Cruise Control
Installation Guide
Vauxhall Corsa C
Vehicle Engine Codes:
Z12XEP
Z14XEP
Approximate Years: 54 > 56 plates
[22/03/2014]
Steps Performed on the following model:
Vauxhall Corsa Z14XEP 1.4 Twinport 2006 Facelift 5 Door SXI+EARLY APOLOGIES FOR ANY GRAMMATICAL ERRORS
READ THE
DISCLAIMER
SECTION ON PRINCIPLE TO UNDERSTAND
THE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS THAT COULD RESULT FOLLOWING
Recognition
Thanks for all the help figuring out how to make the MOD work -
credit goes to these people on Corsa C UK for their help.
It would not have been easy or essentially possible to produce this
guidance however, neither the author nor related contributors
accept any responsibility for the information contained within this
guide – and therefore reject all prior legal responsibility to any
damage/ accident or loss following the guidance of this guide.
If you want a list of the contributors I can provide it to you at a later
date but they all know who they are!
DISCLAIMER – YOU MUST READ THIS FIRST!
I (THE AUTHOR) DO NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR
FORM ACCEPT LIABILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE/ INJURY
OR LOSS RESULTING FROM THIS GUIDE ON CRUISE
CONTROL INSTALLATION AND DO NOT CODONE ITS
USE AS STRICT RULE, IT IS MEANT AS A GUIDE ON
HOW CRUISE CONTROL COULD BE ADDED – AND
HENCE FORTH REJECT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR
ACTIONS RESULTING FROM THIS GUIDANCE.
DURING THIS MODIFICATION – THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY YOU
COULD IRREVERIABILY DAMAGE YOUR CARS ELECTRICAL AND
MECHNICAL SYSTEMS AND THEREFORE THE UPMOST CARE SHOULD
BE TAKEN DURING EACH STEP.
YOU MUST HAVE A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE OF ELECTRONICS AND AUTOMATIVE TECHNICS IN ORDER TO CORRECTLY STEER THROUGH THE STEPS. It is the car owner/ drivers responsibility to ensure the safety of their vehicle following any modification to the electrical system. If you are concerned about any aspect of this guide DO NOT attempt it – and have a fully qualified automotive technician check the
safety of your vehicle by way of a safety check or MOT.
This guidance is not necessarily the best or proper way to handle the cars electrical system and my methods/ techniques are therefore to be considered as ‘bad practice’ in all shapes
and form – for your own protection.
THIS MODIFICATION HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DO SERIOUS BODILY
HARM SHOULD THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION AND HENCE FAILS TO
DISABLE. THEREFORE IT IS THE DRIVERS/ OWNERS RESPONSBILITY
TO TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE USE OR INSTALLATION
INTRODUCTION:
No doubt you find yourself reading this guide today because you find
yourself with foot ache or because you are a long distance driver
wanted cruise control that was not natively fitted to your Corsa C.
The cruise control system was an optional extra on Vauxhall Corsa’s and came
as part of the “Plus Pack” which included 16” alloy wheels, remote ultrasonic
alarm system.
It was ONLY available on MANUAL models.
<It did feature in some SRI models>
Corsa C Facelift Variants
< In order of features from poverty to sport >
Expression (cheapest, poverty model)
Life
Design
SXI
SXI+
SRI (most expensive, sports model)
I will seek to show you the steps that are required in installing Cruise
Control (CC) into your FACELIFT Corsa C; with images and
diagrammatic representations of the wiring system surrounding your
Motronic Canbus Engine Control Unit.
A breakdown then of the steps you will be required to carry
out to get the system live:
1. ) Check your engine code is compatible with that of this manual
<Only Corsa C models shown below are intended for a direct comparison with this guidemanual>
Z12XEP (1.2 Twinport) Z14XEP (1.4 Twinport)
Should you have a different engine code I will provide some information at the back of this book about slight differences in the steps you need to take to get the system working and
the troubles you may have.
2. ) Stalk/ Indicator Wiring at dashboard level
Pin 4 of Indicator/ Cruise Stalk > Pin 2 of Body Control Module PlugFacelift Corsa’s SHOULD have this cable in situ as standard on (SXI/ SXI+) models but I have not investigated any other models/ variants.
3. ) Cruise Control Switch Assembly and Wiring
Clutch Switch Pin (there are only two) to Pin 8 of Engine Control Unit Delphi Plug
4. ) Engine Control Unit Wiring
Entering the Delphi Plug/ inserting a wire and clip safely
5. ) OPCOM programming steps
Using your OPCOM programme to activate Cruise Control in the Engine Management and Body Control System
Catch 22:
Find these things out first!
Pin 4 Stalk to Pin 2 BCM – brown and grey wire?
Remove your trim panels in the drivers foot well and the Steering Cowling to
determine if you have this wire. If you do like I did then your job is 50% done.
Pin 8 Delphi Connector ECU (X53) – Pin 4 Clutch Switch
It is unlikely that you have this wire in situ. Using the Dephi Plug
disassembly guide – check to see if you have a GREY wire coming
from Pin 8 – I did! Although I never used it. If you don’t it is not the
end of the world.
If you do:
Check the next set of places:
Plug X21 (drivers footwell)
Pin 10 – as seen in the red
circle.
X1 – Pin 34
It is my opinion that if the grey cable does not meet you in the interior loom at
plug X21 Pin 10, it will be at the X1 socket at pin 34 (red ring). Should this be
the case I would disregard its presence and fit a new cable as the hassle of
getting at it in the body control module is more work that its worth.
HOWEVER, if you are trying to wire a stalk wire Pin 4 to BCM Pin 2 on the X45
BCM plug (green ring) you may have more of a chance and it MAY be
Step 1: What you will need (Shopping List)
Tools:
Torx Screwdriver/ ¼ Drive Socket Set/ Allen Keys
Wire Strippers
Wire Side cutters
Soldering Iron/ Solder/ Flux
Heatshrink
Wire – approximately Gauge 16 – automotive high temp wire
preferable
Insulation Tape
Zip Ties/ Cable Tidy
Precision Screwdrivers
Standard size – Flat Head/ Philips Screwdrivers
Long Nose Pliers
Gloves (minimize injury, and dirt)
Hardware:
Cruise Control Stalk – (£44.60 from Vauxhall)
Clutch Switch – (£9.80 from Vauxhall)
OPCOM – (£18 - £30 from Ebay)
A portable computer from OPCOM
Small radio control modelling connector or computer fan connector
(commonly used in PC LED applications/ or Remote Control Cars/ PC
fans) for connecting to Clutch Switch
Delphi Wiring Harness Pin (from a Scrap Car: preferable car is a
05,55,06,56) plate Astra H as it has a long wire and pin to assist (you
can pick out one from a Corsa C facelift but it will more difficuilt to find
and harder to wire).
STEP 2: Indicator/ Cruise Control Stalk
You MUST identify whether or not you have the correct number of
wires installed in your indicator stalk.
1) Remove the steering column cover and expose the indicator stalk and its plug. 2) There should be 1 T20 Torx screw underneath the steering cover, and then two clips
behind the steering wheel.
3) Once the covers are off – remove the indicator stalk by squeezing the lugs together to release the entire component. You then must remove the plug from the back by pushing the blue slider back and releasing a clip.
4) Now you need to check the presence of your wires:
a. There should be FOUR (4) wires present at the plug and the cruise control wire is the BROWN/GREEN wire.
b. If your wire is NOT present you need to: Install a small 0.2mm wire from Pin 4 of this connector to Pin 2 of the Body Control Module Plug which is located in the engine bay on the nearside just in front of the car battery (under a cover which is waterproofed and sealed with Torx screws)
5) I HAVE NOT PROVIDED PHYSICAL IMAGES OF THE WIRING PROCESS AS MY MODEL
VARIANT HAD THIS WIRE IN SITU HOWEVER ILL PROVIDE SOME DIAGMATIC VIEWS OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
Possible steps to take if you need to install this cable:
1) Scavenge a donor stalk cable from a Corsa C with the plug to obtain the pin required to fit into the plug and a donor cable and pin from the BCM unit of the same car.
2) Run a small wire from this stalk down the steering system (without affecting the motion of the wheel) behind the dashboard to the BCM - this is located behind the glove compartment.
3) Disassemble the BCM by removing the control units – unpinning the BCM board and repining the plug with the scavenged wire.
4) Solder the two wires together and heat shrink.
Stalk Pin 4 goes to X45 plug Pin Number 2 – a visual representation of the plug is seen above. There is an approximate location in the CATCH 22 section of this document.
STEP 3: Cruise Control Switch Wiring
The cruise control switch is similar to that of a brake stop switch located just to the right of the clutch pedal.
There has been people that have recycled a brake stop switch from Corsa C into the clutch switch and essentially that will work – however in the interest of a neat job I have purchased a proper PTB Clutch Position Switch and Connector.
The clutch PTB switch works one of two ways depending on how it is wired and there is no information as to whether it remains live throughout ignition operation.
When the pedal is at its highest position the switch will be pushed in on the CLOSED loop there is 12 volts to Pin 8 of the ECU. When you depress the clutch the circuit is broken and there should be no power to Pin 8. The ECU then knows that the pedal has been depressed and it should no longer continue CC throttle body regulation.
You can check the voltage and wiring using a multimeter – to determine if any current is being transmitted through the cables – or without having the system live, resistance test the wiring (continuity test) to determine if the wire is good.
It is located under the dashboard behind a series of covers and for the purpose of this I will not go into how to remove those – but a handy Haynes Manual or a Corsa C UK tutorial will show you how this is done.
The clutch switch is located inside that square metal piece of the clutch pedal assembly and sits “upside down” with the wires pointing up so the button makes contact with the pedal.
If you happen to have a 1.7 Diesel Turbo Injected Engine from the Corsa C before 54 plate in the preface lift style you SHOULD have the wiring in place for the switch.
If not you will need these two components:
The physical switch and then a connector in order for reliable operation.
This is the switch and connector that I will be using in this tutorial.
1) With your clutch connector – the GREY wire is the wire that proceeds to pin 8 of the ECU and therefore is the signal. You will need to SOLDER (the only reliable way of wiring) onto the end of your lead – leaving a long stretch of wire to pass through the wall of the cockpit and down to the ECU.
a. The new grey wire that you have extended will then pass behind the
dashboard through the stereo and into the back of the glove compartment. 2) The BLACK connector is the ignition live, originally it was fed from Fuse 40 (a 10Amp
rated fuse) however this is not possible to do effectively so you have two choices:
a. Patch an ignition live from the brake stop switch on the middle peddle to the black wire (this is the recommended route).
b. Place a wire from the cigarette lighter socket (wire behind), to an inline fuse holder with a rated fuse of 10 Amps, and then use this as your ignition live feed.
You can see demonstrated the brake switch:
To remove this – there are two lugs – one located underneath and the other on top – it can be very difficult to remove this switch but don’t just pull – take your time and remember to try and release those lugs without snapping them off.
1) There is two black and yellow wires and these are NOT to be touched.
2) Then there is a small black wire that looks across pins 1 and 3 – which is to carry a 12v ignition current over two pins. Then there is a single black wire proceeding up to the main loom.
3) You will need to cut this wire, strip it off and then attach another small wire and solder everything up together.
4) Before you solder, place a decent length of heat shrink on the unconnected wire so it can cover the soldered connection. But make sure it is cool first otherwise the heat shrink will not fit over and shrink itself before you have it correctly placed.
5) It is ridiculously difficult and soldering in a confined space its hard but eventually you will get it to connect as I did.
6) I did all this, and then placed some duct tape over the whole lot – just to protect the join from heat sources. You don’t have to but I was paranoid).
*WARNING: YOU AND VAUXHALL MUST
CHECK & TRIPLE
CHECK
THE OPERATION OF YOUR BRAKE LIGHTS
FOLLOWING THIS STEP! YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST NOT
You can see from the diagram to the left the location of the clutch switch and the wiring I have coming off of it.
You can see vaguely the blue zip tie I have running around the switch holding the wires in place so that the connector does not come off.
Here is a picture of the types of connector that can be used for the clutch switch – you can find this type of connector from a typical computer fan, or even something like a remote control car, or a computer reset/ light wire– this isn’t the precise one but I am confident that it will fit the switch pins!
Fitting the Clutch Switch to the
Pedal:
I struggled to fit the clutch switch as it is a VERY tight fit:
My advice is as follows:
Find a spare but of cable and tie the clutch pedal down to the steering column so that you have more room to
manoeuvre the switch.
Do not bother pressing the lugs on the switch as you’ll only damage the plastic on them and then the switch won’t stay in.
1) There is a red sheath located on the clutch switch – you will need to push this down slightly in order to remove the green security pin (protects the switch on transport)
2) Pull the red sheath back up to the top as this in affect allows the lugs that hold the switch in position to move in slightly as you push the switch in
3) Once the switch is push in – push the red sheath all the way back so it locks the switch in position
4) Untie your clutch pedal and gently lift it in the first instance to come into contact with the switch as it locks the switch on the first contact.
STEP 4: Engine Control Unit Wiring
There are a number of things to consider with this step:
1) Are you competent and comfortable with messing with the cars can bus electrical wiring as without proper knowledge you could seriously damage the internal workings of the system and cause faults?
2) Are you prepared for it to go wrong? To be safe – consider what you will do if you damage the plug or wires – the bill for a new loom is approximately £250 from a registered Vauxhall Dealership so be prepared in case it all goes wrong!
So at this stage you should have your cruise control stalk installed, and a clutch switch located with a single wire passing into the engine bay to be installed.
Firstly you are wanted to install your cruise control wire onto the cars electrical loom on a
DELPHI grey handle push fit plug (usually the lower of the two connectors). This has only
one single wire passing out one side as opposed to the other bosch wire that has two and connects up all the engine sensors such as the Mass Air Flow, O2 Lambda, Crankshaft and Oil Pressure.
This is a picture of the DELPHI plug from an actual Corsa C.
You can recognize this plug by its white central connector – its grey handle and slider than pass out of the plug on removal – this grey mechanism can be a bit stuff and using a screwdriver on the slider can help to unlock it from the control unit.
This is a demonstration of the wires already fitted in this plug. They are not glued in on this model, and all that is required is a 0.35mm grey wire (or equivalent) to be installed along the top line (demonstrated in the image) on the 8th pin in from the grey slider side. You can see the line and reference point from the brown/ red wire located in pin 13 (see arrow).
To get the correct wire and pin:
Take a trip to your nearest scrap yard or phone them before hand to identify two things:
1) Do they have a Corsa C in stock beyond 54 plate (petrol 1.0/1.2/1.4). 2) Is there a loom still in situ for the ECU plug?
Once you have located a suitable donor – remove the Delphi plug cutting as far from the plug as you can to give yourself lots of wire to play with.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WIRE CRUISE CONTROL TO THE TOP PLUG PICTURED BELOW
This is the plug for the engine harness and wires up sensors – it plays no part in CC but I have it pictured here for your demonstration. This has two wires out of either side and it’s the first plug you see that you have to slide a plastic cover across to disconnect.
Delphi Plug Diassembly and Pin Wiring Process:
THIS IS THE SAME PLUG AS THE CORSA C (ITS FROM AN ASTRA H) BUT DISREGARD THE DIFFERENCE IN COLOUR.
^ THE DELPHI PLUG AS IT WILL BE IN SITU ^
1: Take the plug out of the ECU socket – it can be stif. (As you pull back on the grey plastic handle, use a screwdriver to prise the slider out as well as you will break the handle doing it alone.
3: You need to remove the top cover of the plug – make sure the handle is pulled all the ways back otherwise the cover won’t come off. Then release the two lugs on each side by carefully prising with a precision screwdriver.
Notice that the back of the plug with the cover open has small numbers identifying the pins on the end of each row – this is useful for finding Pin 8 – (PIN 8 is arrowed).
5: To insert a pin – you need to remove the pin locking plastic – it is a small red/brown coloured device and you just prise it out with a precision screwdriver.
6: Find Pin 8 on the plug – notice there are small numberings on the side to help you locate the correct hole.
Note the small pin has a (tooth edge at the top) this locks it into place which is why when you feel resistance you may have the pin the wrong way round.
7: Take your pin and wire, and slide it (the correct way up) into the plug – usually they slide in with ease but if not a SMALL spray on the pin of WD40 will assist. If it won’t go in it maybe the wrong way round. Make sure you have soldered your new piece of wire that has enough length to travel to the drivers foot well before inserting the pin for your ease. 8: Reassemble remembering to carefully lock all the pins off using the red plastic retainer. 10: Place the plug back on the ecu pulling the handle back and gently tapping with a screwdriver on the slider until it locks into position.
Once you have got into the plug – gently pull a suitable wire with the pin intact – and then SOLDER, the main CC clutch switch wire you have passed into the engine bay onto it.
You may have a hole in the top casing of the plug on removal (see first image on removal guide) – so if this is the case like mine, run a couple of strips of duct tape over it to keep it watertight. Ensure that the plug is assembled correctly!
Finally with your wire in place; carefully INSULATE with special insulation tape or fabric tape along your cruise control wire so it does not short or get melted from any hot components as it will be more vulnerable to the elements than if it was installed from factory.
STEP 5: OPCOM Programming
You’ll need your cars security code in order to access the programming
aspect of the body control module so have this ready!
These guides should be pretty much the same for any Canbus compatible Vauxhall model from 2002 onwards.
2 SIMPLE PROGRAMMING STEPS
From the main menu select diagnostics
At vehicle identification menu select year, and on the next page select model. At the next page select Engine, and at next page engine code.
Press programming button. Program variant configuration.
Change the 'not present' cruise control to 'present' then press 'Perform coding go back and close down 'Engine' options and engine code windows.
In system description select 'body' select 'BCM'
select 'programming'
select program variant configuration enter 4 digit security code
keep pressing next until you come to the option 'cruise control' and change 'not' present to present. press 'program' and select yes.
press 'back' then 'back' then 'close'
Should this process not work:
OPCOM is not the most definitive answer in programming (as I found out – mine did not work initially)
The only alternative is Vauxhall turning it on via TECH2. It is costly and they will charge you a minimum of 30 minutes labour approximately £35 – 55.
OPCOM TROUBLESHOOTING
Of all the steps involved, I found that getting it programmed was the hardest! Message: Could not load file CCORSAZ14XEP.var
I had trouble programming CC with my OPCOM – there were only two things that worked for me. Run OPCOM 100219a in Windows XP (not Win 7 with compatibility but a computer with the REAL windows XP) with Firmware 1.44 for the engine step – on the Z14XEP it would not let me programme variant config – I had to select Z12XEP despite that fact it wasn’t my engine – this can be REALLY dangerous so don’t do it – although it worked for me.
Cannot Access the Body Control Module
For my Z14XEP the best way to get into the BCM was again using Windows XP (I tried Windows 7 and 8 with no success), using OPCOM firmware 1.39 and using the China Clone 2010)
Hints and Tips:
Always check/ test your interface in Settings first to check it is working correctly
Configure the software to your correct hardware revision
Do not swap firmware from your original factory firmware unless you have to – it can damage the interface and this may have been my problem
Don’t run the engine whilst programming – just have the ignition on (only for a max of 5 minutes)
Wiring Diagrams and Relevant Materials:
Location of required ECU Plug – X53
Clutch Switch and Stop Switch Wiring Diagram from Top at Fuse 40 to wire leading to Pin 8 of the X53 ECU Delphi Connector.
INFORMATION FOR XE Engines
(Prefacelift <54)
From what I can find there is NO way to install cruise control to the following engine codes as it did not come as standard:
Z10XE
Z12XE (Motronic)
I do not believe there to be any possible or successful installation of cruise control to the follow above engine codes – their ECU design has not been listed and I have no information
regarding cruise control wiring.
I believe the engine management system was not programmed with the software to regulate the throttle body and read the Cruise Control stalk/ clutch switch signals simultaneously.
From discussions in the forum upon installation I have met two threads of the Z10XE by Mitch182 which was unsuccessful due to no recognition of the clutch switch on the ECU and some information regarding no compatibility to the Z12XE by Adrian DC.
< If you want to install on the above engines: you need to visit a Main Vauxhall Dealership – and have a TECH2 system attempt to activate the program>
From what I can determine there is a good chance you can install Cruise Control on:
Z14XE – Multec S (F) ECU – connect to Pin 8
Z18XE – Simtec 71 ECU – connect to Pin 10
Z10XEP – Motronic 7.6.1 – connect to Pin 8
From my knowledge the 1.8 engine is used across the Astra range and they come with an engine management system capable of cruise control and some SRI 1.8 models have the cruise control system fitted but that would need to be confirmed by someone who owns a Corsa C 1.8 with Cruise.
