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24thrd · 04-26-2020, 10:32 AM

I have the Kwikee Steps Series 34. They are in the “in” position (fortunately) and will not move. They just stopped working - no strange motor/gear noise - just stopped.

I put a voltmeter on the 4 wire plug coach side and followed the trouble shooting process per the Kwickee manual. All checked out except the door switch (red and brown wires) which read 12+ volts with door closed and 2+ volts with door open. Per the manual, door open should read 0 volts.

I pulled the three magnetic switches in the door jam (coach wall) out:
1) top switch wire connected and I verified it controls the light under the step. Light is working as it should.
2) middle switch not connected to anything with two short grey wire leads
3) bottom switch not connected to anything with two short grey wire leads

Could the connected top switch be the issue even though the light is working? Any idea what the other two not connected switches are doing there? There is no indication that they were ever connected. The wire ends are clean cut as if cut by a wire cutter. Any advice on next steps would be much appreciated.

Dutchstar411 · 04-26-2020, 04:53 PM

First make sure you have a good ground to the steps from the chassis, not a loose wire or corroded. If you do and all connections are good I'd test the motor by itself.

The motor has two wires if you can get to them, if you have +12 on one and ground on the other it should move momentarily. Reverse those wires and the step should move the other way. If not the motor is bad.

Make sure you unplug the large black 4 pin connector going to the step assembly first. You could use the 12 volt power from there as well, believe it's the large RED wire on the plug. Also make sure you are COMPLETELY CLEAR of the steps if they extend out.

Algoma · 04-26-2020, 07:49 PM

Those switches on the hinge side of the door were never connected. The step is activated by the magnetic switch on the lock side. The magnet is in the door and the switch is in the frame. You can pull the switch out and test it. You can get a replacement from PTL or even Ebay, which I did.

24thrd · 04-27-2020, 01:57 AM

Thanks for the reply’s. Yes I have 3 magnets on the hinge side and 3 switches on the frame side. After careful removal, only one of the switches is connected. The connected switch makes the light go on and off when I put a magnet on it. Could you guide me on how I would go about testing this switch? Let me try to attach a photo:

Algoma · 04-27-2020, 05:43 AM

Are there corresponding magnets in the door for the 2 disconnected switches in your picture? Maybe they are spares! I only have one on my coach so I have no idea what the others could be for. The only way to test the switch is to cut the wire and use an ohmeter but if the light comes on using a magnet it is probably OK and the problem is the control module.

Dutchstar411 · 04-27-2020, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Algoma

Are there corresponding magnets in the door for the 2 disconnected switches in your picture? Maybe they are spares! I only have one on my coach so I have no idea what the others could be for. The only way to test the switch is to cut the wire and use an ohmeter but if the light comes on using a magnet it is probably OK and the problem is the control module.

Or the motor.

24thrd · 04-27-2020, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Algoma

Are there corresponding magnets in the door for the 2 disconnected switches in your picture? Maybe they are spares! I only have one on my coach so I have no idea what the others could be for. The only way to test the switch is to cut the wire and use an ohmeter but if the light comes on using a magnet it is probably OK and the problem is the control module.

Yes the 3 magnets in the door align perfectly to the 3 switches in the frame. I have no clue as to the purpose of the two “spares”.

I originally thought it was probably the control module. But, when I put a multimeter on the brown and red wires in the 4 wire plug (under the coach) it reads 12 v door closed and 2+ v door open. It is my understanding that it should read 0 v with door open and if not there is something wrong with the switch. But my light works, so it does not make sense.

I hope the wire is not loose on the connected switch. I have no idea how I would access that to fix it, since it is up in the wall.

Algoma · 04-27-2020, 07:15 AM

I don't know which version of the manual you have as there are several. Have you tried this one

Dutchstar411 · 04-27-2020, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 24thrd

Yes the 3 magnets in the door align perfectly to the 3 switches in the frame. I have no clue as to the purpose of the two “spares”.

I originally thought it was probably the control module. But, when I put a multimeter on the brown and red wires in the 4 wire plug (under the coach) it reads 12 v door closed and 2+ v door open. It is my understanding that it should read 0 v with door open and if not there is something wrong with the switch. But my light works, so it does not make sense.

I hope the wire is not loose on the connected switch. I have no idea how I would access that to fix it, since it is up in the wall.

Did you test the motor?

24thrd · 04-27-2020, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Algoma

I don't know which version of the manual you have as there are several. Have you tried this one

Yep. That is the one I used.

24thrd · 04-27-2020, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutchstar411

Did you test the motor?

Unfortunately I do not have the pigtail 4 pin connector or a portable 12v car battery that Kickee recommends for the motor test procedure.

And, further down in the trouble shooting guide it stated to remove the motor to check it and the gears. My steps are locked in the closed position, so I cannot drop the motor/gears easily.

I did manage to pull the 2 pin plug from the motor and tested the hot lead coming from the controller. No 12 volts which led me to believe the controller was dead.

However, the switch reads bad too, so I was trying to troubleshoot that first since it may be the culprit in cutting the power to the motor.

Dutchstar411 · 04-27-2020, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 24thrd

Unfortunately I do not have the pigtail 4 pin connector or a portable 12v car battery that Kickee recommends for the motor test procedure.

And, further down in the trouble shooting guide it stated to remove the motor to check it and the gears. My steps are locked in the closed position, so I cannot drop the motor/gears easily.

I did manage to pull the 2 pin plug from the motor and tested the hot lead coming from the controller. No 12 volts which led me to believe the controller was dead.

However, the switch reads bad too, so I was trying to troubleshoot that first since it may be the culprit in cutting the power to the motor.

Think of it as jumping a vehicle, providing 12 volts to either one of the wires and the other to ground. Just take 12 volts from the unplugged 4 wire pigtail and apply it to one of the motor leads. The other motor lead goes to ground.

I've had to replace two motors on my steps before and two controllers. Both times the motor failed when the step was closed. It is a pain in the butt to get to those bolts, I believe they were 17mm and I needed a long box wrench to get to them. It was the gears on one and the internal connection on the other motor.

But I would do my best to test the motor first.

24thrd · 04-27-2020, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutchstar411

Think of it as jumping a vehicle, providing 12 volts to either one of the wires and the other to ground. Just take 12 volts from the unplugged 4 wire pigtail and apply it to one of the motor leads. The other motor lead goes to ground.

I've had to replace two motors on my steps before and two controllers. Both times the motor failed when the step was closed. It is a pain in the butt to get to those bolts, I believe they were 17mm and I needed a long box wrench to get to them. It was the gears on one and the internal connection on the other motor.

But I would do my best to test the motor first.

I am not sure how I could reach the leads. They are inside a two wire socket embedded underneath the step of which I cannot easily get my hand close to. Am I missing something?

wajell · 04-27-2020, 11:22 AM

For years I had to deal with this. Sometimes they wouldn't come up, sometimes they wouldn't go down. I finally discovery by giving the motor/drive assembly a Thumpectomy (a few gentle whacks with a hammer) they might start working again.

I learned the Thumpectomy procedure in IT where sometimes hard drives would respond to the same remedial action.

Not a guaranteed solution but it worked for me until I finally replaced the motor.