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05-28-2012, 08:56 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21
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My 2003 SeaBreeze won't start
After driving 200 miles today I shut my engine down while removing personal items at the storage yard. When I went to restart the motor to move it into my parking space I got nothing, not even a click. I checked my batteries and each (1 chassis and 2 coach) showed over 12.8 volts. I have no lights (headlight, turn signal or brake) and get only a 'clicking' sound when I try to activate my 4-way flashers. All interior lights, appliances and slides work on battery power. It is as I've lost my chassis electrical supply some where between the battery and the front end of my MH. I checked every fuse in my fuse box as well as the engine compartment and found none that were 'burned out'. I also made sure the battery terminals were tight and clean and any reset buttons on the fuse panels were reset. I also crawled under the dash to see if I could find any loose wiring and found none.
I'm going to get back out to the storage yard this week to further check out this problem and was wondering if anyone had any ideas or suggestions on what might be causing my problem? Oh, by the way I did drive on some very rough roads today and was concerned that might have contributed to a wire coming loose. I also noticed that when using my turn signal when passing today that my radio would cut out until the turn signal cancelled. I have never noticed that occurrence before and think it might be related to my situation. Thanks in advance for any help you might be able to provide.
Tony
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05-28-2012, 09:03 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Full time RV'er
Posts: 5,124
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So it's a National, but what year and model? Does it have the key switch in the dash or steering column?
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05-28-2012, 09:40 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21
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Jim, thanks for the reply. It is a 2003 Seabreeze 1311 with the key switch on the column. It is also the Ford Chassis with the V10 (310HP). Tony
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05-28-2012, 09:46 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Manhattan Beach, CA
Posts: 695
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There is a fuseable link that comes off the starter, that may be bad.
__________________
Steve & Jeri
2004 Dolphin 5342
2000 Jeep Cherokee 4X4
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05-28-2012, 10:03 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Camarillo, CA
Posts: 247
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won't start
Check your starter. The plastic that holds the connectors for the electrical leads has been known to deteriorate and loosen the brackets causing the cords to not make contact. Repair is replacement of starter.
Hope that is your problem because that is an easy fix!
Good luck!
Happy Trails!
Darryl
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05-28-2012, 11:21 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21
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Thanks Steve, I'll put that on my list of items to check out.
Tony
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05-28-2012, 11:23 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21
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Thanks Darryl, I'll put that on my list of items to check.
Tony
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05-29-2012, 12:15 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Full time RV'er
Posts: 5,124
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First thing I would do is to check the dash to chassis ground strap. With your list of symptoms, it sounds as if something common to the dash is having problems. Remove the strap and check for corrosion. The chassis is manufactured by one group and the dash by another, the house a third. Somewhere the dash should be connected to the chassis with a heavy wire or two or three.
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05-29-2012, 06:30 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,027
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I'd bet on it being a bad solenoid on the starter. Been a problem for a number of rigs. Check it out.
Steve
__________________
2014 Newmar 3103 BAYSTAR/Triton V10 w. Banks/05 Honda Element toad
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05-29-2012, 06:41 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,569
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The problem started while he was driving, that rules out the starter. Sounds like a battery is drained and not being recharged while driving. This happened to me a few years back and it was the alternator, I started the gen and in turn it got me down the road to a Peterbilt dealer where I purchased and installed the alt. Before I started the gen my turn signals went out and when I turned my headlights the diesel stuttered (lack of power to computer) gen charged the chassis and drove another 300 miles at night. I call alternator.
__________________
American Tradition 42R-Cadillac SRX Blue Ox Koni 5050XL MCD Scangauge D Samsung rf197
Fulltime since 2012
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05-29-2012, 06:44 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Phx, Arid~zona
Posts: 11,106
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Quote:
I have no lights (headlight, turn signal or brake) and get only a 'clicking' sound when I try to activate my 4-way flashers.
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I don't think a bad solenoid would cause it to have any of the above.
Tony, have you tried the emergency start switch on the dash?
Even if the battery connections look clean and tight, you sometimes have to remove them to clean the corrosion off of the terminals and inside the battery clamps.
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05-29-2012, 09:04 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21
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Gentlemen, first off, thank you for your quick replies. I will try to go down the list with your suggestions and add what I currently know:
1-There is a fuseable link that comes off the starter, that may be bad.
I will add this to my list of items to check out.
2-Check your starter. The plastic that holds the connectors for the electrical leads has been known to deteriorate and loosen the brackets causing the cords to not make contact. Repair is replacement of starter.
I will add this to my list of items to check out.
3-First thing I would do is to check the dash to chassis ground strap. With your list of symptoms, it sounds as if something common to the dash is having problems.
I will add this to my list of items to check out.
4-I'd bet on it being a bad solenoid on the starter. Been a problem for a number of rigs. Check it out.
I will add this to my list of items to check out.
5-Sounds like a battery is drained and not being recharged while driving. This happened to me a few years back and it was the alternator,
The batteries were fully charged at all times. I mounted a battery meter on the inside of my entry and when I was unable to start the MH it showed my coach batteries at 12.74 and my chassis battery at 12.67. The chassis battery is 2 months old and at the time of install I cleaned all connections (all 3 batteries). In addition, as part of my troubleshooting yesterday I re-tightened all connections with no improvement in my symptoms. I also pulled all fuses in the electrical compartment and under the hood and could find nothing out of the ordinary.
6-I don't think a bad solenoid would cause it to have any of the above.
Tony, have you tried the emergency start switch on the dash?
I tried using the power boost button on the dash (which ties all batteries together for a start attempt) with no success.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The vehicle acts like there is a dropped connection between the chassis battery and the front of the MH. I have no turn signals, headlights or brake lights. When the key is turned it doesn't make a sound, not even a click. The only noise I can make is by pressing the 'emergency 4-way signal' button, and then I only get a chattering sound with no lights. I had my wife try to start it with me under the vehicle near the area of the starter hoping to hear a click or any sound but nothing was heard. As I stated before, the only anomaly I experienced while driving was the loss of my radio when using the turn signal while passing. As soon as the turn signal cancelled my radio signal returned.
One thing I forgot to mention which may or may not help with the diagnosis is that every once in a while while attempting to start the MH I will hear a very faint whine and notice a couple of the radio buttons light up. This happens for a split second and then quits. It is not enough to light up the digital face of the radio, only a couple of the tiny illuminated buttons. I tried it with the radio face removed and could still hear the faint whine. Again, this only happens only 'once in a while' when turning the key. No other sounds are heard.
Thanks again for all your help. Keep the ideas coming.
Tony
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05-29-2012, 10:44 AM
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#13
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Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 3,198
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Sounds like you're moving right along, so to speak.
You've lost your low current loads to the chassis side.
On my previous f53 unit, all the went thru a box under the hood up front, from rv custom products. The house and coach power relays were in there, as well as the boost relay, genny power, many of the chassis 12v breakers.
Unknown to me how common this was, mine was a fleetwood.
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05-29-2012, 06:54 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 21
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Can anyone tell me if either a bad starter or starter solenoid could cause my symptoms:
-Running motor one minute, shut off then unable to restart
-No sound when turning ignition key to start position
-No lights; dash, brake, turn signal or headlight
-Only sound heard when turning the key is a slight whirring sound on
maybe every 4th or 5th attempt to start.
If so, are there any tests of either the solenoid or the starter that I could perform with them still on the motor to help eliminate them as the cause?
I'm planning on going out to the vehicle tomorrow and crawl under it, over it and through it to determine if I have any loose connections or see anything obvious. I will be checking grounds fuses and anything else I can think of. If you have any additional tips please advise.
Tony
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