Bounder: No power to the Ignition Switch terminal in the chassis fuse panel.

[Clhuggins]

2000 Fleetwood Bounder 39z diesel.
Freightliner XC chassis.



Short version:
How do I test if the chassis fuse block/panel is bad? Is there a relay controlling the “IGN” terminal/port sending to the Battery control box in the back bay?

Longer version:
After a few hours of trouble shooting with Freightliner, then Fleetwood, then Intelletek, and then freightliner again, I’ve made great progress identifying why I lost my windshield fans, rear view camera, steps going in/out while the engine is running, and other seemingly unrelated issues.

While I was indeed getting power to some things like headlights and power seat adjust, other fuses were not showing power when I probed the fuse terminals on the Battery Control board in the rear storage bay. I found out that I wasn’t getting 12v on the IGN Switch line from the Chassis Fuse panel. Therefore, the battery control box wasn’t energizing the fuses/circuits that only need to operate when the IGN is on.

That’s where I’m stuck. I traced the IGN switch cable to its origin in the chassis fuse panel, unplugged it, and tested it’s terminal in the chassis fuse panel. No 12v coming out of the chassis fuse panel for that terminal. There is an ACC terminal next to the IGN switch terminal on the chassis fuse panel, and it does receive 12v when the ignition is turned on.

What I can’t figure out, and no shop seems to want to discount over the phone, is if this IGN switch terminal is controlled by some other relay, or if my entire fuse panel is bad.

For now, I made a jumper to plug into that active ACC terminal, so I’m back on the road.

Also, I’m unable to successfully locate any spec info, part number, branding for this chassis fuse panel. I’d love to talk with the manufacturer of this panel, but I don’t know who it is.

Also, oddly, my dash AC went out the day before. Not sure if it’s related. We first started to smell something odd coming out of the dash vents. Not a burning compressor belt kind of odd, but maybe an oily fishy kind of odd. Then a few hours later it wasn’t cold anymore. Then the condenser fan changed it’s rythem to a much shorter on/off cycle. I turned it off at that point. Today, I stopped at a parts store to try recharging the Freon. To recharge, you are supposed to turn the AC fan on high and engage the compressor. After I completed that and it still wasn’t cold, I turned off the engine. A few mins later, I turned on the ignition to prep to start the engine, and my windshield fans started up and then immediately stopped. Not only my windshield fans, but my AC blower fan as well as several other things...this leading me into all the above IGN switch issue stated above.

However, I assumed that when I rigged my Jumper (which restored my windshield fans and rear view camera) that the dash vent would also be restored. But, still no dash fans. So, not sure if they’re related issues, or just coincidental failures.

I am unable to locate the dash AC fan fuse. All fuses in my 3 fuse panel have been checked and are not blown.

[Skip426]

Can you post a picture of your fuse box ?

Perhaps we can identify the manufacturer .

When you talked to Freightliner , did they send you wiring diagrams or schematics for your chassis ?

Have you checked the wiring at the ignition switch , many times the wiring will overheat , causing an erratic connection.

I have them for my coach , but most times I've shared them I've been told they don't match and believe that the side rad chassis like mine has a different harness than a rear rad chassis.

[Clhuggins]

Sorry for the delay in response.

Here are some images of the fuse panel. The white wire in the front with a black smear is the IGN switch cable that was plugged into the fuse panel IGN switch port. Now it’s jumpered to the ACC port.

A small update, I pulled off at a rest area today to take these pictures, and while poking around, my windshield fans, as well as the rear view camera, went off again (engine was running). Therefore, I lost power to the ACC port where my jumper is. I pushed around on the fuse panel (it’s just screwed to a wooden board) and the fans came back on. I closed the lid and kept driving, not wanting to fiddle anymore until I got where I was going.

A few hours later, the fans stopped again while driving. I pulled off and poked around a bit more. There is a big bundle of red wires going under the fuse panel on the right side, I pulled at that bundle and the fans came on, when I let off the pressure of me pulling on that bundle of wires, the fans went back off. I poked around and repositioned some of those red cables until the fans stayed on. I made it the rest of the way tonight without the fans going back off.

Not sure if the fuse panel is faulty or if it’s just a loose wire. My dash AC is still not coming on, and I’ve still not found a fuse for it.

[Skip426]

The last 2 1/2 " of this wire is damaged from over heating and needs to be replaced . Yellow circle.
Fuse box looks like mid 70 Chevy P/U , maybe you can find a truck in a wreckers that you could get the wire ends with the correct locking clips.

[Skip426]

I'm having some problems relating to your system , because for whatever reason , rear rad chassis and side rad chassis ( as my Newmar is ) have entirely different wiring harnesses , fuse and relay boxes , the works . The only thing that looks like my dash is the ignition switch ( 72 Chevy P/U).
As evidence my fuse boxes , photo below. I don't have a photo with the covers off.
But the covers are marked with part of my chassis vin.

[Clhuggins]

That “damaged” wire was just the temporary jumper. The proper connector is on the IGN switch wire. But it’s connector doesn’t fit into the ACC port. After i wiggled those red wires today to get the ACC signal back on, it also re energized the IGN port. I’m planning on putting it back he way it was when I get home.

[Skip426]

Contact Freightliner's free help line again with your chassis serial number , and ask for schematics and diagrams for your chassis ( have your serial number handy ) . I hope they're still available as I've heard F/L is slowly discontinuing support for older chassis.
1-800-385-4357

The owners manual from my coach shows your fuse box( It doesn't show my boxes) , and has those two recesses labeled as not used . Third row from top 3rd and 4th from the left .

[Clhuggins]

So, to wrap this problem up, I just found that I had a loose terminal in an unmarked fuse.

On the far right of my fuse panel, there’s a 15 amp fuse, and the red bundle of wires is just underneath it. I just wiggle the fuse and all my devices go off. I can wiggle the wires just under that fuse and I can see the fuse wiggle. I took the fuse out, and one of the terminals was just too wide to properly grip that fuse. I bent the terminal posts together so it would be a tighter fit, and now it seems to be solid. I can wiggle the wires and noting turns off.

[Skip426]

Glad your mobile with everything working .

As with most electrical problems ; particularly erratic ones; pinpointing the problem takes 95% of the time involved.