Len Salisbury Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 I have a Peugeot Boxer 2010 2.2 Diesel and the step is playing up. I have an auto electrician involved in the diagnosis as it it is still under dealer warranty. Auto electrician says that motor is faulty and needs replacing. A new step is on its way today. The difference cost wise for replacement motor or new step was minimal in £s. I have taken motor off the step and wired directly to 12 volt battery and it works fine both ways. So powerful you cannot stop it. Having read the problems that people are having with the step I am wondering if we are looking in the wrong direction. I have almost re-fitted my step together to see if it retracts and extends directly from 12volt. I am not an electrician so is it a RELAY problem and if so WHERE IS THE RELAY LOCATED? It will be interesting to see if the new step functions straight away when fitted. I have contacted previous owner who told me that he had a new step fitted in 2013 and has done very little mileage. I am the 3rd owner and the mileage was 10400. The step was malfunctioning on day of delivery last June. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 ...it could well be a relay or wiring problem, but in order to help you with the possible/probable location (and other diagnostics) you will have to tell us which motorcaravan it is, as the converter, not Peugeot, will have arranged the wiring for the step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 The conversion is/was by AutoCruise and is a PACE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 I have just put the step back together and wired it directly from the motor to a 12 volt battery and the step retracts and comes out when I reverse the wires to the battery. So it must be the relay that is causing the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Len, Exactly how is the step "Malfunctioning"? This may give us a clue as to the cause of the fault. eg. Does it not go back in when engine is started or what (?) As the step was previously replaced and you are still having troubles and you have now bench tested this step as 'OK' it would almost certainly point to the fault being elsewhere. Have you tested the microswitch in the back of the step (assuming a Thule step has one) as these can often jamb? Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 ...I doubt you'll find too many people on here who can comment on that particular 'van, but maybe some on similar contemporaneous models. It could be a wiring problem, a fuse problem, or a relay (possibly one of two) problem. If it's wiring, it could be anywhere. Conventionally, steps often use the same fuse and "split-charge" relay as the 'fridge to sense the engine running, so if the latter is working on 12v whilst the engine is on, the most likely culprit is a change-over relay for the step, probably, but not definitely, located (possibly hidden) in any cabinetwork near either the step switch, or the step itself. Be aware that one of the prime causes of a step not working is that the "retraction" switch (in the step mechanism) sticks, inhibiting any current. Just make sure you haven't "unstuck" this in the course of dismantling, and that there really is no current at the feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Len These are some previous Thule/OmniStep-related forum discussions http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/search/query.asp?action=search&searchforumid=all&keywords=omnistep&author=clive&days=&Submit=Search The slide-out 400 step is described here http://www.thule.com/en/gb/products/rv-accessories/security/steps/thule-step-12v-slide-out-400-_-thule%20step%2012v%20slide-out%20400%20new and fairly comprehensive information files can be downloaded via the “Download User Manual” button. Logically, as your step’s motor evidently works OK, the problem must be elsewhere. Manual-only operation involves very simple wiring, so I assume your step should automatically retract when the motorhome’s motor is started as well as being operable via a manual switch. As Robinhood says, a problem could be due to a fault in the wiring (loose or disconnected connection), a defective fuse or relay. The manual switch itself might also be faulty. Hard to advise on the most likely culprit without (as Keithl says) knowing what the step is actually doing (or not doing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 The step was playing up last June day of delivery. Coming out but not going in when switch was operated. It gradually got worse, sticking half way IN or OUT. The auto electrician cannot come until Tuesday. The instruction book that came with the new step (printed 2012) mention a switch inside so there may be another one besides the one that the arms depress (limit switch). A new step was purchased by the last owner in 2013 but this may well have been old stock with no additional switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 The new strp has a velcro like material (non slip) and on each side there are quite a few holes drilled for adjustment when siting underneath van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayjsj Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Hello, Clive Mott Gotobed, did a very good wiring Diagram on this Website, and in the magazine, Here : http://www.motts.dsl.pipex.com/Omnistep.htm Shame he doesn't seem to post on here anymore, along with Dave Newell they seem to have 'Moved' away ? Shame. Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted May 9, 2015 Author Share Posted May 9, 2015 Yes I have seen and printed the Wiring Diagram and will show Auto Electrician on Tuesday when he comes to fit new step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Nowadays the information on Clive’s website may well be out of date and you would be better to provide your auto-electrician with copies of the “Manual Slide_Out_Step_12V” and “Manual_Relay_for Step_12V” User Manual files (that include a wiring diagram for the current Thule product) that can be downloaded from the Thule website via the link I provided earlier. As far as I’m aware there is only one switch within the step’s ‘cassette’ - the limit-switch that can be used to trigger a warning-buzzer and/or warning-light when the step has not been properly retracted and the vehicle’s ignition is on. From your description of the fault - and the fact that your testing has shown that the present step’s motor seems to function as it should - it’s more likely that the fault lies with the manual switch (a fairly common occurrence) or (as you suggested earlier) with the relay than with the step itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 Sorry about delay in replying about the outcome of the Thule step. The auto electrician spent a lot of time and effort in overcoming the problem. First he had to drill some more holes in the sill for the front plates and the bolts supplied by Thule would not fit the Thule bar under the chassis. Did a test direct to step 12 v and step came OUT and RETRACTED as it should like my old one. but when wired up it was failing as per instruction book,. A new switch was fitted to activate manually but step still failed. He then looked at fuse box and found a SMALL length of wire which was not connected by solder at sometime. Tried contacting to cicuit board no luck. In his opinion was that the board was bot compatible with the wiring/step. It was switching off the current when step was coming out or retracted. This started to make sense. He has wired up the step so that the step when OUT and engine is started the buzzer sounds to denote step is out if you have forgotten to retract it I am quite happy with this arrangement. The fuse box is made by Sergeant. So it appears that current is being switched OFF too soon by this box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Salisbury Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 By the way the old step is working fine and there is nothing wrong with it. Comes out and goes back in a treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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