Steps won't stay out

[jackhos]

We have been wintering in our 2018 Coachmen Mirada in Texas and today just sitting watching TV, we heard the entry steps come in. The only thing different is that it had rained. I turned the motor on, then turned it off and opened the door and the steps went out. When I closed the door after pushing the switch, the steps went in. I even re-leveled the unit and still the steps won't stay out.
Anybody else had this problem and how do I fix it?
Jack

[bubbles]

Running the engine, re-levelling, etc. does not change anything as far as keeping the steps out. Your door switch must be working ok because the steps go in and out. There are two other key things that control the steps staying out with the door closed. 1. the ignition switch must be OFF. 2. the step switch needs to be ON and supplying 12Vdc to the step controller (I'm not familiar with your coach and don't know where that 12Vdc comes from). Is your step switch an illuminated switch when ON and if so is it illuminated when ON? Of course there is a possibility that the step controller has faulted. This is electrical and anything is possible.

[jackhos]

Thanks for the reply. No, my switch is not the illuminated type. I'm sure I have the key.

[jackhos]

Thanks for the reply! My switch is not the illuminated type. It is on and my key is off. Still won't stay out.

[bubbles]

I think the 12Vdc input from the step switch is missing. That input is typically fused but I don't know where your fuse would be located. Key things is just an expression meaning important applicable things. Do you have a voltmeter?

[Scottmarm]

I've read this problem before in another thread and the problem was a burnt fuse where the house batteries are. Look near the batteries and you'll see many fuses there. Hope this helps.

[Ford1]

Just for clarification, are you saying that the steps deploy when you open the door, but retract when you close the door under both of the following conditions; step switch on and step switch off?

[helferdm]

Originally Posted by jackhos

We have been wintering in our 2018 Coachmen Mirada in Texas and today just sitting watching TV, we heard the entry steps come in. The only thing different is that it had rained. I turned the motor on, then turned it off and opened the door and the steps went out. When I closed the door after pushing the switch, the steps went in. I even re-leveled the unit and still the steps won't stay out.
Anybody else had this problem and how do I fix it?
Jack

>>>>>>>>>

had the same problem. Checked wall and door switches, which were fine. Changed step control board. Fixed.

[formerFR]

another option is the 'magnetic' sensor on the screen door, which tells the steps whether the door is 'open' or is 'closed', making the movement then to retract, or open, as the need occurs, IF the switch is also working properly.

If the magnet is not touching, or is missing, it can tell the steps that the door remains open, and the steps will remain open, of course. It can also tell the steps to remain open WHILE DRIVING! Clearly, this must not be your problem, but maybe the switch was accidentally wired BACKWARDS, making the steps operate opposite: such as,

when the door is closed, the steps OPEN
when the door is opened, the steps CLOSE/retract

Once, while delivering a BRAND NEW Forest River GEORGETOWN from the factory to a dealer in Florida, I was 'honked' at by a passing vehicle, who happened to be pointing 'down' toward the steps as he passed by on the passenger side - we both came to the same stop light, where he hollered out 'hey, Man, your steps are OUT!'.... what?????
YEP, pulled over down the road and sure enough, all THREE of the steps were all the way out, WHILE I was driving, and maybe for the past few hundred miles! Who knows...

What I found was that the magnet that the screen door 'touches', when closed, to tell the steps the RETRACT, had moved off the mount on the door frame. Even though the screen door, and the outside door were 'closed', the steps thought that the door was 'open'. I moved the magnet back to it's original position, and found something to keep it there, at least until I arrived at the dealer, to let them deal with it.

[Iggy]

Jack check the fuse I have marked in picture at your battery control center.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by formerFR

another option is the 'magnetic' sensor on the screen door, which tells the steps whether the door is 'open' or is 'closed', making the movement then to retract, or open, as the need occurs, IF the switch is also working properly.

If the magnet is not touching, or is missing, it can tell the steps that the door remains open, and the steps will remain open, of course. It can also tell the steps to remain open WHILE DRIVING! Clearly, this must not be your problem, but maybe the switch was accidentally wired BACKWARDS, making the steps operate opposite: such as,

when the door is closed, the steps OPEN
when the door is opened, the steps CLOSE/retract

Once, while delivering a BRAND NEW Forest River GEORGETOWN from the factory to a dealer in Florida, I was 'honked' at by a passing vehicle, who happened to be pointing 'down' toward the steps as he passed by on the passenger side - we both came to the same stop light, where he hollered out 'hey, Man, your steps are OUT!'.... what?????
YEP, pulled over down the road and sure enough, all THREE of the steps were all the way out, WHILE I was driving, and maybe for the past few hundred miles! Who knows...

What I found was that the magnet that the screen door 'touches', when closed, to tell the steps the RETRACT, had moved off the mount on the door frame. Even though the screen door, and the outside door were 'closed', the steps thought that the door was 'open'. I moved the magnet back to it's original position, and found something to keep it there, at least until I arrived at the dealer, to let them deal with it.

The steps are extending when the door is open and retracting when the door is closed. The issue is, with the steps switch ON the steps are still retracting when the door is closed. The steps switch supplies 12Vdc to the steps controller for logic to keep the steps extended with the door closed. If that 12Vdc is supplied to the controller then the controller has an issue. If that 12Vdc is not supplied to the controller the steps will not stay extended with the door closed. I believe his steps are Kwikee and the door switch is a normally open magnetic switch so if the magnet was misaligned the switch would not close and the steps would not retract closing the door. The fuse for the Georgetown step switch is in the battery control center box but the OP has a Coachmen and I don't know if it is the same for that coach.

[Edjen]

The two small gauge wires leading to the magnetic switch were my culprits. One was broken inside the insulation very near the connection point @ switch. You wouldn't believe all the things I bought that was advised by RV dealerships and other RV friends. I did not LOOK broken but it most certainly was. I spent days on this! Got it finally by good old "Trial be Elimination".