Community Forums

Slobrew · 06-26-2019, 06:27 PM

Well I'm getting the bugs out of my 2018 Bounder, every time I think I've got everything working I have a new problem or two. Currently working on two and could use a little advice.

1. My left rear brake/blinker light quit working on the Bounder, my TOAD still has both functions. I pulled the light and tested on the bench and it seems to be gone. The additional problem is the molding that goes around the light has two tabs at the top and two clips at the bottom. If you remove the molding the clips stay on the rv and separate from the molding (not a good design) and you have to remove the molding to get the light out. Anyway my plan is to remove the right hand side molding and light and see if the left light works in that position. not looking forward to it because then I'm pretty sure I'll have to epoxy both sets of clips on each molding pieces.

2. I added gas to the RV before our last trip. The gas gauge after refuel was a slight bit over 3/4. Then we went on about a 240 mile round trip. The gas gauge is still at a bit over 3/4 full. I'm pretty good at electrical troubleshooting, but have no idea how to fix this problem. It would be great if it really didn't use any gas on a 240 mile trip, but I'm pretty sure I have a problem.

Got any input???

Jim_HiTek · 06-27-2019, 08:39 AM

1) Most service techs wouldn't bother trying to find the wiring problem other then checking for a poor connection near and at the socket. They would just bypass the bad wiring by splicing into the nearby trailer socket that you've already verified as working correctly and running a new wire set up to the light socket.

1a) Without a picture of the molding, who knows...you're basically on your own with that sort of custom mod.

2) That's a tough one...those gauges are electrical and are connected to an engine computer that sends a serial digital signal to it on a CAN buss. It's not likely that the computer would be stuck at 3/4 tank or the gauge either for that matter...nature of a digital system. However, the sender inside the fuel tank is analog and I'd bet that's where the problem is. If you have access to the top of the tank and can pull the sender out and check it, that would be a start. If not easily accessible, try messing with the fuel quantity and vary it trying to jog the sender. For that you need to know your average mileage and know when to add fuel. Start with a fill of course so you know where you stand.

At least that's how I see it. Maybe someone here on the forum with more gauge experience has a better idea.

jyjcbs · 06-28-2019, 07:00 AM

I am now going through the the rear tail light trim problem. Lucky it didn't fall off from our trip last week. Used epoxy on the clips and am waiting for it to dry as we speak. Substandard parts.

Slobrew · 06-29-2019, 12:28 PM

I finally removed the problem brake/run/turn light from the RV and hooked it up to a battery in the garage and I could get two of the 10 LEDs to barely glow. I then checked the output of the leads on the RV and it has power. So, appears to not be an electrical problem but a failed light assembly. I could not find one like it on the internet so now ordering one from my Fleetwood dealer.

Some pictures attached to show the Trim/molding issue. In order to get to the screws for the light assembly you have to remove the trim/molding. If you look at the picture with the trim/molding removed you will see two slots at the top and two places at the bottom for the closure clamps to engage. Sounds easy to remove right, just pull on the bottom swing it out and it will slide out of the upper slots. What really happens is you pull on the bottom and the clamps stay in the chassis side and break off of the epoxy on the the trim/molding. To fix this you need to clean off the epoxy from the plastic trim(dremel tool with grind stone) pry the clamps from the chassis and then re-epoxy them to the trim/molding. Let dry then put more epoxy on top to try to capture the clamp. Pain in the butt to have to do this eveytime you have to work on any of the four lights under the trim molding.

Pictures are - back of the RV with trim on and one with trim off. (not sure why they are rotated incorrectly. Picture of the trim with and without the clasp installed. Picture of the epoxy I use to reinstall, got it at the auto parts store.

Jim_HiTek · 06-29-2019, 02:00 PM

Next time, perhaps just drill through where those tabs are. For 6-32 screws.

Than with a rotary tool and small grinding disk, slice a slot in those plastic keepers. Drill the same sized hole as the screws need in step one in the tops of the keepers and insert speed nuts in the slots you've ground into them. Epoxy them in place.

Now use stainless steel screws screwed into the speed nuts to attach the covers.

This just based on how that plastic looks from the pictures you show. Maybe there's a better way to capture a nut inside those keepers...can't tell from the pics.