Community Forums

rdvan · 06-11-2019, 05:00 AM

My New Aire Allison shifter lighting, telling me what gear I'm in, does not light up most of the time and my dash monitor gauges do not dim when the headllights are turned on! This has been going on since new, 18 months ago. These anomalies have been looked at by the Freightliner Tech at NIRV (Lewisville, Tx, supposedly) and an answer has not been found. Since I don't drive the coach at night and the shift pad is behind me ) (what were they thinking) and I can't see it while driving it has not been a problem. The techs think it has something to do with the programming (Allison/Freightliner) but can't solve it. Someone, maybe two on this forum, if I remember right had the dash lighting problem where they had to throw cloth material (seems like it was a pillow case) over the dash instruments while driving at night. The intense brightness was blinding and they couldn't see. Not good. I don't recall anyone with the Allison shift pad lighting problem. Anyone out there have any ideas? Thanks.
R. D. Vanderslice
2018 New Aire 3341

WardSimmons · 06-12-2019, 01:57 AM

My problem reading the shift panel (besides it being behind me) is that it dims to almost nothing when the headlights are on. It’s legible at night, but not in the daytime. So it rains during the day, I turn on the wipers, the headlights come on, and the lighting on the shift panel goes to almost nothing.

I’m scheduled for service in Gaffney next month and would like a fix for the too-bright dash lights, but I’m not sure that effort ever yielded any results. Does anyone know if Freightliner agreed it is a problem and made a fix available?

rdvan · 06-12-2019, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WardSimmons

My problem reading the shift panel (besides it being behind me) is that it dims to almost nothing when the headlights are on. It’s legible at night, but not in the daytime. So it rains during the day, I turn on the wipers, the headlights come on, and the lighting on the shift panel goes to almost nothing.

I’m scheduled for service in Gaffney next month and would like a fix for the too-bright dash lights, but I’m not sure that effort ever yielded any results. Does anyone know if Freightliner agreed it is a problem and made a fix available?

Thanks Ward. The Freightliner people are supposedly working on this but I'm just not buying that story. I'm sure they just want me to go away. I know there at least two people early last year who were having the dash bright light problem but I can't find them in my search or heard from them.
The way they were talking this was very dangerous so maybe i need to go that route since Freightline thinks these two are tied together and its a programming issue. I gusss I haven't raised a loud enough stink, but that's about to change. The two who had the problem said it was a safety problem issue so bad they had to throw a sheet over the dash at night. The shifter
location and it not lighting up to tell me what gear I'm in is just plain dumb. They could have put the shifter in the john and put a "GO" button on the dash. It's always something.
R. D. Vanderslice
2018 New Aire 3341

BuckyII · 06-12-2019, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WardSimmons

My problem reading the shift panel (besides it being behind me) is that it dims to almost nothing when the headlights are on. It’s legible at night, but not in the daytime. So it rains during the day, I turn on the wipers, the headlights come on, and the lighting on the shift panel goes to almost nothing.

I’m scheduled for service in Gaffney next month and would like a fix for the too-bright dash lights, but I’m not sure that effort ever yielded any results. Does anyone know if Freightliner agreed it is a problem and made a fix available?

Ward...I thought it was just me. I’ve switched to showing Gauges on the dash with the gear displayed. However, I still can’t see if I’m in Econ mode without looking backwards, removing my sunglasses and still having trouble reading the display. Does it help to disable the auto headlight feature?

Are you doing the class when you are in Gaffney?

WardSimmons · 06-12-2019, 08:21 PM

Hi Gil-

Yes, we’re signed up for the two-day Camp Freightliner class. I’m looking forward to the Camp Freightliner II class next year where you’re with a technician while he’s servicing your coach!

I found a place in Charlotte selling RV condos. I wouldn’t be tempted if I hadn’t seen yours - thanks a lot!

augerdogger · 06-12-2019, 08:48 PM

I have a '19 MADP on a Spartan chassis which has the Valid display that DOES not dim when the exterior lights are on, very annoying at night. I was at NIRVC in Lewisville for a week and they could not find a problem. I can't keep track of the features of the various Newmar models and I am curious if the '19 NA has the Valid display. The Valid display can be reprogrammed to turn features on and off. I turned the TPMS display feature on and added the Valor TPMS, same as KA and ES.

I had a problem with the Allison transmission display on a '18 PowerGlide chassis and the problem was corrected by an Allison tech at a TransWest location north of Denver. Because the shift pad is behind me I haven't noticed a problem. All my RV's since '98 have used the same keypad so it almost automatic by feel.

BuckyII · 06-13-2019, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WardSimmons

Hi Gil-

Yes, we’re signed up for the two-day Camp Freightliner class. I’m looking forward to the Camp Freightliner II class next year where you’re with a technician while he’s servicing your coach!

I found a place in Charlotte selling RV condos. I wouldn’t be tempted if I hadn’t seen yours - thanks a lot!

Ward...

I would also like to do the CFII class...let’s stay in touch. Do you know when the signups open?

Sorry about the Condo...go for it! You’ll love it.

WardSimmons · 06-14-2019, 02:56 AM

Gil-

Website (fcccrv.com) says 2020 registration for Gaffney classes opens10/1/20. Let me know if you reserve a slot and maybe we can connect while you’re up this way.