Member

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    As KEN1784 noted, it is possible to retrofit cruise control to the Prius. I fitted it to my 2004 T3and it worked very well.

    The parts required for the 2004 Prius were:
    45186-47010-CO cover steering wheel
    90159-50199 screw x2
    45188-60010 screw s/wheel
    84632-34011 switch cruise control
    84633-48020 switch c/control
    84340-47020 B/switch


    Talk to you local Toyota repairer and suggest they call Border Toyota ++ 44 1228 882000 for a heads up on the procedure.

    Several other UK owners have carried out the procedure, all successfully.
     
  5. jshargrave

    jshargrave New Member

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    Another Newbie here, just purchased last night. We also were shocked to hear that the Prius we had brought in from another state had no cruise control. I've checked in to the parts list that was given from one user, and it is verified. Is there any documentation as to how this is done? Our dealer in Atlanta keeps telling us that it can't be done......
     
  6. jshargrave

    jshargrave New Member

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    Another Newbie here, just purchased last night. We also were shocked to hear that the Prius we had brought in from another state had no cruise control. I've checked in to the parts list that was given from one user, and it is verified. Is there any documentation as to how this is done? Our dealer in Atlanta keeps telling us that it can't be done......
     
  7. EJFB1029

    EJFB1029 New Member

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    Humm, found cruise control kit, but just realized its for a 2001 to 2003, will keep checking
     
  8. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    I suggest emailing metrotpn. Ask if they can supply cruise control parts that are compatible with your steering wheel with all the do-dads on it.
     
  9. trof

    trof New Member

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    I got my cruise control.
    Dealer installed, just like the owner's manual shows.
    Same unit, same operation.
    Cost a little less than $300 installed.
    I'm a happy boy now.
     
  10. slvr_phoenix

    slvr_phoenix Tinker Gnome

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    Huh. I thought they all had cruise control. I got a 2006 model, base package, yet I have cruise control. I won't even consider buying a car without it. So did Toyota play with cruise control being in the base package? Or did I just get lucky and Toyota accidentally put cruise into my base package for free?
     
  11. lefat1

    lefat1 Fat Member

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    base model and base package are 2 different things
     
  12. RFLarcher

    RFLarcher Junior Member

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    Three
    I just got a quote from a dealer for CC added onto a new 2008 base model....$695 !!! Has anyone else tried to add this? Where and at what cost? I can live with $300 ... $695 is a rip off.
     
  13. curlyface

    curlyface New Member

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    Where did you get the 2003 prius cruise control? That's what we need. Thanks!
     
  14. RFLarcher

    RFLarcher Junior Member

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    Thanks to member trof and Bret at Eastern Shore Toyota in Daphne, Alabama. Bret faxed me the installation instructions so I could assess the difficulty of doing a Cruise Control install myself. Answer ... not at all difficult if you have any mechanical sense at all.

    Apparently there is a kit available that includes the parts (the CC switch itself, the mounting screws, and a replacement switch for the brake/CC cutoff) and two tools for cutting a hole in one of the two small plastic covers (about 2x3 inches) at the back of the steering wheel. The tools are essentially an expensive "cookie cutter" (about $180) and a tool for getting the cutter out of the resulting hole when it gets stuck (about another $20). You can dispense with the tools and just buy the parts. Cost was about $160 including shipping.

    The install instructions come with a paper template for the hole, but the hole as shown is larger than necessary. I installed the switch without cutting the small plastic cover (yet) and just left the cover off for the time being. I WILL cut a hole in it soon ... carefully with an Xacto knife. Take a look at a factory installation and you'll see that the hole is smaller than the roughly 1x2 inch template hole.

    Installing the CC switch in the steering wheel took about 15 minutes, but the brake switch install took about an hour. Removing the ac/heater register at the left side of the panel, and then removing the lower instrument finsh panel took about 20 minutes ... trial and error and then going back to the removal instructions (see 2nd link at bottom of post) so as not to damage the plastic. The really slow part came from removing and replacing the brake switch (see 1st link at bottom of post). You really do need a 14 mm crowfoot wrench, even if you take the original switch out by cutting with a rotary tool. You'll need the crowfoot to tighten the locknut back down. Pay attention to the spacing of the switch and the brack pedal bearing surface so that the brake lights come on and the CC cutoff occurs IMMEDIATELY OR NEARLY SO when the brake pedal is pressed (there are specs for this in the install instructions). Much of the time was spent trying to get my adult-sized hands up into the cramped space under the panel with a ratchet and crowfoot. The smallest 3/8-drive extender that I have is a 3-inch-long one. (The ratchet without the extender ran up against the body of the switch and didn't allow the crowfoot to seat fully around the locknut.) It would have been helpful if it was just a half-inch or an inch shorter. The ratchet-extender-crowfoot assembly JUST fit in the vertical space available, and the horizontal space allowed only about a 2-inch throw on an 8-inch ratchet.

    Here's two websites that I found invaluable:

    2001 Prius Cruise Control -- Brake (The "brake switch" part of a website describing the install of CC in a 2001 Prius ... the 2G Prius is slightly different, but the brake switch part is the same ... on a 2G Prius the 12v battery is on the RIGHT rear side and the steering wheel doesn't need to come off ... the install instructions for the 2G CC explain how to remove the horn/airbage assembly (2 torx screws) AFTER disconnecting the 12v battery AND waiting to prevent accidental airbag discharg ... instructions say 90 seconds ... I disconnected the battery before doing the brake switch, so it was off for an hour or so).

    https://www.metrotpn.com/documents/PDF%20Files/Prius/Eddie's%20XMRadio%20Install/PriusXMradio3.2.pdf This site shows how to remove the ac/heater register and the lower instrument finsh panel without breaking them. Its for an XM Radio install, but the first 10 pages are what you need to get at the brake switch "easily".)

    Thanks to both of these gentlemen for sharing their experiences with good photos too. There are some helpful posts on Priuschat Forum, Prius Modifications, Cruise Control involving CC installs on years other than 2008. Much is the same however.

    So... the bottom line is that instead of spending $695 to have the dealer install it, I spent about $160, about an hour researching this online, and about an hour and a quarter to install Cruise Control in a base model 2008 Prius. It works just fine ... very accurate ... after setting the speed, one click up or one click down changes the speed by one mile per hour + and - respectively.

    Thanks again to member trof and to Bret in the Parts Department at Eastern Shore Toyota.

    Feel free to email me if you have any questions.
     
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  15. Flying White Dutchman

    Flying White Dutchman Senior Member

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    wow there is a base model without cruise control?? WY next to the CVT and hybrid battery cruise control is 1 of the ways to save fuel?!!! and standard on any prius..
    apparently not!
     
  16. Woodman

    Woodman Junior Member

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    Went through this last night getting on a second wait list for a Base model. The brochure, by listing only Pkg#1 thru #6 leads one to conclude package #1 must the base model. It isn't and the single add-on of cruise control, or Pkg#1, is never allocated. Review 'S' vs 'P' features to see what I mean. Base models without it, also known as option 1220, and package #2's (1224) are what has been arriving with any frequency. I'm thankful for this thread and may hack that welded nut out with my 10,000RPM right angle grinder :D, or a dremel if access is an issue.
     
  17. vjanomolee

    vjanomolee New Member

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    Im a brand new 2009 Prius owner with the absolute base model, hence no cruise control.
    This thread talks about installing it in a 2001 model and Im very unclear as to which procedure I should use and which parts I should order for my 2009 base model.

    Would love a more definitive tested method for parts to order and installation procedures.

    Any and all help appreciated! Thanks in advance.
    -Matt
     
  18. Frayadjacent

    Frayadjacent Resident Conservative

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    I'm going through this ordeal now... once I get the correct parts, I'll get pictures and try to build a DIY post.
     
  19. chrisreah

    chrisreah New Member

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    Sorry to drag up an old post. I need to add cruise control to my prius. I am a little confused. Can someone tell me - for the gen 2 prius is it just a case of changing the brake light switch and adding the toyota cruise stalk or is there something else (i.e. some wiring) that needs to be done as well? thanks
     
  20. chrisreah

    chrisreah New Member

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    Got my cruise control done easily enough. It seems its even easier on the european spec models of the prius. The whole thing took me less than 10 minutes. Didn't need the crowfoot wrench either.

    Thanks rflarcher for the information and thanks evenry one for doing this thread

    If anyone with a european spec prius wants some help then give me a shout, if you are local to me i will even help you do it