Kwikee steps

[4thek9s!]

I have a 2006 BT Cruiser m-5291, the steps will not work. The light underneath is on but they will not extend out. I have charged the coach battery and have it plugged in?????
Any suggestions??

[Chuck v]

Use this manual to see if you can find the issue -- Might be a mechanical jam.


Chuck

[proost]

You may get lucky just removing the motor and reinstalling it. Mechanical jam is likely, a failed motor is even more likely and they can be purchased for less than $50 on Amazon. Mine recently stopped working and I suspected another failed motor but then disconnected it, and then cycled the door. Totally worked.

You might also check to make sure that the magnetic switch in your door is functional.

These are really easy to troubleshoot and repair.

[4thek9s!]

Thank you. The light underneath is on and when I put those magnetic switches together and then apart, I do hear a little noise but then nothing. I thought since the light was on it was getting power??? I do see a wire with a fuse holder hanging down but no fuse is in it and the end is gone. However I do remember seeing that before.

[LTC_R]

Kwikee uses a power window motor for the steps. When this happened to mine, a friend suggested that the stopping point had just become demagnetized since the travel is to the same point each cycle. He recommended taking a screwdriver and lightly tap the motor body a couple of times with the handle, then give it a try. Worked like a charm, don’t understand why or how, but it worked for me.

[4thek9s!]

Thank you I will try it!

[Mike1931]

Disconnect the motor arm and see if the motor works or you can manually extend steps. You will find your answer.
Since you hear something making a noise. I would believe your motor is fine and somehow the step has been bent.
I’ve done both, replace bad motor and straighten steps linkage.
Mike Root
Tulalip Washington
35 Miles Northwest of
Seattle

[Chuck v]

An additional observation: Not all 'bad" motor assemblies are actually bad. I have had these steps lock in place with the motor not responding several times, and posted to this forum about it in the past.


These motors are re-purposed from car window lifts, where they are mounted in a vertical plane. When a horizontal mounting position as used on the Kwikee steps, the adapter gear shaft (number 6 in the attached drawing) can work its way down into the larger housing such that it is not engaging the boss in the opposite housing. This allows the gear to tip over enough to bind and keep the motor from actuating (these motor controls have over-current detection that stops the motor when it meets abnormal resistance, as in the end of travel...)


I solved this issue by placing a short spacer in the housing boss below the axle such that it does not drop down out of engagement. Never had the issue again...!! NOTE: in the illustration below the motor is shown flipped over from its position on the steps assembly as used on RVs...the bell cranks are on the bottom of the assembly.


Chuck

[ricklin]

My power step on my 02 Friendship needs a new Heim joint (bellcrank)? every 4 or 5 years, the darn thing just wears out and breaks, prolly 10 or 20 bucks now for one, they used to be 7-8 bucks Ace hardware carries the right one.

[4thek9s!]

Thank you!

[proost]

Originally Posted by 4thek9s!

Thank you. The light underneath is on and when I put those magnetic switches together and then apart, I do hear a little noise but then nothing. I thought since the light was on it was getting power??? I do see a wire with a fuse holder hanging down but no fuse is in it and the end is gone. However I do remember seeing that before.

The step motor down there has a separate circuit so verify that it is actually plugged in. All of the recommendations posted here so far are pretty good, but I had the exact same issue that Chuck mentioned short time ago. It was bound and didn't cycle so I removed the motor. Made sure the pin was properly aligned and it has worked since. Once you get down there, it's all pretty intuitive and easy to disassemble.