Cruise Control Wouldn't Turn on?

Has your car ever been in an accident? The spiral cable that runs in the steering wheel may be faulty

 

You need to rule out clock spring cable and brake light switch.

Brake light switch.
Depress the brake pedal, the brake lights come on? Release the brake pedal, the brake lights go off? If yes to these two questions, your brake light switch is not the cause of the cruise control not working.

Clock Spring Cable.
Do the radio and AC steering wheel buttons work at all positions? A simple test is to park the car with the wheels pointing forward, and the steering wheel dead centered. Place a piece of tape at the very top of the steering wheel (this is your 12 o'clock position). Test all the steering wheel buttons (radio, AC, etc), at this 12 o'clock position. Do all the steering wheel button functions work? Move the steering wheel to 1 o'clock, and perform the steering wheel button test again. Go to 2 o'clock and test the buttons. Keep doing this at the other "hour" positions (3, 4, 5, 6), then go to 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6. A broken clock spring cable will reveal itself by intermittent operability of some or all the steering wheel buttons, at certain hour positions.

This post has some good pictures of the clock spring cable and why a broken clock spring causes problems.
2006 Prius clock spring (spiral cable) repair | PriusChat

If brake light switch and clock spring cable are working, it will be something else. But these two items are the most common culprits.

 

One way to get these symptoms is to shift to B. Unless you are braking, it is hard to notice you have. While in B you can't use Cruise.

 

Jimbo i just want to way say that

 

1) Drive in a continuous left handed circle, so the broken connection(s) in the clockspring are reestablished and maintained; impossible.
2) Attempt a repair, like the referenced thread in post #4 above; however, this is very short term.
3) Replace the defective clockspring with a Genuine OEM Toyota part; the best long term solution.

Since you seem to lack the skills to do this repair, price shop independent shops and dealers on their labor rates. Ask for discounts (AAA, military, Costco membership program, etc).

Remember these old proverbs: You get what you pay for. Penny wise, pound foolish.

FAKE clocksprings are available on crapbay (ebay) for $8-$30.
toyota prius clockspring | eBay
Genuine OEM Toyota part costs $220.88 from Camelback Toyota; your original clockspring lasted 11, possibly 12 years (depending on your vehicle production date).
2007 Toyota Prius Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts - Genuine OEM Parts - Free Shipping

Many posts of people who were penny wise, pound foolish. Crapbay part failed soon after installation (~1year). Now these people have to redo their labor or pay for someone's labor AGAIN.

The clockspring connects your steering wheel airbag to the SRS/Airbag ECUs. Read post #3, and decide for yourself, if your life is worth $8 or $220.88. Be careful of counterfeit Clocksprings / Spiral Cables sold online | PriusChat​

If you saw the pictures in the referenced thread in post #4, above, you will have seen that the clockspring cable is a few sheets of paper thick. As you know, nothing lasts forever. The car is a tough environment for things to function in: temperature fluctuations, road vibrations, and movement the part may directly experience. It should amaze you that the few sheets of paper thick, clockspring cable, lasts as long as it does.

As for the stereo shop possible breaking the clockspring cable, ..., anything is possible. Ask yourself this, how likely is it that the stereo installer, turned the steering wheel all the way left, then all the way right, or visa versa, for a million/billion/trillion cycles, causing unnecessary wear on the clockspring cable?

 

How should i know that my prius 2007 has cruise control system installed just need an aftermarket cruise control lever?

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

That worked! Would be nice if the two other issues to restore were as simple. Thanks much!

Great info! Found was the above. I still don't understand why just yet, though can read into more once I finish up some other stuff.