Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Step cover will not retract (Read 650 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Step cover will not retract

Yahoo Message Number: 15899
Fuse okay...power to cover...it will extend but not retract. It's now extended about half way. Two calls to tech support...one said bad switch and the other said there is an actuator (?) in compartment under driver's seat (probably what the first tech meant by switch). I can't find it...anybody know what it would look like...or have any other suggestions? Joe Cronin "03 Magna 6223

Re: Step cover will not retract

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15900
Joe: Assuming they haven't changed much since 99, I could write a book on my step cover woes. To get to the bottom line, you access it from the compartment under the driver seat area. It is the long square tube that extends out to the passenger side of the coach. That is what they call the Actuator.
It is operated by an electrical motor that turns both ways on command from the switch on the dash. Reverse polarity turns the pinion gear that moves the rack back and forth. You can see the motor's placement just about centered in the floor and bolted to the actuator.
In addition, it has stop switches at both ends of the rack so the motor is stopped when it reaches maximum travel.
The problem could be the switch on the dash, the stops or the motor. I spend $250 for a new motor (ripoff) from CC and replaced the switch. It only worked for a few months then quit again.
I battled the thing for nearly three years with it only working part of the time. In desperation, I finally removed the dam actuator. Now when I want it out, I push it out by hand. When I want it in, I reverse the process. No more brain damage. I know, I'm a quitter, but I will probably live longer.

Larry
Intrigue
10762

Re: Step cover will not retract

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15902
Quote from: jcronin3366"
r />]
Joe,

A previous post correctly outlined the "actuator" and how it works. I just replaced mine under warranty and took the time to determine how the original failed. There are four wires that exit from the motor assembly and they can be seen from under the coach just in front of the drivers seat. The failure was a very poor connection between one of those wires and its mate inside the assembly (probably to one of the two limit switches). The manufacturer used a very poor, plastic, squeeze type connector to join three wires and the connection failed.
For that simple thing CC sent me a new assembly which took about two hours between me and my favorite shop to replace. In my coach the front left bay is penetrated by the actuator arm (thru the bulkhead of that compartment) and the bulkhead had to be removed to replace the actuator assembly. Of course there is a fuse box and other stuff mounted on that same bulkhead so they had to be unmounted to do the job. Now, back to the four wires under the coach. They have to be cut to remove the assembly. So, to make any future replacement easier I used a four pin, weather proof trailer connector to join the four wires back. BTW, with my wife toggleing the switch and me under the coach I could wiggle the wires and thus determine exactly which wire was the culprit. The job is not too bad but it did take some time on my back and a lot of patience. If you do the job be sure to seal the screw holes behind the fuse box you have to remove to make sure it is waterproof. E-mail me if you need further info.

Lyle Wetherholt
04 Intrigue 11740

Re: Step cover will not retract

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15908
I had the exact same problem with my 2003 Allure (cover would not retract). I found that if I played with the wires behind the switch by the passenger seat, it would retract. I changed a wire connector on one of the red wires and it worked. A day later, it did it again! Again, I played with the wires and it started working.
After it kept failing, I changed the switch. We were at the Perry convention so parts were easy to get. After I changed the switch, it worked for a while (a day), then it started doing it again! I pulled the switch out and changed a couple more connectors that didn't look too healthy. It worked again. I inserted the switch back in the hole, but did not screw it in with the four screws. The switch worked for two days. On the way back home, I figured I had it fixed and secured the switch with the screws. It quite working! So, I loosened the screws and it started working again! Now I have the screws fairly unnoticeably loose and all is fine. Go figure! The screws must place undue stress on the inferior switch, which renders it intermittently inoperative. All seems fine now. Good luck!

Larry, Debbie, Tiki and Tomi (Pugs) USAF Retired

2003 Allure, #30856

Quote from: Ly erholt
Quote from: jcronin3366"

Joe,

A previous post correctly outlined the "actuator" and how it [/quote
and how it

works. I

Quote
just replaced mine under warranty and took the time to determine

how

Quote
the original failed. There are four wires that exit from the motor > assembly and they can be seen from under the coach just in front of > the drivers seat. The failure was a very poor connection between

one

Quote
of those wires and its mate inside the assembly (probably to one of > the two limit switches). The manufacturer used a very poor,

plastic,

Quote
squeeze type connector to join three wires and the connection

failed.

Quote
For that simple thing CC sent me a new assembly which took about

two

Quote
hours between me and my favorite shop to replace. In my coach the > front left bay is penetrated by the actuator arm (thru the

bulkhead of

Quote
that compartment) and the bulkhead had to be removed to replace the > actuator assembly. Of course there is a fuse box and other stuff > mounted on that same bulkhead so they had to be unmounted to do the > job. Now, back to the four wires under the coach. They have to be

cut

Quote
to remove the assembly. So, to make any future replacement easier I > used a four pin, weather proof trailer connector to join the four > wires back. BTW, with my wife toggleing the switch and me under

the

Quote
coach I could wiggle the wires and thus determine exactly which

wire

Quote
was the culprit. The job is not too bad but it did take some time

on

Quote
my back and a lot of patience. If you do the job be sure to seal

the

Quote
screw holes behind the fuse box you have to remove to make sure it

is

Quote
waterproof. E-mail me if you need further info.
Lyle Wetherholt
04 Intrigue 11740
>

> Fuse okay...power to cover...it will extend but not retract.

It's now

Quote
extended about half way. Two calls to tech support...one said

bad

Quote
switch and the other said there is an actuator (?) in
compartment under

Quote
driver's seat (probably what the first tech meant by switch). I

can't

Quote
find it...anybody know what it would look like...or have any

other

Re: Step cover will not retract

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15925
Have had the same problem since our 99 Intrigue was new. Techs installed new switch in Georgia and it now works, but sometimes will not retract without a push.
Good luck.

--- jcronin3366 jcronin307@...> wrote:

Quote
>

Fuse okay...power to cover...it will extend but not > retract. It's now

extended about half way. Two calls to tech > support...one said bad

switch and the other said there is an actuator (?) > in compartment under

driver's seat (probably what the first tech meant by > switch). I can't

find it...anybody know what it would look like...or > have any other

suggestions? Joe Cronin "03 Magna 6223 >
Gene Clendenin

Take Yahoo! Mail with you! Get it on your mobile phone.
http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo

Re: Step cover will not retract

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 15930
We've had this problem and finally solved it by periodically and thouroughly hosing the slides with WD40. The last time was when we parked facing the beach for 3 months at Puerto Penasco, MX and everything rusted bigtime. I removed the metal plate underneath the mechanism and cleaned, sanded and sprayed everything with TSP before painting the non-slide areas with Rustoleum. After that, a re-application of WD40 to the slides and it's been working like new.
Dick

Allure 50319

Quote from: Gene Clendenin \[br\
]

Re: Step cover will not retract

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 16029
From: "Richard Stearns" evierudie@...>
Quote
We've had this problem and finally solved it by periodically and > thouroughly hosing the
slides with WD40. (snip)
The original message apparently pertained to the mechanism that push/pulls the cover over the *inside* fixed steps, not the mechanism that opens/closes the *outside* retractable steps.

Regardless ... inside or outside ... both mechanisms are problematic.

Dick (& Geri) Campagna (in Key West) '98 36' Intrigue #10571
Mfd: 11/97