94 Ranger 4.0 cruise control broke

[alabamafrog]

Anybody got any idea what to try next to fix the cruise on my 94 Ford Ranger?
She is a 4.0L 5 speed and I have had her for around 14 years. A few years ago the cruise started acting up, after about 10 minutes or so it would shut off and not work again to the next day. Then later on it became more intermittent, would work some days and some days not. Then it got to where it wouldn’t work for months then work one day then not again for months. Now it never works.
I have tried to fix it over the years, I changed the sensor where it plugs into the tranny by the speedometer cable. I checked for codes in the computer, I used a meter to test the steering wheel switches like the book said. According to my manual the next thing to try is there is supposed to be a brain box behind the glove box and the manual says swap it with a known good one. Only problem is this is an expensive part to throw at it.
Anybody got any advice for me?
Darn truck has performed well with very few problems for over 200,000 hard miles but it drives me crazy not having cruise.

[kimber_da]

Does it have some sort of cruise module? I'm not familiar with the generation differncies, but if it does, i my be as simple as unplugging it and plugging it back in.

Don't know if it's right, but it's all I got. Good Luck

[alabamafrog]

Okay it started working again today, it has worked for 3 trips this morning averaging 30 miles each with no problems. This is the first time it has worked in several months and I haven’t done anything to it. Darn thing is aggravating me.

[Goose350]

Gremlins..

[alabamafrog]

Well it has quit again, last 3 trips I made today it no work at all.
I figure its got to be an electrical connection somewhere….but where?

[Goose350]

I would start off easy, like the buttons on the steering wheel.

[alabamafrog]

I finally got cruise control working again. Long story short I swapped out the little green box that behind the dash above the glove box. Its some sort of amplifier board. It was real easy to change, 2 plugs and 4 screws and I got one for $10 from a guy that was parting out his old ranger.
Now maybe I can start being happy to drive little red again after years of aggravation!
I use cruise all the time and can’t stand not having it.