Electric Steps Inop

Roy W. · 09-17-2018, 05:11 PM

On a 2016 Greyhawk 29ME, bought used at a good price, but the previous owner didn't extend the steps because they had a small deck built flush with the motor home. Now in the absence of the deck, the steps will not extend upon opening the door. The electric step switch is on, and close inspection of the motor showed an inline fuse to be okay. A test light showed no power to the motor. The electric panel on the front of the bed did not identify fuses for the electric steps. Is there something I'm overlooking ??? Any help is appreciated.

WinnieView · 09-17-2018, 05:28 PM

What is the voltage level of the coach battery?

Grumpy · 09-17-2018, 05:29 PM

He had to pull a wire/fuse or remove 1/2 the magnetic switch on the screen door.

Robbbyr · 09-17-2018, 05:35 PM

The way most motorhome electric steps work is that whenever the door is open they extend. The step "On-Off" switch works to stop the steps from retracting when the door is closed (unless the engine is running), not to prevent them from coming out. As a safety measure when you open the door the steps extend. I suspect the prior owner removed the fuse so the steps would not extend when next to the patio.

Hopefully another Greyhawk owner can tell you where the power for the steps originates. On my Seneca it is a fuse near my coach batteries, but on your unit it may be somewhere else entirely. But it is likely not in your regular power center where the interior circuits are fused.

Gord60 · 09-17-2018, 05:40 PM

The coach steps are usually fed from the chassis battery, check your fuses in the cab or engine compartment

RVermont · 09-17-2018, 07:23 PM

I would agree that since the previous owner did not want them to move they disabled them by removing the fuse or possibly shorting the circuit to prevent them from deploying.

ChristopherW · 10-01-2018, 10:19 AM

I have a 2013 Greyhawk 29KS that has a fuse hidden beneath the floor by the door step, in with other wiring for the steps, step light etc.. Perhaps that is your problem with the steps not working. Here is a pic of the fuse in a black holder.
Good luck and please post the solution.

pconroy · 10-01-2018, 03:53 PM

Not sure this is helping but debugging my 2016 31FK, the amber light was telling me that there was power to the controller. So if amber light is on and motor is not getting power then I too would look for something they did at the door trigger switch.

pconroy · 10-01-2018, 03:54 PM

Also Kwikee has a troubleshooting guide on line.
I used that.

jd99336 · 10-01-2018, 04:37 PM

Mine recently stopped working at it was my Chassis battery (engine battery) had died. Once I had it charge up they worked as advertised. This to confirm that they are likely fed by chassis battery, not house batteries, so there may also be a fuse under the hood, or under the dash depending on your set up.

XrayTango · 10-17-2018, 04:34 PM

There is a 2 piece magnetic switch that completes the circuit when the door closes. If on half of the switch is gone or not making contact with the other, no power. Look around the inside of the screen door and find where one piece attaches. The other piece should be where the 2 would meet on the door frame. I have a 2018 and one magnet fell off the screen door. No step movement. New magnet fixed it. Original was installed with double sided tape.

dsh · 01-04-2019, 08:32 PM

My step goes crazy when it rains - step goes in and out - in and not out when the door opens - out going down the road, etc. After the rain stops and it drys out seems ok until it rains again. Have any of you had this problem? Had it at the dealer twice.

**norty1** · 01-04-2019, 08:41 PM

I talked with a fellow camper this fall and he said he had the problem and it was wet wiring.

jd99336 · 01-05-2019, 08:07 AM

Having just gone through the step wiring and process extensively I feel your pain and will offer what I can. If it only acts up when it rains, then yes, as noted, my suspicion would be faulty connections somewhere. With a multi-meter and some patience you may be able to isolate it. I would start with:

1) first check and make sure the chassis (engine) battery voltage is over 12.4 volts (I think that is the number mentioned in the trouble shooting manual). This will cause intermittent or complete step failure.
2) Check that the magnetic sensor/switch in the door is fully attached and making contact properly. I tested the function of the switch by putting a magnet to the sensor (side with wires attached) but watch your legs in case the steps extend or retract.
3) Grounds are my main suspect when weather is damp. On mine there are two primary grounds. The main on to the frame is a heavy (10-12 gauge?) wire. detach, clean and scrape contact points then reattach to the frame. The other ground was a group of three wires spliced together and in my case was very sloppy. I cut these apart and using weatherproof connectors, put two of them together in one side of a connector (automotive 12v type crimp style with vinyl shrink wrap sleeve), the the side to the controller in the opposite. That way any future R&R of the controller wouldn't involve cutting wires.
4) Once all of these are completed, then you may have to take the Lippert trouble shooting manual and start through the step by step process. I called the folks at Lippert and explained my syptoms. The immediately felt it was the motor (I thought it was the controller) and they were correct. I found them to be polite and professional on the phone, but if you do the first 3 steps, you will help them to drill down more into your problem.

Hope you can find the issue.

elcheapo · 01-06-2019, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roy W.

On a 2016 Greyhawk 29ME, bought used at a good price, but the previous owner didn't extend the steps because they had a small deck built flush with the motor home. Now in the absence of the deck, the steps will not extend upon opening the door. The electric step switch is on, and close inspection of the motor showed an inline fuse to be okay. A test light showed no power to the motor. The electric panel on the front of the bed did not identify fuses for the electric steps. Is there something I'm overlooking ??? Any help is appreciated.

If you bought it from previous owner, why not ask him what he did to the steps ?

ktmrgr13 · 03-10-2019, 11:58 AM

My 2016 Jayco Seneca 37FS the power steps have been working intermittently. It seems like I have to turn the ignition on and off several times for them to go in.

Several posts state to check the chassis battery but if there is enough to start the rig, is there still a potential problem with not enough volts to run the steps?

Thanks,

jd99336 · 03-10-2019, 12:18 PM

Not necessarily. The trouble shooting guide specifies a minimum voltage. Start the rig and see if the steps retract normally when opening and closing the door (in park of course). If it is intermittent when doing this, it is not the battery. In my case it was the step motor had a flat/worn area in the electric motor windings. I replaced the motor only after checking all wiring connections and most importantly the grounds

ktmrgr13 · 03-10-2019, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd99336

Not necessarily. The trouble shooting guide specifies a minimum voltage. Start the rig and see if the steps retract normally when opening and closing the door (in park of course). If it is intermittent when doing this, it is not the battery. In my case it was the step motor had a flat/worn area in the electric motor windings. I replaced the motor only after checking all wiring connections and most importantly the grounds

No the opening and closing of the door does not actuate the steps as they should. I tried multiple times and the magnetic sensor on the door frame seems to be in good order. I have been going back and forth between door, power on button, and ignition and its always the ignition after 3-5x which activates them and or about 10 min into the rig running.

the chassis battery measured 12.3V.

Thoughts?

jd99336 · 03-10-2019, 07:57 PM

To start with, rig a jumper direct to the step motor to rule that out. Get a fully charged good 12v battery ( I pulled my jeep up along side and used it). Unplug the motor leads (red and black to a plug if I remember correctly) and hopefully find some way to be able to touch the two leads going into the motor attached to long wires that will be used to activate the motor from your test battery. STAY CLEAR OF THE STAIRS OR THEY WILL CAUSE INJURY. Touch the leads red to plus, black to minus. I beleive the should extend the stairs. Reverse the wires and they should retract.

If the motor is good (I did it several times and ultimately proved the motor had the aforementioned flat spot) the steps will work...try it a few times. If it is intermittent, you may have found your problem

If the motor is bad, then replace it (simple task...three bolts, one plug and some grease. I spoke to lippert and the tech said he uses sticky red (lucas I think).

If the motor is good, things get trying. The thing is, if the engine is running and the steps don't work, the battery voltage is irrelevant unless your alternator is not working as you will be pumping something in the 14V range. 12.3V is low, but not the end of the dance. My next step would be disconnecting all grounds (two I believe, one big one to the frame, and on mine one sloppy china hat splice to somewhere else that I redid). If that doesn't resolve the issue then it could be the controller, but when I spoke with Lippert techs (assuming you have Lippert steps) they said it was rarely the controller and almost always the motor. They were right in my case.

Sorry I am not more help.

You may also like: