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No Wipers, etc.

Yahoo Message Number: 55838
Hope someone can help. With this rain (not used to it!), found out today I have no wipers, also no cruise control and no horn. Basically nothing on the SmartWheel works. I've checked the two 5A fuses marked Smartwheel & they're OK. Is there a reset somewhere? A major connector?
If I can make it to Quartzsite, I'm sure I can find a cc tech, but this storm in SoCal is likely to follow us all the way there (please don't blame us if it does...).

Hmmm. This is where having a FACTORY would help.

Any ideas?

Jim & Liz Headley

2004 Intrigue Ovation 11764

jimlizh@... (213) 507-1930

Re: No Wipers, etc.

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 55840
I can't help with the wipers, but you need to stop and get some RAINX and treat your windshield. You will be amazed as nice as it will be to drive in any sort of rain storm. I would never travel without it. Can go thru the worst storms without even thinking of turning on the wipers. Be sure to follow the directions, and do each side twice.
Will never get caught without this stuff, it really works. Come from rainy country, and use it on everything I drive.
Dale Morris 91 savanna 4702

Good luck!!

Re: No Wipers, etc.

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 55842
Yes there is a connector. It is located under the center pad on the wheel. There is 1 screw at the center on the back of the wheel which secures it. When you remove the screw that will release the pad so you can push up over the top 2 clips.

Steve Dailey
06 Allure 31299

Re: No Wipers, etc.

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 55846
Someone mentioned RainX to put on the windshield. I have used that junk and have found that ReJex works 100% better. The real plus side is that it is easy to apply and easy to wipe off. I use ReJex on the entire coach, including windows and polished wheels.

Don

'02 Intrigue #11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: No Wipers, etc.

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 55852
I had a 2007 Allure that had a SmartWheel that would fail occasionally. Never could make it to a dealer while it was failing. It might work for 500 miles then fail for 20-60 miles. Failures included some or all of the following: Cruise control, headlight and marker light flashing, various windshield wiper functions. Later found that wiggling one of the connector that plugs into the control module was usually good for 1000 miles.
Took a year to toubleshoot at rallies, rest stops (often started working before the rest stop). Tried new clock spring, SmartWheel Control Module under the dash, and finally found a bad crimp on the 5V wire in one of the connectors that plugs into the control module.
Considered it a safety hazard, so I installed a toggle switch on the dash to jumper the windshield wiper output from the module, so that I could activate the wipers if it failed during rain.
So... Check the following. Get documention for your smartwheel. There is a table of voltages for the various functions. The Clock Spring is 4 wires: Ground, +5, and two signal wires (purple and yellow????). The pair of voltages on the signal wires controlled different functions. Is there a good solid 5V at the wheel? If not, find the cause. If some voltage, check your horn during failure. Have someone sound the horn, or for more quieter testing, press the headlight button while a third person watches the headlight and you wiggle the wires attached to the control module under the dash - that is how we isolated the problem. Check the connector part way down the steering column to make sure it is connected at the clock spring pigtail and that 5V is or is not there, depending upon if you found 5V under the steering wheel horn pad.

Good luck.

Herb

2007 Allure 430 #31466

Re: No Wipers, etc.

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 55859
Jim, in the FILES section of this site there is a file titled "SmartWheel by VP" it has an owners manual and a trouble shooting guide. It might help in finding you problem.

Earl Densten

03 Intrigue 11554

Re: No Wipers, etc.

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 55861
You are probably in need of a new "Clock Spring." It is essentially a coiled loom that resides in the steering wheel hub. An easy replacement. Buy it from the manufacturer direct. The "factory" sent me a used broken one!

Mel Shapiro
LEXA 6177

Re: No Wipers, etc.

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 55881
Before going to the trouble of installing the clock spring, test it by jumpering it from the steering wheel connector to the connector located on the steering wheel column, or at least measure the voltages at the connector on the steering column to verify that it is the clock spring.

Herb

2007 Allure #31466 (SOLD)