Community Forums

BBelanger · 06-29-2022, 04:27 PM

I’ve just had an episode where my steps didn’t come in and I didn’t notice. I started to drive away and they caught a sign, ruining the steps of course. There is a safety device that brings them in if you forget them out with the overhead switch and you turn on the coach or put it in gear. This safety device did not function as it has for me in the past. Newmar’s response is that it’s the owner’s responsibility to “verify” that the steps are in. The owner’s manual also says to “verify” that the steps are in before turning on the ignition. I understand most of the time we can hear them as they come in, but how do I “verify”? I can’t see them, and there is no dash indicator like there is for jacks down, electric cord still plugged in, seat not locked, low tire pressure, low oil, low fuel, etc. So is there a procedure that anyone can articulate that would “verify” the steps being in and stowed away properly?

Thanks for any suggestions
BB

**pasdad1** · 06-29-2022, 04:33 PM

You are right….. I have to carefully listen after I close the door.

I don’t know if the passenger mirror can adjust that far down, I will have to try it.

Bigd9 · 06-29-2022, 04:46 PM

You also need to verify the steps are out after opening the door and taking that first step .....which could be a disastrous LONG way down if they don't deploy.

USMCRET · 06-29-2022, 04:48 PM

I can see mine in the convex rear-view if I nearly place my forehead on the windshield.

ExRiveter · 06-29-2022, 05:02 PM

I can see mine in the convex rear view mirror, also. I have to stand in front of the passenger seat, but it works for me….
Bob

BBelanger · 06-29-2022, 05:08 PM

Thanks for your responses guys. I appreciate it.

BB

palehorse89 · 06-29-2022, 05:29 PM

When traveling, when I come in the door and start up the step's and close the door, I stop and look in the bottom spot mirror and watch the steps close........every time!
Learned this travel step from reading thread's on here about folk's tearing their step's off....... and have done this step watch for a lot of year's now.......

chuckftboy · 06-29-2022, 06:24 PM

Now you've got me thinking. I just might add a step switch with a dash light to let me know when the steps are deployed.

Country Road · 06-29-2022, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by palehorse89

When traveling, when I come in the door and start up the step's and close the door, I stop and look in the bottom spot mirror and watch the steps close........every time!
Learned this travel step from reading thread's on here about folk's tearing their step's off....... and have done this step watch for a lot of year's now.......

I do similar. But so many things to monitor. Oh well. We knew it going in.

BBelanger · 06-29-2022, 06:49 PM

1 day after my warranty expired, but Newmar wouldn't cover it anyway. This is my 3rd Newmar and well over 100,000 miles, and I've heard those steps come in so many times when I've forgotten the overhead switch at a campground. There's a safety mechanism to prevent this, but it didn't work this time. Luckily I was able to jam them back into their pocket so I can drive. Had to disconnect the hydraulic and power to them. Luckily no one got hurt and no body damage. I can't imagine driving down the road and that step catching the back tire of a semi... You would think with a glass dash that Newmar could give you an idiot light that the steps are out...

$4400 plus install, and 8 weeks to get them. :(

veraken · 06-30-2022, 06:15 AM

Here's an old thread where a dash warning light was added. See post #18 for wiring info.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/no-...ps-471254.html

BBelanger · 06-30-2022, 10:51 AM

I'm wondering, since this was not anything I did or didn't do, it was a faulty Newmar switch, that maybe this needs to be reported to NHTSA? It could really result in a tragedy, although I was lucky. If this were an automobile, there would be a recall?

BB

DoodleBus · 06-30-2022, 11:19 AM

That seems exorbitant. The steps on our DS got stuck out, wouldn’t come in. At least I knew about it. I drove with them out for a short distance until I got home. Ended up having a mobile technician change out the motor and a module (?) part. Three years and about 25k miles seems like a a pretty short life for a step motor.

rarebear.nm · 06-30-2022, 11:49 AM

I was another who failed to verify the steps were in, one time. We were west bound going over Independence Pass in Colorado. Near the top the road narrows down to one lane. A large hunk of cliff got my step.

After replacing the step and testing all functions were working correctly I also added a dash switch. This one is a red LED flasher. Hot, fused, comes from an circuit that is keyed to engine running. The switch in mounted behind the step so that if engine is on and step is out the light flashes. When the auto retract finishes the light goes out. This is a grounding type switch frequently used for hood lights and such.