That's pretty much as best as I can explain it. Everytime I engage my cruise control, I hear this grinding noise directly behind the gauge cluster. As soon as I push the off button and goes away. This only happens when I have the cruise turned on and actually set at a speed. If I turn the cruise on but don't set a speed, it doesn't make the noise.

Has this ever happened to anyone before? Anyone familiar with a fix? I use my cruise all the time and it's very annoying.

 

With the speed control active, try resting your foot lightly on the accelerator pedal to see if the noise goes away. If so, then it is the throttle cable passing engine vibration back to the plastic pedal. This is a fairly common complaint on some Rangers with cruise, especially 4.0's. I don't know of a definite fix but that quick test should tell you whether or not it is pedal vibration that you are hearing.