06 Patriot Steps Stopped Working

[Norm Green]

I was going to move my coach this morning, temp. parked in my neighbors driveway, and found that when I started the coach, the kwikee model 42 steps did not retract.  I proceeded to ensure the door was closed and checked the power switch.  I shut the engine down and proceeded to try to get the steps in without luck.  I am in the process of trouble shooting per the manual and everything looks good so far.  My concern is that I have to move the coach but to do so I need the steps in for clearance.  Is there any way to mechanically bring the steps in or do I have to remove the motor so I can slide them in until I find out what is wrong.

[Gerald Farris]

Norm,
I do not think that there is a way to mechanically retract your steps without disconnecting the motor.

Gerald

[Roy Warren Co-Admin]

I am sure you tried this, but my steps lock periodically and I get underneath and spray the hinge pivots real good with a non-grease silicone spray.  I also use a pry bar to help me move them just a little so I can make sure the spray gets into the pivot area.  After that, I attempt to operate the steps again.  I keep repeating this process and after two or three times, they start working again.

[Norm Green]

I recently lubricated the steps with a dry lub and they seemed to be working fine.  Now I get nothing, they don't even try to retract.

[LarryNCarolynShirk]

Maybe your Kwikee step is different, but on my '98 Patriot I could remove a cotter pin, pull the connecting pin from the motor and swing the step up.  Temporarily wire or tie it in the up position to travel.

Larry

[Robert Mathis]

I had to replace the brain on my steps recently. Can you hear a "click" when you close the door? The trouble shooting involved checking to see if there was 12 volts at the connector, and then checking to see if there was continuity across the magnectic switch in the door jamb. You can also "hotwire' the motor to get the steps in, bypassing the controll brain.

[Norm Green]

There are two magnetic switches at the bottom of the door, not sure which one is for the steps but I will take off and see if I can tell.  When I ran a magnet over the switches, they both seemed to click but nothing happened with the steps.  Can you tell me how to do the short cut around the control?  I tried to do the motor test as described in the manual but the contacts are so close together I was afraid I would short them out.

[Norm Green]

I just completed testing the 4-way connector and all checked well.  I did notice two things while on my back.  First, when I was beginning to do my testing on the connector, before I unplugged it, I touched the motor, it was warm.  I disconnected the 2-way connector and did not get any power to either wire from the coach side.  The other thing I noticed is that 1) the 2-way connector only goes on one way, like it should and 2) when connected, the red wire from the coach connects to the yellow wire to the motor and the yellow wire from the coach connects to the red wire to the motor.  Is that right?  I am trying to get in touch with Kwikkee to verify.

[Robert Mathis]

I disconnected the wires at the junction box beside the step. Then using jumper wires, touched the positive to one motor wire and ground to the other, then reversed the wires. If the motor works, it's the controller, if not, the motor is bad. I don't recall now if I had to cut the wires from the motor to the controll box or is they had a disconnect. The controller is just a reversing switch that tells the motor which way to turn and when to stop. As I recall, the magnetic switch makes a connection (i think it is normally open) and tells the controller to activate the step. On mine, I could actually hear the controller "click" when the door was opened and closed, so I knew the magnetic switch was okay. I aasume you have already tested to see if you have 12 volts at the connection going into the box?

[Robert Mathis]

Sorry, you posted while I was typing that one. Touch a positive and a ground to the two wires (yellow and red) and see if the steps move.

[Bill Sprague]

I've read that you can use a Siemens "Window Lift Motor", part number WL43003, from AutoZone as an exact duplicate of the Kwikee motor should you need to replace it.