Step Gremlin

[birdhunter]

My Kwickee Series 42 steps on my 02 Magna have began periodically going in while camped, engine off key out, leveled. They will do this for no apparent reason, on no apparent schedule, multiple times a day, and night. Once they go in, they stay in until I open the door, then they go out. They will then stay out, maybe for 2 hours, maybe for 3 hours. Then the cycle begins again. I am touching, nothing doing nothing sitting when all this happens. It's as if I had the switch that causes them to go in when the door is shut turned on, but I don't. I am mystified. I've actually pulled the breaker in the front run bay to stop them from going in. Any ideas?

[deandec]

I have an idea from my Series 42 step troubleshooting and resolution.

The solution to my steps, was to burnish the two ground connections on the underside of the steps. This took about 16 minutes.

Unfortunately I invested about 10 hours chasing my cause and purchased and installed two new step motors before doing the grounds contact thing. Also spent an hour on the phone physically troubleshooting with a manufacturers rep to no avail.

I am currently using the OLD step motor on my 1995 Magna.

The trouble shooting document for Kwikee steps calls out the grounds as likely causes of problems, but in my infinite wisdom, I ignored the experts.

[Jon_C]

Definitely sounds like a connection issue. As mentioned clean the grounds and reseat all wire connectors first. My step has a large green ground wire connected to the frame and a smaller green wire under the step.

Either pull the pin on the lever or make sure no power to step before working on it.

[phays]

On my 2000 Magna, the green wire attached to the steps was attached at one of the mounting screws for the control case. The wire terminal was placed on top of the case and then the screw was inserted. Over time, I assume because the plastic case shrank, the terminal connection deteriorated. Unfortunately the screw was frozen and I could not tighten it so I had to cut the wire, add a new terminal, and drill new hole for attaching the new terminal.

[birdhunter]

Thank you all. Sounds like the grounds are the first suspect. I'll probably have to pull that damn huge metal plate to access. Haven't been in there in 3 or 4 years. Going to wait until February when bird season ends and I start on motorhome maintenance. So for now I'll pull the breaker again.

[CoCoDave]

We had a Steps Gremlin in our 2002 Affinity. It turned out to be an easy fix. See post below.

Door Switch/Steps Post

FWIW

[birdhunter]

Dave, I just replaced that switch two years ago but I will pull it check it and clean it. Thing is, with the switch in the dash set to keep the steps out, I would think the door switch in the frame would have no effect, but who knows.

[CoCoDave]

Originally Posted by birdhunter

Dave, I just replaced that switch two years ago but I will pull it check it and clean it. Thing is, with the switch in the dash set to keep the steps out, I would think the door switch in the frame would have no effect, but who knows.

If not the switch, I hope it's something equally simple to repair.

Best,

[CamDaddy]

Spray the door pin switch with WD-40.

[dsiedschlag]

The steps on my 2000 Magna started randomly going out and in while underway. Cleaning the ground to the steps fixed the problem for me. Hopefully fixing yours will be that easy. Dan. 2000 Magna #5788

[birdhunter]

I'm starting in on the steps. I could not find a loose ground but I loosened it and tightened it again. My warning light for the steps out has never worked. I think I discovered why. There's a separate switch for that under there and upon deeper examination the wires to it are disconnected for some reason and it's not clear to me how they should be reconnected. I am attaching a picture if anyone can help. One wire is capped.

[birdhunter]

From rereading the posts there must be another ground wire. I will go look for it.