Omnistep problems on 2010 Autotrail Savannah (1 Viewer)

[Abacist]

The step has been getting progressively lazy, not fully opening out and not fully retracting but sometimes working OK. On starting the engine it usually now takes the first start up and the step alarm won't go off then switch off and start again and the alarm goes off and the step is withdrawn.

Given everything a good soak in WD40 but step mechanism is all free and easy.

Electrics are complex as step works from alarm and start keyfob, engine start safety switch, push button switch by door etc.

Fuse in Fiat cab to Serjeant control box is fine and is as required 20 amp fuse.

No sure what to do next and don't know the run of the electrics or where the relays are.

Does anyone know? Perhaps behind the bottom fridge grill but not looked yet as that is where the motor wires seem to go. Can anyone advise or point me as to what to check next?

Off hookup at Pampelonne in France at present, no emergency, just a PIA! Probably go and find a box or buy a step if it packs up completely.

 

[Gellyneck]

@Jaws John may be able to advise as he's had previous problems with his step?

 

[tonyidle]

The problem is not likely to involve any of the electronics. Either the heavy current feed to the motor has a poor connection or the motor bearings or motor are stiff. Do the hab lights dim when the step is struggling? If they do that's a sign of stiffness within the motor.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Badknee]

If it was mine I would take it off altogether and get it on the bench probably pressure wash it first. It is (if it's like ours) in the line of fire from all the water and crud coming off the front wheel.
You may have lubricated what you can see quite well but I'm afraid there will be lots of joints and bits you can't get at. If it's trying at all its not the electrics as @tonyidle suggests it's the mechanics.

 

[Grandyandy]

Probably not much use to you at the moment but there is an article in octobers practical motorhome on overhauling an omnistep.

 

[Abacist]

If it was mine I would take it off altogether and get it on the bench probably pressure wash it first. It is (if it's like ours) in the line of fire from all the water and crud coming off the front wheel.
You may have lubricated what you can see quite well but I'm afraid there will be lots of joints and bits you can't get at. If it's trying at all its not the electrics as @tonyidle suggests it's the mechanics.

This will be a job for when I get home, along with mudguards and a protective shield for the step!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Abacist]

Probably not much use to you at the moment but there is an article in octobers practical motorhome on overhauling an omnistep.

I do have that with me and haven't read it yet! It's the slide out step as opposed to mine which folds down and out.

 

[Abacist]

The problem is not likely to involve any of the electronics. Either the heavy current feed to the motor has a poor connection or the motor bearings or motor are stiff. Do the hab lights dim when the step is struggling? If they do that's a sign of stiffness within the motor.

I've not seen the lights dim yet!

Seems to have stopped working on the remote but behaving quite well on the switch by the door.

I made sure the batteries got a good chunk of solar charge today which seems to help.

 

[Abacist]

Checked behind the fridge and just a mass of cables and no apparent relays!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Wagoneer]

This article by Clive Mott may help with the electric circuit:

http://www.motts.org/Omnistep.htm

I was advised not to lubricate the step pivot points with wd40 as they have a plastic washer which expand with wd40. Use silicone spray instead.

 

[TheBig1]

I would suggest a bad connector probably the earth connection

 

[Abacist]

At long last I have got around to resolving the problem with my Omnistep. I washed the van the other day and gave the step a blast with the pressure washer to clear the accumulated 8 years of road grime.

Yesterday I took the fridge covers off the outside and still could not find a relay. I took the switch off the wall in the hab area by the door to see if the relay was behind there and nothing!

I undid the 4 nuts and bolts to release the step from the underside of the chassis. You need to disconnect the step drive arm from the motor spindle which is easy. You then undo the Philips head screws to release the motor cover. I took photos to know where the wires connected for when it goes back together. The motor was clean and well greased and the spindle was in good condition as were the cogs.

I tried the motor with it off the van both with the existing wiring and the same problem was there. I then tested the motor with a test rig of a separate battery and a couple of made up wires and the motor worked faultlessly in both directions by swapping the cables around.

I cleaned the step assembly with Muck Off, Gunk or Jizer having to rub hard with an old paint brush to get the residue of muck off it. The step assembly was all working freely with no broken rivets or jammed connections.

I put it all back as it had been. This is a fairly glib statement as the step is relatively heavy when you have to hold it up in the right place, insert bolt and washer up through hole and on the other side put 2 washers and a nut on and then repeat for all four corners of the step mounting. I found it easiest to lie directly under where the step goes on the van and to support the step on my body to hold it in the right place leaving both hands free to fiddle with the bolts, washers and nuts and you'll need 2 13mm spanners as the nuts are lock tight heads or a socket drive underneath with a spanner on top to hold it still.

The problem could only now reside in one place in my view and that is in the Sargent EM50 unit behind the drivers seat which has been making a lot of clicking noises and its whereto alarm is if the step fails to retract when you start the engine. I 'phoned Sargent's support line and discussed the issue with a Techie who felt that the problem was probably in the EM 50 unit. He also suggested driving the step from an alternative source to be sure that it did not require a high (>4amps) current to drive it. It did not. Sargent offer a return and repair service with carriage included and they fit a new circuit board with testing before and afterwards for £65.

I've now got my fingers crossed in the hope that it will be back in time for our holidays in 10 days time!

Pics attached and of the internals of the EM 50 unit. The two brown blocks in the centre of the unit are described as Step In and Step out so I imagine thatches are the relays soldered to the Printed Circuit Board.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Abacist]

 

[Abacist]

Sorry I seem to have got some duplicate images at the end there.

 

[icantremember]

We had exactly the same problem on our previous motorhome, fortunately I contacted Sargent the day before the warranty expired and they sent me a new unit for the next day foc .... great company.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Hettie's Crew]

We had that on our 2011 Swift Bessacarr E450, I completely stripped and cleaned the step and all its components to no avail, rang my local AWS, FM Caravans, who said straight away it’ll be the Sargent box,” if you bring it to me all I’ll do is send it to Sargent “ “cheaper to do it yourself “ so I took it out and sent it, £75 exchange and all cured.

 

[robnchris]

Amazing how Auto-trail have never had the common sense to have the step retract into a protective box. I spoke with one of the directors over 10yrs ago asking why the thought it was an exceptable design to have the step unprotected in line with the road wheels, his response was if it was a problem future models would be modified. Clearly Auto-trail are not a company with a continual improvement program. I built my own box around our step to protect it from the road grime.

 

[Speve]

Amazing how Auto-trail have never had the common sense to have the step retract into a protective box. I spoke with one of the directors over 10yrs ago asking why the thought it was an exceptable design to have the step unprotected in line with the road wheels, his response was if it was a problem future models would be modified. Clearly Auto-trail are not a company with a continual improvement program. I built my own box around our step to protect it from the road grime.

Not just Auto trails our Hymer step has no protection I think it’s a way of guaranteeing a good income from spares and replacements.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Abacist]

I reported elsewhere that Sargent got our EM50 unit back to us in time and the step has worked fine for 1 week exactly.

Today it packed up in the Leclerc car park in Soulliac. Would not retract when I went to lock the van either with the remote or the internal switch by the door.

Went shopping, came back, still kaput so got my beach mat out, crawled underneath and disconnected the drive and cable tied it back up out of the way. Loads of French looking on in awe at the prompt fix to the problem.

Disappointed that new PCB from Sargent has failed so quickly but it's guaranteed for a year so they can have it back again to fix FOC when I get home. Just a pain having to carry another step when this is patently unreliable or the electrics that are supposed to make it work are!

 

[Reallyretired]

We carry a double step as neither of us or the dogs have much faith In the electric step which In any case is a big step up from the ground depending on the slope.

 

[stevewagner]

We carry a double step as neither of us or the dogs have much faith In the electric step which In any case is a big step up from the ground depending on the slope.

That’s a 4+ years old post

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Abacist]

Step sorted ages ago and van sold back in 2018! Thanks for the thought though! Its funny how these old threads resurface from time to time!

 

[Reallyretired]

That’s a 4+ years old post

The old ones are the best