[Wildy]

The procedure I followed below is on my Fiat Urban Cross Abarth which has 1.4 Tjet engine. But this would be same for Punto Abarth and Avventura Abarth too as all these three cars share same mechanical and electrical things except few cosmetic/suspension changes.


Prelude: Ever since I bought my UC Abarth, I was fascinated to install Cruise Control as it would be really comfortable on long drives. It also works as a good tool to control our adrenaline not to go over speeding and Yes, not to forget, good mileage too. As usual, Fiat provided the Cruise Control in their European models of Punto/Abarth, but not in India. So, thought of retrofitting it and the search was began.

With some search, I came to know the combination switch part number that could fit for Puntos/Abarths released worldwide. So, I imported genuine part from Italy. I thought it could be straight fit and when I opened the stock combination switch in my car, I found there was no harness for cruise control. I was still positive and opened the Body Computer module. Let the pictures speaks the rest of the story.

Euro-spec Punto Combination Switch with Cruise Control arrived from Italy with good packing

Stock Combination switch without CC Stalk



You can see there's no harness for the cruise control






Fiat India installed Linea BCM with 36 pins. In Europe, they had installed 60 pin BCM which is compatible with Cruise Control combination switch that I had mported.

With the above experiment, I came to know, (For my horror), Fiat India have installed Linea Body computer in Indian Abarths. It was really shocking for me as I thought they would have provided everything on hand for the price we had paid. I cursed myself for not doing proper research/experiment before importing the international combination switch which become utter waste.
Disheartened and demotivated. Now What?

[Wildy]

Mr. Rajan Sir aka PatchyBoy have installed Cruise Control in his Linea Tjet a long ago, but I wasn't sure whether it could be possible in Abarth as they might have changed the ECU and other things over the years. So, with the help of Rajan Sir through our Veterans Garage whatsapp group, I began to experiment on my ECU to know whether this ECU is already programmed for Cruise Control or not. I might be stupid or ambitious or mad, I had opened the connector of ECU and tested on the port number 85 by powering it with a wire from 7.5amp fuse with 330 ohms resister in between. When I started this experiment, the excitement at our Whatsapp group was no less than a T20 cricket match as I don't know what surprise Iam going to have again.

A few pics of my experiment on this:

ECU Connector (Left One, Bottom Side)


ECU Connector (Left One, Up Side. You can also see a protective lid )


330 ohms resister




Powered a wire with 330 ohms resister into ECU port number 85 and then configured with MES



And voila, the result.

Using MultiECUScan and AlfaOBD softwares, came to know the following things of my Car.

ECU:
Bosch ME7.9.10
Bosch Number: 0261S11343
Fiat Number: 55269849
Software Number: 555777

Body Computer aka BCM:
Fiat drawing number: 51966727
Hardware Number: BC323L.0100
Hardware Version: 03
Software Number: 04440004106
Software Version: F002


So,with this experiment, I came to know Cruise Control can be done in my Abarth.

[Wildy]

The above experiment injected new energy in me and continued my project.

Now I have three options.

• Linea Combination Switch with Cruise Control Stalk: This would be a direct fit as the mechanism and body computer is the same. But you still need to make the harness to ECU to support it. But, the big flaw is you would loose the rear wiper control as the Linea Combiswitch doesn't have it. So, ruled out.

• Peugeot Cruise Control Stalk: This stalk is easily available at very affordable price in Aliexpress. But it isn’t a direct fit as we need to cut and open the stalk and then need to solder to meet the requirements of this car. The output could be cumbersome and may not be good in long term usage as the soldering should be done on magnetic strip which is vulnerable anytime. So, ruled out.

• Alfa 147 stalk: This is other alternative and the most stable fit for Indian Abarths. Still we need to do so much groundwork to fit this one. But, output will be good.

So, I rounded on Alfa 147 stalk and imported it from UK with the help of my fellow Abarth friend Mr. Naresh (A million thanks to him, without his support, this wouldn’t have happened) and then go ahead for the installation.

To install this Alfa147 Cruise stalk, we need few things as below.

• 5 different colored wires each of 2 meters with the size of 26 AWG. As I couldn't find them in local market, I have used 1 squire wires made by Minda, Finolex and Roots. If you want 26 AWG only, you may get something like this...https://www.aliexpress.com/item/50m-...742659002.html
• 4 TE MQS Connectors. I bought this... https://in.rsdelivers.com/product/te...-crimp/7121810
• 4 way connectors - 1 - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/BENK...680924984.html
• 1 way connectors - 2 - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10-s...833552639.html
• 12v Fuse Adaptor (Mini Size) to get the power from Fuse box - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/12V-...809153521.html
• 2 Meters corrugated PVC tube (Any automotive electrical shop will have it. Preferably choose a black one as it looks good in engine bay)
• ELM 327 BT or ELM 327 USB OBD scanner (I used Vgate Bluetooth OBD II Scanner) - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Vgat...849704666.html
• MultiECUScan Software
• Some hand tools


Important: Before starting installation, we need to remove battery negative terminal and wait for 10 minutes.

Now, let the pictures speaks the installation part

This is how Alfa147 combination switch arrived. First, we have to dismantle the Cruise Control stalk from it.


CC Stalk dismantle process


After removing the stalk from Alfa147 Combibox


Corrugated PVC tube


1 Square cables and PVC pipe



PVC tube with wires going into cabin from the left corner (driver side)




Crimped and ready to install MQS connector wires




CC wires passed from Engine Bay which were diverted to reach the CC stalk just below steering.



Fuse adapter


Fuse adaptor taking the power source from a 7.5amp



Important: The CC stalk wires represent as this.


Yellow - to get 12V power from fuse box in the cabin through an adaptor
Green - Goes to Pin number 61 in ECU - Representing Green wire in ECU (Resume)
Red- Goes to Pin number 84 in ECU - Representing Black wire in ECU (+ Signal, to increase speed)
Orange - Goes to Pin number 85 in ECU - Representing Light Green wire in ECU (On/Off)
Blue - Goes to Pin number 86 in ECU - Representing Red wire in ECU (- Signal, to decrease the speed)



Then, you have to remove ECU left side connector to insert MQS pins in the connector. This picture is after installing the MQS pins at the slots of 61, 84,85 & 86 (Please note, you should remove the battery negative terminal and wait for 10 minutes, before doing this procedure)


This is how it looks after installing the MQS pins in ECU connector


Making hole to fit CC stalk on Steering trim plug


This is how it looks like after cutting extra plastic cladding to be able to fit on plug


Ready to install




Done.

To be continued.....!!!

[Wildy]

Now that I installed stalk and wires in ECU, we can run the car with Cruise Control. But, CC light, On/Off signals won't be displayed in instrument panel. For that, we need to activate the Cruise Control in different modules such as Engine, Dashboard and Body modules.


First we need to insert the OBD2 device in OBD port and then put the key on MAR position. If OBD device wasn't already paired with your laptop, please do so. As I mentioned earlier, I had used VGate OBD2 bluetooth device. Alternatively, you can also use ELM 327 USB OBD device.

Now, you have to start Multi ECU Scan software in the laptop and connect to Fiat Idea 1.4 16V model and do the exact following steps as in the pictures

This procedure not necessarily needed. But it gives an affirmation to know whether all the options are working in right way or not.
















Proxy alignment is the most important step. Without this being completed, you cannot see the CC messages in the instrument panel.
























After completion of Proxy Alignment process, turn off the car, wait for few seconds and then turn the key to MAR position. You can see the Cruise Control light. And when you switch on/off the CC Stalk, You would see the messages on instrumental panel like below.








Cruising comfortably at 95 speeds

Now, every time you switch on the car, you can see CC light on control panel. Also whenever you switch On/Off the cruise stalk, you can see the CC ON/OFF messages on the panel.


Procedure to use the Cruise Control: Switch on the car and turn on CC. When car reaches speeds, say for example 60 in 4th/5th gear, set the desired speed by pressing + or - on the stalk and then leave it. This speed would be stored in the memory and would continue in that speed. Cruise Control would be deactivated when we press either clutch or brake pedals. You will have to press RES button to activate cruise control again. The stored memory will be erased once the car engine is off.

[Wildy]

• The trauma I've gone through for this project is very painful, majorly because, Fiat India installed different BCM in Indian Abarths. It would have been nice if they had installed Eurospec Punto BCM version atleast in Abarths or should have been offered Cruise Control as an option for some premium.

• I invested so much amount by importing Eurospec Punto Combination Switch which is not compatible in Indian Abarths/Puntos. I might lost my amount, but this experiment may save the money of other people, if they go through this thread.

• Like all's well that ends well, iam happy to complete this project atleast in other method.

• Cruise Control gives good comfort and mileage on long journeys. But please use it sensibly. Avoid setting higher speeds on Cruise Control. IMHO, cruise can be best enjoyed between 80 to 100 speeds and setting anything above is a kind of suicide on our roads.

• Use CC on highways, especially when you see open roads. Don't use it in city/dense traffic.

• Last but not least, thanks a lot to PatchyBoy for his guidance through our Whatsapp group "Veterans Garage".

• Hope you like this DIY and any feedback would be appreciated.

[theMAG]

Mod's note: Moved from Assembly Line to the D.I.Y section. Thanks for sharing!

[vishy76]

Great job with the DIY!

I will admit you did take an uncalculated risk by powering up the ECU directly with a resistor, but as you said all well that ends well.

It's not pleasing to see manufacturers discriminate between European spec cars and Indian ones, but that's where DIY enthusiasts like you come in.

One question, why would someone use cruise control with a rev hungry 1.4L turbo petrol under the hood?

[PatchyBoy]

Well done. I am glad it worked out for you in the end, though you did face several hurdles on the way. Kudos to your "never give up" attitude. As with anything, they will be several naysayers, who will summarily dismiss it as an useless feature. Don't let them dishearten you. I have extensively used Cruise Control on Indian Highways and the benefits far outweigh the efforts needed. Relaxed drive, better FE, less wear on the brakes are some of the benefits I have personally seen. No matter what people say, I am able to extract about 24 kmpl from the T-Jet on long highway runs, thanks to Cruise Control and it has already paid for itself several times over. Enjoy the fruits of your hard work. No one can take away the credit from you that yours is the first Abarth in India with a Cruise Control.

[thepilot]

Originally Posted by Wildy

• Like all's well that ends well, iam happy to complete this project atleast in other method.
• IMHO, cruise can be best enjoyed between 80 to 100 speeds and setting anything above is a kind of suicide on our roads.
• Last but not least, thanks a lot to PatchyBoy for his guidance through our Whatsapp group "Veterans Garage".

• Hope you like this DIY and any feedback would be appreciated.

Great thread as always. You have explained the procedure in a nice manner which is easily understandable to people like me who are not so technically inclined. Hopefully, I will be able to do the same DIY on my Fiat Abarth Avventura in the coming month. I appreciate your DIY spirit in going ahead with these mods. First the Intercooler upgrade, Wolf remap and now Cruise Control. Rated the thread a well deserved 5 stars.

Originally Posted by vishy76

Great job with the DIY!
One question, why would someone use cruise control with a rev hungry 1.4L turbo petrol under the hood?

Well everybody likes to relax their right foot once in a while. It is more useful when you're doing long cross country trips (500+ km a day) which involves a lot of mile munching.

[audioholic]

Great job! A quality DIY after a long time. You have taken a lot of efforts and so much of homework to get this thing going and it has definitely paid off. Does the set speed also show up on the MID? Since yours is a dot matrix MID I suppose it should. Cruise control on the highway gives a calmness which is otherwise not present especially when there is a lot of power on tap since we have to use the right foot judiciously and have a regular glance at the speedo.

Enjoy!

[i74js]

That's a lovely DIY job. Trust you will enjoy it for the years to come.

Is there an example of CC as DIY for 1.3 MJD? I would love to do it for my 1.3 MJD emotion.

[simplysaj]

Great job!!! @Wildy

Really appreciate the "never give up" attitude!
Being part of the WA group, I totally understand the research and difficulty behind this and all the bottlenecks faced. Can't forget the enthusiasm within the whole group when you got the CC message ON in the MID!!

[blackwasp]

Great work there Raaj. I especially like your 'never give up attitude', despite buying the wrong part.

Your subtle visual mods, the remap and now cruise control! Take a bow. I will be calling you and troubling you over the details of this mod when I attempt it on my car.

Cheers!

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Wildy

Fiat India installed different BCM in Indian Abarths. It would have been nice if they had installed Eurospec Punto BCM version atleast in Abarths or should have been offered Cruise Control as an option for some premium.

Offering Cruise Control as an optional fix is rarely heard off as it does involve a lot of technical modifications. It is safer for the manufacturer to stay away from upgrades that are complex to execute at the dealer level. We are also talking about FCA, who probably don't ever think of such things. If they can screw up fitment of the wrong Inter Cooler in a T Jet/Abarth, their most premium model, little else you should expect from them.

I am curious to know what BCM is being used in the Linea and why you went all the way to Italy for the combination switch. Could have been easily procured from FCA.

Thanks for sharing.

[rst89]

You did a very good job in installing cruise control in your car.

Generally cruise control SW have some conditions that it can't be activated below 'x' kmph and above 'y' kmph. You can check if Magneti Marelli have programed it in their BCM ECU.

Regarding Indian spec Abarth having only 36pin connector, it is a pure case of cost cutting. I have seen OEMs even requesting change of ECU connector plating from gold to normal one like tin just to save costs.