Installing a Cruise Control - Steps

This procedure is for Autostrada Cruise Control system to be installed in Elgrand E51 Series II 2007 model. Some of the steps and techniques are highly dependent on this vehicle and cruise model. However it may also be taken generally, as some of the steps may be transferable for other makes and models.

This can be easily broken into 5 steps. Each step, except the Test drive, can be done in different order. I found the following order convenient for me, but there is no right or wrong order there. However, each step has its unique challenges to overcome. Also they have different techniques to follow, making the whole experience flawless.

1. Airbag Removal
2. Steering controls
3. Tapping into power and CAN bus
4. Throttle harness connection
5. Indicator installation
6. Test Drive

The most critical and possibly dangerous task is to remove and put back the airbag, without blowing it on your face. It can also be lethal if you do not know what you are doing. So I highly recommend to consult factory service manual on correctly remove the airbag following exactly as the manufacture specified. The problem with Elgrand is, the only available English repair manual for E51 does not cover this section, among many other missing information. If you have a Nissan repair manual for any other vehicle model, that would give you some idea of the manufactures procedures. Also would recommend watching couple of youtube videos, where guys show how to do this on different vehicles. If you are not confidant, please do not attempt. Best to pay for somebody else who knows how to do this safely. Please do not take this step lightly. Getting yourself killed in the process is a real possibility. 

Steering control installation partly involves fixing the steering controls to the airbag assembly, so extreme caution is needed there. Then need to fix control wires into the Clock Spring connector in steering column. Other end of the Clock Spring connector harness is located underside of the steering shroud.

Autostrad is a CAN bus system. Which means, it intercept throttle signal (accelerator pedal) and inject messages to CAN bus for controlling the vehicle speed. Its called Fly-By-Wire system, where all modern vehicles are. The best location to tap into the CAN bus is the OBD connector. Since the OBD connector front end is needed for vehicle diagnostics, its not ideal to slip wires into the connector itself. Instead, tapping the two CAN bus wires behind the connector is advised, and this requires removing cable insulation and soldering two wires in an extremely tight spot. A positive supply (ACC) is also required to power up the Cruise ECU unit, which can also be tapped at the fuse box.

Accelerator connector needs to be removed, and a T-Connector goes in-between them, tapping throttle signal. This step is relatively easy, but the connector can be a bit hard to remove first.

Next comes the indicator signal. The system comes with a bi-color LED, which can be stick somewhere suitable. Probably in a blank switch block. However, I had a different idea altogether. I wanted to interface this with the dashboard lights, where CRUISE and SET indicators are already in the instrument cluster. I hit a roadblock, learning the built-in indicators are CAN bus. The LED holes are deep enough to slip an LED and hard wire, but that's a hack which needs removal of the circuit board behind the instrument cluster, which intern requires removing the needles. They seems pretty delicate, so I didn't want to break anything, so didn't go there. Instead, I placed the LED temporary under the fuse flap, until I figure out what I am going to do with it. I badly want to use the cluster indicators, but unfortunately nobody has decoded the CAN messages to get this done just yet. I will perhaps do this, when I get time.

If everything goes well, next is to connect the battery and start the vehicle. This is a critical juncture, where I double and triple checked the connections before connecting the battery terminals. CAN bus wires and the power wire can be mixed up, if not vigilant, which can be catastrophic. It can kill the vehicle ESU and render the vehicle a brick, something I did not want to happen. In my case, this is my only vehicle, so I didn't have room to screw. Once everything looked  hunkydory, I went ahead connecting the battery, and then turning the key on.

It was a success in the first shot. And you cannot put a value to the sense of instant gratification with a success. I saved close to than $300 DIY, but earned much more satisfaction doing it myself.