Warning Electric Steps

[Bob&Pat]

Be Careful with the electric steps, I stepped out of the motorhome, steps were not out and I fell to the ground broke my right wrist.

Power at home was out so I brought the motohome home to use the generator and went out to the motorhome after midnight 08/03/06 to turn off the generator fumbled with the switches, next to the entrance door, and turned the step switch off and on again and did not realize that locked the steps in the closed position. When I opened the door and expected the steps to be out and they were not down I went.

So at 61, I have my first cast.

[Bob&Pat]

Be Careful with the electric steps, I stepped out of the motorhome, steps were not out and I fell to the ground broke my right wrist.

Power at home was out so I brought the motohome home to use the generator and went out to the motorhome after midnight 08/03/06 to turn off the generator fumbled with the switches, next to the entrance door, and turned the step switch off and on again and did not realize that locked the steps in the closed position. When I opened the door and expected the steps to be out and they were not down I went.

So at 61, I have my first cast.

[FLYTYER]

See my reply in the Winnebago Owners forum

[GStream40]

Sorry to hear about your accident.

There is a problem with your wiring on your step. The steps are ALWAYS to extend wherever the door is opened. It doesn't matter if the switch is in the off position or not and even when the engine is running when the door is open.

This is a safety feature to prevent what happened to you that is followed by all the manufacturers that I know of.

So there is problem wtih your wiring that you need to have checked and repaired.

Hopefully you will heal real fast.

Ron

[lwmuddy]

We are overlooking the basic fact of human survival here. You are suposed to look first to see what is ahead. Sorry to sound unsympathetic.

For God's sake stay away from elevator shaft's.

[Bob&Pat]

Thank you for your comments, its too late for me but I thought I would post this and maybe save someone from the same fate. I am grateful it was not worse.

Clarification on the my switch confusion
"fumbled with the switches, next to the entrance door, and turned the step switch off and on again and did not realize that locked the steps in the closed position. When I opened the door and expected the steps to be out and they were not down I went."�

See the labels on the switch photo below

I assumed the steps were out when the switch was in the out position.

Upon reading my 2003 Itasca Sunrise 36m manual it shows a photo of the switches however in the manual it reads STEP ON OFF our motorhome as you can clearly see is labeled STEP IN OUT.

Anyway please note the operation of your steps and be careful.

Sincerely,
Bob

[Canuck]

Bob and Pat,
Sorry to hear about your fall. The steps in my coach can also be locked "in" so that when the door is opened the steps are nowhere to be seen. I too almost "fell out" of the coach the first time that I discovered that this was a possibility. We now make a point of making certain that the steps are actually extended before we exit.
Kwikee themselves has recognized this as a problem and has developed a new logic module for their steps. Here's a quote from their website; "Improved control unit logic Step is always open when door is open.
More details can be found at the link to their document entitled Electric Step Improvements.
Get well soon!
Canuck