Community Forums

WallyB · 11-05-2004, 11:57 AM

I may have posted this on the wrong forum for a WH discussion so I'll post it here too since it seems to be up DriVer's alley.

"I have a 2002 Airstream Land Yacht 30' Gas MH (WH Chassis) and have experienced wiring failures in the starting and ignition circuitry at the ignition switch and the connector which plugs into the switch. The WH chassis is under warranty and a WH service center repaired one switch failure where the wires burned off the switch and now I have a melted connector at the switch. The connector has four wires leading from the chassis wire harness to the connector. The pink and the red wires got extremely hot and melted the connector around them and when jiggling the connector, I got a spark flash and the engine quit. In working with technical support and my local service center, I have arranged for a warranty repair by installing an Ignition and Starter Switch Enhancement Kit P/N W800285. This kit is not currently available so I have replaced the burned connector to be able to drive the rig to the shop. No one I have talked to seems to know the exact cause of the failures. Has anyone experienced or understand these problems or know of the reason for the enhancement kit?"

DriVer · 11-05-2004, 12:35 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by WallyB:
... understand these problems or know of the reason for the enhancement kit?" <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Sorry but no. We have had several posts here about the wiring harness going up on the steering column, perhaps someone will respond otherwise I'll find out about the kit next week for you. I won't be available for the next 3 days.

"007" · 11-05-2004, 05:35 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by WallyB:
I may have posted this on the wrong forum for a WH discussion so I'll post it here too since it seems to be up DriVer's alley.

"I have a 2002 Airstream Land Yacht 30' Gas MH (WH Chassis) and have experienced wiring failures in the starting and ignition circuitry at the ignition switch and the connector which plugs into the switch. The WH chassis is under warranty and a WH service center repaired one switch failure where the wires burned off the switch and now I have a melted connector at the switch. The connector has four wires leading from the chassis wire harness to the connector. The pink and the red wires got extremely hot and melted the connector around them and when jiggling the connector, I got a spark flash and the engine quit. In working with technical support and my local service center, I have arranged for a warranty repair by installing an Ignition and Starter Switch Enhancement Kit P/N W800285. This kit is not currently available so I have replaced the burned connector to be able to drive the rig to the shop. No one I have talked to seems to know the exact cause of the failures. Has anyone experienced or understand these problems or know of the reason for the enhancement kit?" <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> "

"007"

I had this same wiring problem on my, W-22 WH,NEWMAR coach, while making a trip to the NEWMAR factory. I pulled into a rest area in PA.,turned off the ignition and a puff of white smoke came up from the steering wheel. "SURPRISE"
So I spent the night in the rest area,called WH and was getting towed in the a.m. to Danville,PA.,HAWKINS CHEVROLET,a very responsive dealer.
I met up with a service man,Dave, who was very up to date on my problem. The only wire burnt was a heavy black grd wire within the ignition wiring harness. Also a 40 amp fuse in the main fuse bay.
He replaced the wiring harness and ignition switch #26047332, used diag. charts for ign.B #860193,#860169,#860190. All documents from K-Silverado wire chart.

When you move the steering wheel up and down for adjustment the wiring harness chafs on the bend on top off steering column.
You may have a burr on the metal bend,I checked mine to be sure. The wiring harness tightens when you move the wheel up and down.
I also put some wiring sleeves around the wiring harness over this bend.
You are at the right place for any problems you may incounter with your WH.chassie.

Driver and many others will help you. I have owned three Ford v-10s chassies, two other NEWMARS, kountry- star and mountain-air.
I found that the Ford chassie couldn't carry these MH'S. I had to add leaf springs on the K.S. and install, myself, Air Lift air bags on the M.A.

When I drove the WH.chassie for the first time with my new K.S.3740 was I surprised, the coach road like my wifes Lincoln. We have been on trips since and have experienced the porpoise syndrome and rain water shutting down the engine on a busy highway.
I have corrected the porpoise with Bilsteins shocks I put in myself and have found out that NEWMAR has a kit for the rain problem, that I hope to have done when I have my recall on CATS done.
My biggest problem is finding a good CHEV or GMC dealer to take care of the upgrades. I do not trust the dealer where I bought the MH.
The Ford chassies were assembled in Mexico, they had better quality than the U.S.WH. assembles. I still like my WH. hope they can improve their quality. I am getting to old to be their test driver.

"007"

TOMF1936 · 11-06-2004, 07:44 PM

Wally
I have a Winnebago Brave 30W that has the same problem. The ign sw has been replaced twice so far and is getting ready to go again, I can smell the wires getting hot when I turn the heater on. I talked to Workhorse about the problem last week, the person I talked to said the Manufacturers were connecting too many things to the ign sw wiring. When enough items are running there is more current being drawn through the ign sw than it can handle. The result is that the contacts and wires get so hot that the sw either melts or deforms until the contacts do not make. Their solution is a switch protection kit which consists of a wiring harness and a relay assy. According to the person I spoke with all the items being powered by the ign sw will be wired to the relay, the only current being drawn through the ign sw will be to energize the relay. He seemed pretty confident that this would take care of the problem. Lets hope so anyway. By the way what were the mileages that yours smoked? The first time on mine was at about 15k miles, the second time at approximately 3ok miles and now at 40k I can smell it getting hot.
Workhorse is going to pay for having the kit installed in mine even though it is out of warranty, wich I thought was pretty nice of them.

HoverLover · 11-07-2004, 08:55 PM

Mine didn't smoke, but I pulled off for lunch and as I parked, the engine quit and all was dead. I called roadside service and they helped me determine that a fuse was blown. Of course I didn't have any spares so they found a garage about ten miles away that did and I replaced the fuse. They suggested that we should find out what the cause was. That night was not in an area with a WH service, but the next night was to be at North Platte NE and they set me up with an appointment for the next morning and suggested that I not raise or lower the steering wheel. I got in to the garage and they pulled the steering column off and found a wire that had been chafing and fixed it and also found another place that might cause trouble so they fixed it and although they didn't replace the harness, I am sure that the splice was well done and I have had no further troubles. I found the WH assistance to be very good and certainly got me fixed and back on the road.

WallyB · 11-15-2004, 06:31 PM

Thanks for your responses. I believe my problem more closely follows Tom's experience as I have not blown any fuses nor had smoke from the steering column. I have only moved my column a couple of times since I bought it. I replaced the bad connector and cleaned the terminals in the switch last week and then drove 300 miles over the weekend and had no problem. The pink and red wires barely got warm. I am now waiting to hear what DriVer finds out from WCC about the switch enhancement kit so I can decide about going in to the service Center for correction of a problem. To answer Tom's question about the mileage when the failures occurred: switch failed at 15,000 and the connector at 29,000. By the way Tom, who did you talk to at WCC?

DriVer · 11-16-2004, 03:39 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote">quote:<HR>Originally posted by WallyB:
I am now waiting to hear what DriVer finds out from WCC about the switch enhancement kit so I can decide about going in to the service Center for correction of a problem. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I got your back!

"007" · 11-16-2004, 10:20 AM

"TOM" My wiring smoked at 7500 miles, they replaced wiring harness and switch, it was said to be an improved model. I added the wire guard myself because I have always been adjusting my wheel. Waiting to hear on switch enhancement kit also. "007"

DriVer · 11-16-2004, 01:32 PM

I found out today that the kit is specifically for P32s only and that it is available from Workhorse Parts.

WallyB · 11-17-2004, 09:04 AM

Thank you DriVer for the info on applicability to P32s. Mine is a P32 chassis. Can you find out what the kit contains and why it was found neccessary? I have looked at my system and found that Airstream uses an Intellitec Battery Control Center which employs relays operated by the ignition switch to power up the major accessories such as heater, seat, window, jacks and mirror. My failures sound similar to Tom's but I am leaning toward bad terminal connections as the cause of my problems. Does WCC know of Airstream problems and is the kit applicable to the Airstream? Is there a Service Bulletin associated with this kit?

OCMAN · 11-30-2005, 12:20 PM

I had the same problem with my p 32. I turned the key and the unit would try to start for just a second and then nothing. I turn on the key and hoked up a remote start switch from the starter. I drove the MH Home and I going to have it repair. I was ****** to have these problems at 13,000 miles. This is unexceseable to have these problems. The only ture is if you own a motorhame it isn't if it is going to break its when.

Ocman