Kwikee steps will not go down, any ideas?

[cueman]

I have a 2007 Four Winds 30Q class A on a Ford chassis that I bought new and only have about 12,000 miles on it. Getting ready for vacation and everything worked great. The next day I open the door and the steps did not come down. The stair light still works but not the stairs. It does the same thing while plugged in or not. I don't know if there is some hidden fuse or a way to test the steps. Also, can anybody give me a link for a wire schematic for this RV? Seems the dealer I bought it from did not give it to me on purchase. Thanks for any help. cueman

[Skip426]

Kwikee steps , originally a Power Gear product has been bought up by Lippert.

This link will get you to info on your system.
www.powergearus.com/products/steps


First thing to check is that both your battery banks are turned on and that the batteries aren't dead, as the steps are sometimes wired to power feeds from both sets and there are multiple fuses in most systems.

[rk911]

Originally Posted by Skip426

Kwikee steps , originally a Power Gear product has been bought up by Lippert.

This link will get you to info on your system.
www.powergearus.com/products/steps


First thing to check is that both your battery banks are turned on and that the batteries aren't dead, as the steps are sometimes wired to power feeds from both sets and there are multiple fuses in most systems.

and I'd take a look under the chassis by the steps and make sure the power/ground wires are connected. I'm betting one or both have corroded (my money is on the ground).

[RodK]

If the op had no ground then the stair light would not work. Maybe the motor just crapped out. If you need a motor, it is the same as Ford Taurus drivers window motor ( can't remember which years, but I am sure Google knows).

[lonfu]

do all the above, but there is a magnetic switch on your screen door, somewhere. Since the doors get used a lot, get kicked sometimes, bent by the wind I'd check the magnet switch to make sure the magnet hasn't been knocked off and the switch is being engaged by the magnet when it is closed. Can't remember if it is a norm open or closed. just have to test it with an ohm meter.

[ga traveler]

Good advice on the low volts. In my 15 years as service manager, we changed few motors. Most of the time we only had to free the steps. There is no limit switches on the steps. The controller only senses a rise in amp draw when the steps are fully in or out. When the steps go fully in or out, the amp draw on the motor starts to rise and the controller shuts off the power. The instructions on the steps call for lubrication every thirty days. Most people don't do that every year. The steps will get hard to operate and the amp draw on startup will get high enough to shut off the power. To check for binding, we always shut off all power to the steps. Have someone lay on the ground next to the steps and listen while you power up the coach. actuate the steps. If the steps are in a bind, In two or three seconds you will hear a click from the controller. That is the controller shutting off the power to the steps.
if your steps are binding you need to lubricate the pivot points on the steps and remove the three 5/16 screws in the gearbox and lubricate the gearbox. As others have cautioned before, Be very careful where you put your fingers. The motor is strong enough to cause a BIG boo boo.

[cueman]

Thank you all very much. I'm old and not good with electrical problems. My neighbor is going to help me today and I'll have this info. handy for him. We looked at it yesterday and door magnets and step switch were working as was step light. I hear no noise of any kind from step motor, like no power to it, so will check ground wires and connections today. Any ideas about where fuses are located? cueman

[JMynes]

My steps did the same thing, luckily it was the end of our trip, only two days from home. Jumped in and out one day, the next day I moved a picnic table close to the door and used that for steps.
When I got home I probed with a test light and got nothing coming out of the controller. I tried jumpering 12V directly to the motor leads in both polarity directions, no spark, no movement.
Luckily it was still under warranty. I took it to the dealer and expected both motor and controller to be replaced. They only replaced the motor and it's worked fine since.
I'm guessing the controller shuts down quicker than I could check it, swinging the door open and closed and looking for the test light to come on, all the while trying to keep my fingers out of the mechanism just in case it worked this time.

[ga traveler]

I should have mentioned that the click from the controller will be very faint. It will have to be quiet and you will have to be close to hear it.

[cueman]

Man, you guys are GOOD! We worked on the steps today. Disconnected the wires going to the controller and cleaned the wire plug ins, disconnected the 2 ground wires and cleaned then reconnected, unplugged wires going to motor then cleaned and reconnected. With everything cleaned and connected turned power on and step switch on and "presto" steps worked. About scared the crap out of me. LOL Then I lubed all pivot points on steps and while I was at it, lubed all storage door hinges and all locks. FYI, Also, the fuses for steps are under the hood on the drivers side and is very hard to get to. Thank You My Friends! cueman

[JMynes]

Originally Posted by ga traveler

I should have mentioned that the click from the controller will be very faint. It will have to be quiet and you will have to be close to hear it.

Hmmmm....
If you have to be that close to hear it, you're likely close enough to get whacked on the head if the steps decide to work all of a sudden.

[ga traveler]

Originally Posted by JMynes

Hmmmm....
If you have to be that close to hear it, you're likely close enough to get whacked on the head if the steps decide to work all of a sudden.

Of course to work on the steps you have to get close enough to get hurt. That is why you have to be alert anytime you are working on the steps or the running engine.