Re: Steps won’t retract on 2000 intrigue
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 114916
Can you hear the motor try to start when you push the step button on the door frame? I could but it was a brief noise, almost a bump.
On my 2000 Magna it was one of two things. Either the step arm had gone over center and the motor did not have enough torque to overcome the force required to start the return of the steps or the ground strap from the step controller to the steps was loose.
I could not get to the ground wire and did not think to see if I could force the step linkage out of a possible over center situation. I removed the steps and hooked the steps to a temporary 12 volt source and the steps started working. At this point the cause could have been either situation. Since the steps were removed I took the opportunity to replace the step motor with one I got from a local O'Reilly's Auto Parts store and also relocated the ground wire to another screw that I added. The controller case is plastic and the ground wire was attached with one of the screws used to mount the controller. I believe the plastic relaxed and allowed the ground wire to be loose. That screw was frozen and broke when I tried to tighten it. Note that there are 2 ground wires, one from the controller to the steps and a heavier gage one from the controller to the chassis. I also added a small shim to prevent the linkage from being able to go over center.
I would first try to see if you can force the linkage to start while someone activates the push button switch for the steps. You can try checking the smaller ground wire to see if it is loose but because of its location I don't think you can do much with it if it is loose.
Pete
2000 40' Magna CAT C-10, #5892