Community Forums

travler1 · 03-25-2010, 09:03 PM

Please Help!!! I own a 2000 alpine 40'. I am on South Padre Island, Texas and was trying to go home but I lost power to my shift buttons and I had to short out the starter selonid to start engine but still could not put in gear. I called Allison and was told I had lost power to vehicle interface module but they said it could be almost any where and I spent over 2 hours looking. Does some kind person out there have a 2000 40 footer that might know where Western might have hidden it??? THANKS in advance... Lee Roy

JLMunsil · 03-25-2010, 10:12 PM

travier1, On my 02 Alpine the transmission control module was on the floor at the front bulk head under the dash, center of coach. Pull the panels off in front of the passenger seat and look toward center of coach. I am not sure if it's the same as the interface module or not. My shift buttons went out while running and had to drive 10 miles in 1st gear to repair shop. Engine won't start unless the trans shows neutral so I kept it running. My control module was burnt and had to be replaced. Hope that's not your problem.

EngineerMike · 03-26-2010, 12:02 AM

Lee Roy- Welcome to the iRV2 Alpine Owner's Forum!! Hope to see you here often. You'll find a lot of great info and knowledgeable owners here.

I'm looking at the chassis electrical schematic dated 2/20/2000, sheet 1 of 4. Most of the stuff on this Sheet 1 is under or near the dash from my experience, but it is a schematic and not a physical layout sheet. It shows an "Allison Transmission VIM" with 4 plug-in connectors each having 3, 4 or 5 wires. Pretty sure you will find that in the neighborhood Jim stated, but there is no guarantee. It may have 6 relays associated with it (or those relays may be internal to the VIM?), along with a "Battery Fuse" and "Ignition Fuse" (which could also be internal). The connectors have to be the identifying clue.
Hope this helps. If those fuses are accessible, obviously check those first.

These schematic sheets are 18"x24" reduced from larger format, and should be quite close to the actual wiring of your rig (although there are some minor annotated revisions dated up to 5/16/01 which would be 2002 model year). If you want a set, send me a Private Message (PM) with your email address & mailing address (by clicking on EngineerMike, then Send a Private Message) and I'll send you details. The schematic detail is fuzzed out in some places due to the reduction, but way useful for problems like this. For example, Allison used a term I had never heard (VIM) but there it is on the schematic, along w/physically identifying characteristics.

wa8yxm · 03-26-2010, 09:17 AM

Yes, you lost power to the interface module.. Sounds like you lost a whole bunch more since you said you had to short the solenoid to crank it up..

Question. Is the starter switch on the allision panel? (Or did it lock up in something other than neutral/park)

I'd look for a blown fuse before I started hunting for the interface controller. Can't say where but on my workhorse there are two (out of four) fuse blocks I'd check first

The one is the standard "Car" block, which in my case is basically behind the parking brake pedal (left side of firewall under dash left of the steering column and left of where the clutch would be if I had one)

and the Aux Vehicle box which is on the front side of the firewall, under the hood, dead center.. it's a big black box, no markings that I recall.> Was surprised when I opened it and found some very big fuses and breakers inside.

Wayne R · 03-26-2010, 09:42 AM

Travel,

I am in Brownsville I was planning on going over to the island for lunch at Dirty Al's. Where are you parked I could stop by. My former Alpine was a 2000.

travler1 · 03-26-2010, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne R

Travel,

I am in Brownsville I was planning on going over to the island for lunch at Dirty Al's. Where are you parked I could stop by. My former Alpine was a 2000.

Hi I am in Cameron County Park just past Dirty Al's in S-25 if you want, I can meet you at gate so it won't cost you to get in . I am sorry to be so longto reply but I have spent the morning geting a repair man to come out. THANKS Lee Roy

Wayne R · 03-26-2010, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travler1

Hi I am in Cameron County Park just past Dirty Al's in S-25 if you want, I can meet you at gate so it won't cost you to get in . I am sorry to be so longto reply but I have spent the morning geting a repair man to come out. THANKS Lee Roy

Roy, I just got back from there. I drove through the KOA and there was an Apex in there. I just about drove through the County Park. If you think I can help you I will head back out there.