Sidekick Sport Cruise Control

[Axel]

Hey y'all, thanks for the forum. I just joined. I have a 98 Sidekick Sport with 155K, 5speed, 3 inch lift, skid plates, 29.5 inch tires, in amazing shape generally. Removed the rear seat and with a rooftop tent have modified it for an off road camping vehicle... But I've started to develop what seem to be electrical gremlins. 

ABS was working, light came on, which I ignored for six months with other things distracting me. And ABS no longer functioned. Just replaced a faulty wheel sensor harness, found by comparing resistance on known good ones, ABS warning light went off but the ABS is still not working. Anyone know of a guide for diagnosing the ABS system?

And more recently the cruise control quit. I have a bad knee and really rely on cruise for long drives so want this back more than the ABS right now. Is there any guidance for diagnosing the CC system and perhaps a source for a new switch? I haven't been able to find one online.

I have had some experience with lift kits and will post a review and some fotos soon.

[fixkick]

sure, ABS has many failure modes. (first if sensors are good,then no bad brakes are allowed of ABS sees gross imbalances it goes off line)
bad pads /shoes or oil soaked or caliper pins (sliders) or pistons sticking allowed, so brakes are first and ABS last.
did you scan it?

and cruise dead too. check fuses?
the older kicks have motor drive cruise, not sure yours ,finding sport manuals now is very hard.
but the old car uses spark pulse from coil primary called tachometer brown wire ( uses RPM to see engine not idling or out of control (surge) RPM.
goes to CRUISE box. in dash, to do engine RPM and then see SPEED from VSS sensor. to do cruise.
the Cruise box goes dead (offline) if the brake switch on the pedal GOES BAD. i wonder if same switch dead kills ABS?

As you know the brake switch (2 inside the switch) one goes to cruise if bad thinks you are stopping and ends the cruise. (by law too)
to test cruise box we test all inputs first. per FSM.(factory service manual)


and this box controls the under hood motor cruise and its own DRIVE TB cable. all this can fail. every inch testing it is not easy. FSM is mandatory.

on modern cars the cruise is only software now (throttle by wire ) steals that and does cruise for free (you buy lever only ,cruise) and full DTC diagnostics now.
on modern cars TBW goes bad so will cruise,fix TPS TBW first. but is not your car but shows how things work. (predicates must work first)

I do not think this old car had cruise diagnostics. (leaving guessing and manual pin tests) fuses first , as always.
does your tachometer in the cluster work?: this is 2nd test.
Did you connect any good Scan tool to DLC 16pin at right knee and see all DTC errors first. we can first now next.(after fuses ) and cruise cable did not fall off or snap. scan the PCM, see what errors are there, is the CEL on key on and goes out after starting engine? it must.

back to ABS:

ABS as rule has diagnostic modes too, in old cars it is not part of the ECU,/PCM.
most are dedicated,to the ABS controller itself.
in 1997 most ECU became PCM with tranny control box now hidden inside, ECU and renamed to PCM
some now let other controllers report errors to the PCM so scanning first is first. for sure.
non newer cars for sure.

The ABS has its own controller when you key on any car the controller runs self test in the ABS modulator.
if that one set of tests fail it goes off line. like stuck pistons side or dead ABS solenoid.
also oversized tires can get afoul with any ABS system, after all auto braking profiles (modulation) match only stock tires.
Some ABS even see the tires (sensor) RPM not be correct after corrective actions (skid corrections) and shut down ABS until next key on.
for sure they do not want injuries caused by ABS making a SKID worse, that would be well SUPER BAD. (class action lawsuits max?)

sorry I do not have any 98 J18 sport manuals. for sure covering ABS. (most shops do not either, just online mitchells.)

first is fuses.
then see if cruise cable is damaged. under hood.
scan the PCM. with scan tool that can do P0, p1,p2, up DTC errors, all errors.
the check all inputs to cruise controller under dash, RPM , VSS and brake status tops my list.

at some point in time NOT sure date, IF ABS goes dead, so must cruise. (and by laws on a date forward) even the ABS lamp glowing...
not sure this car. applies, but ABS has many entanglements with other systems.
on some cars even low brake fluid level switch & lamp or any brake failures , cruise goes off line.

[fixkick]

im looking on like 98 sport
ABS
it has its own control box.
2 ABS relays to fail
fuses
brake switch inputs. and parking lamp errors too. (hand brake)
has 2 diagnostic ports, one is 16pin (v/w ) labeled and one 2 pin DLC jack , only suzuki tools work.
pin A11 is stop switch input. to ABS color G/W wire.
4wd switch error shuts down ABS , if the switch is closed, and 4wd lamp glows, (not bad lamp) ABS goes dead, in 4WD, by design.
4 speed sensors
1 G-sensor.
the manual says you need Scan Tool (Tech-1) Method to read ABS and is a SUZUKI only setup. other tools do not do this.
or use the jumper way

use a jumper wire to ground the Diag. Switch terminal of the DIAG-2 connector to a good ground.
This enables the ABS warning light to flash out any stored codes, jump pin 4 to 3 on the DLC jack. test switch terminal to ground.
the flash codes for ABS are unique but 12 = GOOD.


https://i.imgur.com/6f3RUIe.jpg

[fixkick]

cruise

https://i.imgur.com/K2ggTJy.jpg




as you can see the PCM talks to the Cruise box.
that is if the car has 4speed gear box. not the 3speed. is it 4
but if is the 4speed box. with TCM auto shifting controller in the dash,
the  PCm works with the cruise to allow cruise only in some gears. or other rules IDK.
The PCM may even send you scanned errors. for cruise.IDK
PCM knows RPM and gears selected, and sends permissive  data  to the cruise box.
Why not connect up a  good quality obd2 SCAN TOOL  to the DLC port at right knee 16pin (USA spec that) and scan this car first.
that is what all shops do first.  fuse too, and any damage seen at the motor drive . above. "actuator named"

scan it first, who knows even both ABS and Cruise have errors using OBD2 scans.
keep in mind 1998 is the phase in years for full OBD2 support that is always a factor, and what you have there IDK.

[Axel]

Fantastic, thank you for all the very helpful replies. Coming from old VW's and other ancient German cars, the 'modern' electronics on this 22 y/o car is new to me. I have checked the obvious, like fuses and brakes. All is good there but this info and the FSM I was able to download from a link on the forum should guide me from here. Tach works btw and since it was the switch that went dead I was thinking it might be that as it does have a little circuit board in there but at least now I have a logical path to follow. 

I actually bought an Innova bluetooth scanner that said it was able to read ABS codes but it turns out it doesn't cover the Suzuki. After discovering that, I looked at all their products and per the CS rep, nothing they have covers the Suzuki. Is there a particular consumer level (price wise at least) scanner that does cover this car?

[fixkick]

Fantastic, thank you for all the very helpful replies. Coming from old VW's and other ancient German cars, the 'modern' electronics on this 22 y/o car is new to me. I have checked the obvious, like fuses and brakes. All is good there but this info and the FSM I was able to download from a link on the forum should guide me from here. Tach works btw and since it was the switch that went dead I was thinking it might be that as it does have a little circuit board in there but at least now I have a logical path to follow. 

I actually bought an Innova bluetooth scanner that said it was able to read ABS codes but it turns out it doesn't cover the Suzuki. After discovering that, I looked at all their products and per the CS rep, nothing they have covers the Suzuki. Is there a particular consumer level (price wise at least) scanner that does cover this car?

all USA 1996 and newer cars have  oBD2 16pin connector at your right knee cap at dash lower edge. 16 pins D shell shape, is USA standard here. (our invention too)
mandated by EPA and calif, C.A.R.B..

all all do and all scanners OBD2 work (well modern not from year 1996 made , that has 3 different pin connections) all new scanners work here.

my innova handscanner works on all these cars and all cars USA> every one. back to 1996.
my oldest innova even works 3100

all P0xxx code are used, and more in this car.

[Axel]

I was able to dismantle the Cruise switch and after cleaning and resetting the mechanical contacts my cruise works again! Good thing, as I was not able to find a replacement in my searching online and as rare as the Sport model is, it seems the ABS/Cruise equipped models are rarer still. 

As for the scanner, I got the Innova Bluetooth model because it said it included ABS diagnostics. Apparently not on the Suzuki... I could pull regular codes off it but not ABS codes. I actually called Innova and they told me that none of their models had the software to diagnose ABS on the 98 Sidekick Sport.(?) Fixkick, are you saying your Innova can do ABS diagnosis?

I decided to take it to a local mechanic I know for a scan. He scanned it with his machine but told me that he could not pull any ABS information at all. He thinks there is no facility for ABS diagnosis in the ECU. That can't be right surely? If the ECU controls the ABS there must be something there. 

Unfortunately busy with a few other things for the next couple of weeks but I will continue the saga once I have the time to spend a slow day with my car. 

And I very much appreciate the forum, this has been a fantastic help.

[fixkick]

I was able to dismantle the Cruise switch and after cleaning and resetting the mechanical contacts my cruise works again! Good thing, as I was not able to find a replacement in my searching online and as rare as the Sport model is, it seems the ABS/Cruise equipped models are rarer still. 

As for the scanner, I got the Innova Bluetooth model because it said it included ABS diagnostics. Apparently not on the Suzuki... I could pull regular codes off it but not ABS codes. I actually called Innova and they told me that none of their models had the software to diagnose ABS on the 98 Sidekick Sport.(?) Fixkick, are you saying your Innova can do ABS diagnosis?

I decided to take it to a local mechanic I know for a scan. He scanned it with his machine but told me that he could not pull any ABS information at all. He thinks there is no facility for ABS diagnosis in the ECU. That can't be right surely? If the ECU controls the ABS there must be something there. 

Unfortunately busy with a few other things for the next couple of weeks but I will continue the saga once I have the time to spend a slow day with my car. 

And I very much appreciate the forum, this has been a fantastic help.

[fixkick]

great and yes they are rare,lots of parts on this car are not made nor sold.
ABS is like this.
no 2 cars use same ABS system all are different.
this one too. custom to suzuki only.
look in the books on scan tools all have ABS supported list and you will see no suzuki there, (90s)
No this is correct. you can even read the book on the most expensive scan tool made, same answer.

keep in mind 1996 is first (99%) OBD2 ECU and the EPA never included ABS then or after, . ABS is not smog is way. NO EPA dictates there.
The manual on your car states clearly use Tech1 scan tool and is not sold now.rare, and those made wore out long long ago. (keypads dead)
it uses a 100% custom interface pins logic and levels and suzuki non published protocols.
just like 89-95 ECU are.too.

ABS can be a huge pain, best is have car and maker that supports it , unlike suzuki.
some do have blinks codes in the manual that I do not have. ABS.

all I know is what mitchells online shows, and not much..

[Axel]

great and yes they are rare,lots of parts on this car are not made nor sold.
ABS is like this.
no 2 cars use same ABS system all are different.
this one too.  custom to suzuki only.
look in the books on scan tools all have ABS supported list and you will see no suzuki there, (90s)
No this is correct.  you can even read the  book on the most  expensive scan tool made, same answer.

keep in mind 1996 is first (99%) OBD2 ECU and the EPA never included ABS then or after, .  ABS is not smog is way. NO EPA dictates there.
The manual on your car states clearly use Tech1 scan tool and is not sold now.rare, and those made wore out long long ago. (keypads dead)
it uses a 100% custom interface pins logic and levels and suzuki non published protocols.
just like 89-95 ECU are.too.

ABS can be a huge pain,  best is have car and maker that supports it , unlike suzuki.
some do have blinks codes in the manual that I do not have. ABS.

all I know is what mitchells online shows, and not much..