Adding cruise control to 2018 F550?

Buddy_M · December 9, 2018

Just recently went back to work for a company I left nearly 2 years ago, and since they know I have a past history with Ford they were asking me about a truck they just purchased. They just got a 2018 F550 V-10 truck with a bucket lift body on it, VIN 1FD0X5HY8KEC42085. After taking delivery they realized it was ordered without cruise control. Wondering if anyone is familiar if a request can be put in somehow thru our dealer to get the as-built updated or modified to get cruise control enabled after changing out the steering wheel, or would something aftermarket be more easily done in our case.

To add to the story I did find a dealer close to us had a steering wheel in stock strangely, and after discussing what we want to do they admitted they had tried installed the steering wheel and it did not work on another unit they had in stock. They then reprogrammed with a different VIN and I got the impression it worked but they got the obvious codes for VIN mismatch. Most of our dealers around here have fairly green techs it seems, or unfamiliar with trying to do something that isn't listed in the workshop manual it seems, so I figured I'd reach out here and see if anyone on here may have done something similar.

Keith Browning · December 11, 2018

I looked through the system description and configurable parameter list and did not find anything related to adding cruise control... and now we have "adaptive cruise control" which makes things more complex. But with the standard system you need to know that cruise control involves not just the switches but also THREE modules; the SCCM, Gateway and PCM and I don't know if the IC needs to be programmed as well. I'll keep diggin!

BTW the VIN you provided returns it as a 2019 F550 with a 6.8L

Annnnd the Ford accessories webside has no cruise control updates so yeah, succeeding with this is going to require some kind of hack.

Buddy_M · December 11, 2018

Ok, my mind just had me thinking 2018 for some reason. I believe Rostra had a kit listed for the newer generation Super duty trucks with gas engines, but they are wanting the OEM look of course.

I miss the days of the trucks when you could just add the buttons or change the steering wheel and enable the option if needed and poof you had cruise control if it wasn't ordered with such. It still boggles my mind some days working on the newer chassis cabs we had and having a complaint of inop turn signals and clearing a code in the BCM and they work again. Been out of the dealership game way too long and yet I still try to stay a little familiar with what the OEM's are doing with the body controls and multiplexing as the models progress.

Keith Browning · December 11, 2018

In THEORY it should be easy to do. The only hard parts needed are the switches/steering wheel and the rest is all modules and networking if Ford would allow that to be configurable

DieselD · February 1, 2019

I agree. Remote start was another easy add on 2011-2016 super duties. oh and upfitter switchs!!! Why in the hell are all fleet trucks not standard with upfitters??!! I really hate the ford stand on " if it wasn't built with it you cant have it" Thats great except you cant find a sales order guy that knows a damn thing about checking the right boxes.

When I order our fleet trucks I spend many hours going over the order sheets to make sure I order it how I want it since its so hard to add anything now.

On 12/10/2018 at 10:35 PM, Buddy_M said:

Ok, my mind just had me thinking 2018 for some reason. I believe Rostra had a kit listed for the newer generation Super duty trucks with gas engines, but they are wanting the OEM look of course.

I miss the days of the trucks when you could just add the buttons or change the steering wheel and enable the option if needed and poof you had cruise control if it wasn't ordered with such. It still boggles my mind some days working on the newer chassis cabs we had and having a complaint of inop turn signals and clearing a code in the BCM and they work again. Been out of the dealership game way too long and yet I still try to stay a little familiar with what the OEM's are doing with the body controls and multiplexing as the models progress.