The cruise control little green light was staying on and my buds said it was running the battery down.

I was told the cylinder lock ignition switch was bad so I replaced it on a '88 4runner.

Now granted you could start it with a pocket knife and pull the key out in any position, but it hasn't helped. the little green light still stays on

Suggestions?

 

Get smarter "buds"?

The cruise control indicator pulls something like 3-5ma. So even a crappy battery would drive it for about 2 years. (Actually, the self-discharge rate of the battery is faster than that, but you get the idea.)

You have an electrical problem. You won't get anywhere (buds or not) without a multimeter. Once you get it out, you'll use it to measure the actual parasitic draw. Then you'll remove fuses one at a time (starting with the gauge fuse, which powers the indicator, followed by the engine fuse, which powers the cruise ECU) until you find the problem.

 

If you don't have a meter, but do have a test light, you can do this:

Pull negative terminal, put test light in between cable and post. If there's any draw, it will light. (Don't let any interior light be on when doing this.)

Remove fuses until light goes out. That's your open circuit causing the draw.

If you suspect the cruise switch, remove it first.

 

The "test light" method will work, because perry is (actually) looking for a pretty big draw (it certainly won't detect "any" draw).

But ...
Test light $15.35, will detect 12v. http://www.tooltopia.com/otc-tools-3636.aspx
Multimeter $5.99, will measure any voltage you'll ever find, will measure current from 1 uA up to 10A, will measure resistance (which you will be doing very soon), can test small batteries, diodes, and even transistors, ... http://www.harborfreight.com/7-funct...ter-90899.html

Your choice.

 

I don't have cruise control, so I don't *know* if the light is supposed to stay on with the vehicle off; I would suspect not. So, while it's not a huge amount of power, there is probably *something* wrong with the wiring (something's giving it power when it shouldn't have it). You should check (or have someone check the wiring for that circuit).

 

Is the light really on??

Another circuit with a poor ground could be grounding back through that circuit.

 

No, not "any and all" power draws. Only those greater than the resistance of the bulb inside.

I was trying to suggest a solution with tools he might already have ON HAND, not split hairs over what's a better tool for the job.

I've made a test light with an 1156 bulb and piece of wire; in a pinch it works. We don't all have Harbor Freight as next door neighbor.

 

What is this Harbor Freight You speak of??

I don`t think I have ever been in one.

Am I really missing something I feel deprived !!

 

Seriously? Man, it's just like a Candy Store is for fat people. Like a designer shoe store is for fashionable women.

They'll ship you a multimeter (if that's what you want) for about $7. My brick-and-mortar store is a few towns over, and the price of gas approaches that $7. More importantly, I don't think I've ever left that store with ONLY what I came for. But it takes more than I can carry before it REALLY gets expensive.

It's not Snap-On or Mac Tools, but it beats trying to get by with locking pliers and a hammer.

 

I have heard mention of this place Never bought anything or been in one.

Then I am pretty much a Snap On person in my younger days with my $1000.00 a month tool allowance.