Community Forums

kawliga · 06-22-2015, 04:33 PM

Has anyone ever had the problem of the air alarm buzzer not shutting off ? Ours worked right when we bought it and we have used it several times, but when we got home from camping last week, we had to listen to it all the way home ! (10 miles ). We have been told it could be a sensor. If he can find the sensor, is there a way to test it ? Our unit is a 1999 Dutch Star, Freightliner chassis. I sure hope someone can help us !

Dutch Star Don · 06-22-2015, 05:44 PM

I'm not familiar with the workings of a 99 Dutch Star, but is your jack alarm and air alarm the same sound. If so, you could be low on jack fluid.

newmarpusher · 06-22-2015, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I'm not familiar with the workings of a 99 Dutch Star, but is your jack alarm and air alarm the same sound. If so, you could be low on jack fluid.

Yea, my 2010 Winnebago DP used the hydraulic fluid level in the tank as the jack alarm. It was ALWAYS going off the five years we owned it unless the fluid was filled to overflowing. Stupid system of monitoring weather the jacks are down or not. If my jacks really were really down, I would have ignored the alarm and drove off anyway causing all sorts of damage.

Boy (alarm) who cried wolf?

Our 2015 Ventana has a micro switch on each jack. Makes a lot more sense to me than indirectly monitoring fluid level.

If your air alarm is really going off, your pressures would read low on the gauges. THAT would not be good and would compromise the ability to stop.

blang · 06-22-2015, 06:09 PM

Why test limits? Take it to a Freightliner shop and solve the problem. These things need to be maintained.

Skip426 · 06-22-2015, 06:10 PM

No low fluid warning on my HWH system , no sensor in the tank.
Air buzzer defect is a common problem. Here's the fix.
Second document may come in handy too. If you have further problems.

kawliga; I've collected a great deal of info on my 99 Dutch Star in the 4 1/2 years since I bought it , a lot of it here in the forums , and a bunch more by joining " Access Freightliner "

www.accessfreightliner.com

Also keep the Free help line # handy, have your serial number, with you, when you call.
1-800-385-4357

JFXG · 06-22-2015, 11:48 PM

Ah yes, the wonderful VDC dance! Ours went loopy a while back.

Kawliga, one thing you didn't mention was the behavior of your other air indicators. Are your gauges fluctuating? Very rapidly? My rear air gauge would go from normal to zero, to max high, to zero,-- often instantly-- and the buzzer would trigger for every low reading. Compressed air simply does not do that-- has to be a sensor or system issue, and in our vintage that often means the VDC failure. I disconnected my buzzer to avoid insanity, and when we were in Gaffney during the winter for our M3 I had the VDC replaced. For the record, diagnosis, parts, and labor covered without hesitation by my service contract, and approved immediately to Freightliner (Pat) while I stood there. As a matter of policy FL does not handle any funds on service contracts, but they will make the calls and handle the approvals. I paid FL for the VDC (a bit over $400) and had my reimbursement check in hand 4 days later. Cost me only my deductible. :-)

Fulltiming since '12
2002 DSDP 40, FL, Cat 3126

Hit_the_Rhod · 06-23-2015, 06:08 PM

Cool instructional pdf on the VDC repair! I'll keep that in mind if and when our goes tango uniform!

kawliga · 06-24-2015, 04:05 PM

Just want to thank everyone for helping out ! Took the rig to the repair shop and he asked if the jacks were all up, we checked, and one was down about 2". Raised it all the way up and the buzzer stopped. When we left the campground, it was pouring down rain and I didn't get out and check them like I usually do. I will do it from now on, rain or not ! I also had an oil leak and the repair shop fixed that, too. Ended up costing $94.00. The rig is ready to roll again and we have reservations to camp on the lake about 10 miles from us.

Skip426 · 06-24-2015, 06:46 PM

This info sheet may be of interest if cleaning the jacks doesn't help.

ScoobyMike · 06-24-2015, 07:09 PM

My MH uses the same piercing alarm for air, jacks and when I leave the turn signal on too long. The last one scares the crap out of me every time.

I bought a new alar to replace the piercing alarm but I'll be darned if I can find the OEM alarm, I can't stand to listen to it long enough to locate it.