Cruise Control on MY06 STI Impreza
 

Hi there,

Firstly, please don't shoot me down and tell me to use country roads instead, I do when I can!

I have a MY06 STI Spec D and unfortunately have to do a fair few motorway miles for work. Driving a traffic cop target, I am really keen to fit cruise control so temptation does not get the better of me. As far as I know, Subaru don't supply it, but it is available on the Legacy & Forrester and also on the STI in Australia.

Does anyone know if it is available to buy and how easy it would be to fit? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I really am getting nowhere with this!

Many thanks.

although not OEM, theres a company called conrad-anderson, who will oblige. Conrad Anderson UK, Vehicle Electronics.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I would rather use OEM if possible and it is frustrating that it appears to be standard on Australian vehicles and not even an option on UK models.

I asked my local Subaru dealer and they said it was not available but had no answer why it was in Aus...

Thanks again

Let us know how you get on.

It's a good idea for those tedious, long motorway journeys where the speed cops are waiting everywhere....

I will keep everyone updated.

My current plan is to e-mail Subaru in Australia and try to find out if I can buy a cruise control module from them. I will also ask them how it's fitted, but am not super confident that they will help.

My main reason is that the Subaru is a cop magnet and it is bad news getting points for going 78 in a 70. It's all too easy to squeeze on the throttle on the M6 and find yourself going way faster than you planned.

If anyone has got any further on this in the past, then please let me know.

Hmm.. 84 in a 70 here. WRC GB 2005. That's why cc would be nice.

:(

Okay, so I have sent the following e-mail to Subaru Australia:

Hi there,

I currently drive a MY06 Subaru Impreza STI (2.5), but live in Scotland in the UK.

Cruise control is not even an option on the STI model over here, but I notice that it is standard on the Australian version.

What I am hoping to find out is if it is possible to buy the cruise control unit from you and fit it to a UK spec STI. I drive many motorway miles and would love the option.

I realise that there are other companies that do provide kits to do this, but I would rather use the proper Subaru kit.

Is there anyway that you can help out with this?

Any information you can provide or any contacts you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Tony Rae

I am also going into my Subaru dealer tonight and will ask them their view on the situation.

Sorry if this is a bit of a dull thread, but I thought it best to keep everyone informed.

Also interested keep us all posted.

T.

I am now slightly determined to get to the bottom of this. I have found a contact to mail on the Subaru UK website and plan to do that shortly.

If cruise is available on the Australian spec STI, then I can't see why it would not be available on a UK STI / WRX.

Furthermore, Cruise is available on the Forrester and I think it is also available on the Legacy.

My plan is to find out if it will work and also how to fit it or if it must be installed by Subaru (If they can).

I will keep everyone posted, but again, if anyone can think of a different approach or solution, then I am all ears!

it may be worth finding out if the australian cruise control part numbers are the same on the forester as they are on the impreza, if so, maybe buy a UK forester kit. (IRC cruise control is available in US too).

Yeah, that's a very good point. I have had a reply from Subaru Australia:

Thank you for your recent email to Subaru Australia

Regarding the potential fitment of cruise control for your MY06 Impreza
Sti, we may only advise you contact one of our Subaru dealers located in
Sydney NSW Australia, I will give you the details of our two Sti Subaru
dealers as they are most familiar with your style of vehicle and parts
required operate the cruise control, failing that you may need to check
with your local Subaru dealer or distributor.
Find Subaru Location - Subaru Australia

SVM Subaru
Address
283 Pacific Hwy
Lindfield NSW 2070
Contact Details
Phone: (02) 9416 0000
Fax: (02) 9416 3003

Tynan Motors
Address
642 Princes Highway
Sutherland NSW 2232
Contact Details
Phone: (02) 9545 8888
Fax: (02) 9521 2760

I will e-mail them back asking for e-mail addresses if possible due to the detail etc.

I am also going to mail Subaru UK today.

Just to keep you updated, this is the e-mail that I ahve sent to Subaru (UK):

I would like to have cruise control fitted to my STI. I cannot find it listed anywhere as a UK option, but know that it is available on the Legacy and Forrester models.

On further investigation, it seems that this option is available on the same model abroad (STI), namely in Australia and America. I have found that it is even included as standard on the Australian STI. (Please see this link):

Subaru Impreza WRX STI WRX STI Sedan - Interior - Subaru Australia

Can you tell me if you can source the parts to fit Cruise Control to my STI? If so, it would be great to know how much the parts would cost and how much it would cost to have them fitted. I am very keen to have the proper Subaru kit rather than an after market kit.

I have posted on a forum (Scoobynet) to see if any other WRX / STI drivers knew of any Subaru parts and the response has been no, but there are several people who are keen to find out the response.

I have also contacted Subaru in Australia to see if they can provide a price for the parts and tell me if they would be compatible with a UK car. I fully appreciate that they may not know, but I am very keen to find out about this.

Any imformation or help you can provide will be greatly appreciated and thank you for taking the time to read my mail.

Kind regards,

Tony Rae

I will keep everyone posted

That was a very polite email considering the frustration !!

I'll be very interested how this turns out,i'll have a look around myself i think.

Would the non-Subaru cruise control fitment affect the warranty ?

I can imagine it may invalidate the warranty, but I am not sure. I would rather have the proper Subaru kit because it will be far neater and it is the proper item.

I also think that part of the wiring loom may already be in the car making it far easier / cheaper to install.

some thing i always wanted to fit on to my 04 plater im sure it can been doen OEM

Very interested in the outcome of this mate :thumb:

Thanks for keeping us updated. I looked into CC for my old STi V but didn't fancy using aftermarket bits.

Now with an 04 I'd really like to do it OEM if poss :cool:

I would be interested in the outcome of this too. Looking around the net it would appear the Cruise Control Module mounts in the Drivers footwell, so might be worth checking if the harness is already there.

bttt

I'm also interested in this, looking forward to more info!

WRX SL Wagon
 

Do not think this will help you but i have 03 WRX SL Wagon with the leather interior and electric sunroof and i have Cruise Control. The Subaru Dealer i got the Car from (Hylton of Worcester) said it was standard as part of the SL Spec. I did not check that out though..

I must admit to not using it though, can get better MPG on a run if i do not use it, but that obvious why that is. I have had it on a few of my cars(Non Subaru) and it never gets used. Sometimes in early hours of the morning when there is nothing on the road but thats about it.

I have all the instructions and manual indoors for it somewhere.

Do you want me to find out the make and post that up for you guys??

Any information you could provide would be excellent. I had a WRX SL (03) before my STI, but this did not have cruise and again, it was not even an option on this model.

Is the kit you have genuine (OEM) Subaru? Is the control mounted on the steering wheel or on the column? (As far as I can see, the OEM kit pokes out the right hand side of the steering wheel) Are the instructions for cruise in the owners manual?

Any info you can provide would be really great to hear more about. I have not heard back from Subaru (UK) yet, which is a shame and Subaru Australia can't seem to have e-mail addresses for the dealers which is a bit of a pest.

I am still trying my best to progress this, and anyone with info, please let us know!

Many thanks to all and I am glad this is generating interest & action.

Wiring diagram
 

I've got the wiring diagram for the cruise control if you want it. Got a Spec D myself.

That would be fantastic.

Do you know if any of the cruise wiring is in place on the Spec D? I need to try and find out what parts of the loom are there and what modules / parts I need to buy.

Anything you can provide would be great.

Thanks again...

email me and I'll try and send it to you.

As i know nothing about cruise control,i have no idea why the mpg would be lower than normal - why is this?

Simple really, say the car is set at 70MPH.

If you go up a steep hill or incline the cruise will floor the accelerator in an attempt to keep to the 60 MPH speed. In doing so burning lots of fuel.

On a steep decline or on the other side of the hill it hill easy off braking the car to keep it a 70 MPH again. Not using anymore fuel but wasting momentum. :mad:

A human for the same procedure to burn less fuel would not put his/her foot to the floor excepting the reduction in speed up a hill and the coast down the other side with out braking maybe good over 70MPH in the process. So burning less fuel in both cases, and doing the journey in the same time as if you had cruise on.:norty:

Even more can be saved if you dipped the clutch on the declines so you are still doing 70MPH and the car will be idling. Obviously if you are this worried about fuel then a Subaru may not be the car for you. But hopefully this make sense and you get the jist!!:wonder:

Checked out my Cruise and it is a GOLDCRUISE, it is a additional stalk on the left of the steering Column. The Manual is in addition to the user manual i think so it get the feeling the Subaru dealer telling me it was OEM was a porky!! :norty:

It work quite well though, look factory. Was not at home last night or tonight so will post any more info tomorrow. Do you want a pic if i can post one up??
:p

GoldCruise - unique selling points, Conrad Anderson UK, Cruise Control Kits

This is what i have, it is for OEM usage, or so it states.

On the 06/07 sti, the cruise control is implemented by the ECM which instructs the electronic throttle unit actuator. The 'command switch' is a stalk attached to the side of the steering wheel hub. I haven't confirmed this, but AFAIK, all the components needed by the system other than the command switch are in place already, and it would appear likely that the wiring is also in place. The subaru parts manual shows the command switch as part reference 83151, but wont translate that to a part number without the VIN of a e.g australian car.

i'm gagging for some OEM cruise control - i use it religiously on the wifes focus its fantasic - a real increase in mpg. I'm not sure what it would do to a scoob though.

T.

weemac2000, sounds like good gen. Any ideas if the command module needed for an 06/07STI would be the same as on a MY04 Legacy? If so might have to borrow it from my dad's car for an experiment :D

Why oh why if wiring is there and its available in Oz and USA can we not get cruise in UK??? :wonder:

Anywho, I'm in good ol' USA next week, might stop in for a chat at a dealer over there, I've always found them mega friendly and helpful in the past compared to our dealers. If anyone has any more info or specific questions please let me know!

When you're out there, if you find out that its just a case of buying a command module and nothing else, update us please :thumb:

I for one would paypal you to get me a nice cheap dealer part and a drink to say thank you for bringing it back ;)

:D