Finding the Electric Step Breaker on a 2023 Vista 29V

[YoYoDaddyOhMy]

I am currently trying to diagnose my electric powered steps that stopped working recently on our 2023 W Vista 29V. Cant find any fuse location for it, and also unable to decide if module needs replacing instead. The webpage only shows motor & module, but no wiring or fuses at all!

 

[Morich]

I think we will now have to relie more on info from the builder of each item added that comes from a different source than Winnebago! That has been true in many cases when we could chase the input/output connections to items and then if we found them right we could go to the other builder info to chase it on into what they built. That gets more difficult without being able to find the in/out of things!
I would recommend being very close to change out the whole step unit without looking carefuly at their info as that small little thing has always been much more complex than I at first gave tit credit!
Just getting the info dug out on which model I had seemed way difficult.

 

[RayIN]

I am currently trying to diagnose my electric powered steps that stopped working recently on our 2023 W Vista 29V. Cant find any fuse location for it, and also unable to decide if module needs replacing instead. The webpage only shows motor & module, but no wiring or fuses at all!

What you need is: Kwikee Products Service Training Manual. It has a great troubleshooting section. The beginning is a great help when identifying your step model.

 

[YoYoDaddyOhMy]

Thanks for the info, RayIN! A great help in diag'g why the steps stopped working by providing means to test in sequence. Working on the issue again now...

 

[powercat_ras]

> ... trying to diagnose my electric powered steps that stopped working recently ...

FYI, on my 2015 Winnebago Vista the door electric step is fed by 3 circuit breakers mounted side by side in the chassis electrical box, they are clearly labeled on the breaker panel: Electric Step - Control, Power, Ignition. A breaker button pops out if a breaker trips and you push in to reset.

This might be the same in your 2023 Vista. Good luck.

 

[YoYoDaddyOhMy]

I found these "breakers" in the under carriage compartment, on the left side, behind the driver last night after days of searhing for the inline fuse every manual, and everyone, was saying existed (NOT) and was the common reason for steps not working and first step in dagnosing the problem.
Question: All my breakers appear to be "popped out" just a bit (see pics), but #6 button for "Elec Step Control" is sunken in. Instructions to reset state "press down really hard until it clicks" (resetting). However, that does nothing here. Thoughts??

 

[Morich]

Breakers can have a different "feel" to them if we are not used to working with them. That makes it hard to say if e are the problem as we may not know what we are seeing!
We can't know everything all the time!
So one way to get a feel for what the breaker should do when we reset it might help? How about checking how a different breaker acts when we trip it by pushing it in and the how it feels when we push it in to reset it? It may be just the way we are seeing it, but it looks like that step control breaker is not popping out as far as it should??? Have you played with it and tried to get it to pop up a bit higher like the others? Would that be saying that specific breaker is not working quite right to pop up as the rest? Or does it mean something like it has an actual wiring fault that won't let it reset?
Two suggestions to consider? One is learning more about how these should feel and react. If you try the awning breaker to get a feel for what to expect, it may tell you if the breaker is broken? That has some hazard if one gets the awning breaker stuck, etc. but that is not a common problem that I've seen!
The alternate may be lots more work, though, if you need to get the panel loose and take the wiring off to make sure there is not some fault that keeps it from working as expected! Maybe it won't reset because there IS a real, actual wiring or equipment error? Finding that specific wire at the steps is the first big problem but even if you take that wire off at that point, there is nothing to say the wire itself is not bad between the breaker panel and steps!
Assuming there is no way to get to the back of this breaker without lots of work to remove the panel?
Consider taking panel off as it looks like maybe 6 screws/bolts to hold it?
This the correct panel?

Worth the effort to take panel off to remove wiring to verify if breaker will then reset as a way to break the chase into smaller parts?

But first big question wiring actual info ! Is this the correct panel?

 

[powercat_ras]

The metal plate all the circuit breakers are mounted on is removable and there is enough slack in the wiring to get it moved out of the way to access the components behind it, and to rotate the panel to get a view of the back side. However this can not be done safely without kiling all DC power, both Coach and Chassis as there are exposed high amps fed high amp fused + DC coach and chassis wring on the backs of most of the circuit breakers, with exposed copper bus links tying some of the circuit breakers together . It would be very easy to touch exposed DC+ on the back side of the plate to the grounded metal of the chassis electrical box after removing the 4 fasteners that secure the breaker pannel to the box.

If you want to look - first remove the ground connection on the chassis battery and the coach batteries, turn off the converter-charger by throwing its breaker or unplugging from shore power, and turn off the solar DC power output if you have added a solar panel DC system.

I have never had any of my circuit brekers trip or fail on my 2015 Vista so can't say what the plastic plunger looks like when they are tripped. There's no photos on-line posted of a tripped button type breaker I could find. There is no way to cause one to go into open circuit mode without intentionally overloading it and causing it to see a fault current that triggers it to trip. Not a good idea to intentionally short one to ground just to see what a tripped one looks like.

 

[Morich]

Powercat makes a good point and it is never stated enough! Step one should always be thinking about what can happen if you don't use your head and do it safe!!
Does anybody really need to be told to turn off the power? Never hurts to repeat it!!

But a point many may miss is how much hazard we can find if we wear rings or watches around power!
I have never worn either once I got out of the service as my wife and I have just agreed that we would not worry the issue as long as it meant my finger and hand were safer!
One of the small points to miss is how quick gold heats if we get it on power and ground it to another point. I had people I worked with that lost fingers because the ring gets so hot so quick that it burns a serious ring around the finger and that dead flesh has to be removed! The finger is left but the movement and muscles are gone!
A watch with a full metal band can do the same for the wrist! Just better to leave them off when you start around power.
For what this type breaker might look like when tripped? I would expect it to stick out maybe a 1/4 inch to be found pretty easy! But that may be old info that has changed, so verify before trusting!

 

[dkoldman]

I found these "breakers" in the under carriage compartment, on the left side, behind the driver last night after days of searhing for the inline fuse every manual, and everyone, was saying existed (NOT) and was the common reason for steps not working and first step in dagnosing the problem.
Question: All my breakers appear to be "popped out" just a bit (see pics), but #6 button for "Elec Step Control" is sunken in. Instructions to reset state "press down really hard until it clicks" (resetting). However, that does nothing here. Thoughts??

​

Can you define what you mean by "not working"? Are you saying there is absolutely no DC power reaching the step controller? (For reference, the Kwikee manual includes the exact wire color codes to help you check this).

If there is no power at all, your steps themselves might actually be fine, but you could have a break in the power line coming from the DC bus. Because the controller relies on multiple wires to know when to extend or retract (based on the engine running, door switch status, etc.), a single interrupted connection can cause total failure.

I had a situation where my steps would randomly retract, and the dealer couldn't find the issue. Kwikee insisted the controller and steps were perfectly fine—and they were right.

I eventually traced the problem to a 9-pin push connector located directly behind the DC breaker panel you pictured. One of the pins inside the connector was loose. Because the controller wasn't getting the steady power it needed, it assumed the battery voltage was dropping and safely retracted the steps.

---

Safety Note: If you decide to remove that breaker panel, you must disconnect the batteries first. It is incredibly easy to accidentally short something out against the chassis framework behind there.​

Once the power is safely disconnected and you pull the panel, look for the following:

• Testing Power: It should be relatively straightforward to use a multimeter to check if you are getting power both in front of and behind the breakers.
• The "6" Label: The "6" you see on that sunken button likely indicates a 6-amp breaker.
• Ordering a Spare: While you have it apart, I highly recommend grabbing the part number off the breaker and ordering a spare online. They are inexpensive, easy to swap out, and great to have on hand.

Final Thought​

Realistically, it is highly unlikely that all power to the steps is dead unless you have a blown inline fuse further upstream. However, an upstream inline fuse usually covers multiple RV components, not just the steps—so if everything else in that area is working, the breaker or a loose connector pin remains your most likely culprit.

 

[cthiggy]

Our 2020 Winnebago 24V Navion has a Kwikee powered step which has been very troublesome for several years. Two years ago the step motor was replaced after literally months of troubleshooting. It worked for about one year and the step has failed yet again. On the Navion, there are multiple switches and interlocks in the overall system which complicates the problem.

Obviously, I cannot speak directly to the issues you are having, but a very small help is knowing if your step has a light as does mine, you can generally assume the step controller itself is getting power IF the light comes on as the door is initally opened because the light gets its power from the controller. The "ON" function is timed and the light will go out automatically.

Be sure to check the "GREEN" wire for a good ground to the chassis. On the Navion the "GREEN" wire grounds the controller. And....STAY CLEAR of the STEP when working on this system. It can hurt you.

Just a thought.
cthiggy

 

[YoYoDaddyOhMy]

Thanks for all the help & suggestions, guys!! My steps are working again after finding & resetting the under compartment #6 circuit breaker.
YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

 

[sundog964]

Our 2020 Winnebago 24V Navion has a Kwikee powered step which has been very troublesome for several years. Two years ago the step motor was replaced after literally months of troubleshooting. It worked for about one year and the step has failed yet again. On the Navion, there are multiple switches and interlocks in the overall system which complicates the problem.

Obviously, I cannot speak directly to the issues you are having, but a very small help is knowing if your step has a light as does mine, you can generally assume the step controller itself is getting power IF the light comes on as the door is initally opened because the light gets its power from the controller. The "ON" function is timed and the light will go out automatically.

Be sure to check the "GREEN" wire for a good ground to the chassis. On the Navion the "GREEN" wire grounds the controller. And....STAY CLEAR of the STEP when working on this system. It can hurt you.

Just a thought.
cthiggy

We had the same issue with our steps. I've replaced the controller, and checked the grounds. But what did it was removing the motor, and activating it out of the RV. Then put it back in and presto, everything worked. Been working for many trips now.

 

[Scotty B]

Thanks for all the help & suggestions, guys!! My steps are working again after finding & resetting the under compartment #6 circuit breaker.
YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

Hi YoYo:
Having a similar issue as you.
Could you please help clarify your post above about the #6 breaker? Assume that is one of the two 6 amp fuses for the stairs on the panel.
Earlier in the post you mention the circuit breaker panel in the front driver's basement compartment and that none of them seemed tripped.
Did you end up discovering one had tripped?
What did you end up doing?
Thx friend.
Safe travels!

 

[Morich]

When dealing with things that have as many really confusing things in their operation as these simple looking steps, I like to get some really good ideas before jumping in.
I see that Kwikee is now a Lippert line and they have some good manuals online. But one of the hangups is knowing which series of step you have, as there are several.
Checking AI using Copilot, I got a lot of info on how to find the series info on tags at various places.
Maybe this would be a good place to look for info:

Kwikee® Steps | Lippert Customer Care Center

Easily access owner’s manuals and installation guides for our Kwikee® Steps with various reference materials to help you operate, maintain and troubleshoot the products you own.

support.lci1.com

 

[wyocamper-WO]

The four-way pigtail connector mentioned in the troubleshooting doc is a very useful accessory to have on hand. Available on Amazon

 

[RayIN]

When dealing with things that have as many really confusing things in their operation as these simple looking steps, I like to get some really good ideas before jumping in.
I see that Kwikee is now a Lippert line and they have some good manuals online. But one of the hangups is knowing which series of step you have, as there are several.
Checking AI using Copilot, I got a lot of info on how to find the series info on tags at various places.
Maybe this would be a good place to look for info:

Kwikee® Steps | Lippert Customer Care Center

Easily access owner’s manuals and installation guides for our Kwikee® Steps with various reference materials to help you operate, maintain and troubleshoot the products you own.

support.lci1.com

Hi Rich. Bookmark this for future reference, it shows how to ID steps by using measurements. However it doesn't show anything but Kwikee products, no coach wiring.

Kiwkee Products Service Training Manual

 

[Morich]

Thanks for the info, Ray! I keep losing track of things that come up occasionally and often don't keep them on hand.
But looking over that manual it does give us one major hint that we might use for a really quick test for power at the steps. It's not in a really plain setup like many things do it but looking closer at the testing, I see one that might be just a start but does give us where to check for power at the steps.
One thing that may slow a lot of folks when they read through this testing is the need for the adapter but we might get some good info from those drawings, even if we don't want to go for getting the right adapter to do a full test.
Looking at page ten as a random example? Figure 11 shows us where we need battery and ground!
How I would suggest to use this is kind of a "cheat' that comes in handy if we want to test for basic ideas of the problem being in the step unit or some other place.
One way to cut the chase is to divide it down. We want to know for sure that battery and ground are getting to the unit as a first biggie, so we need to improvise a bit!
One way to do that is sticking a pin , either through the space at the connection or even through the insulation. If we do the insulation we have to keep in mind we also need to seal that hole to prevent later problems, though!
But looking at the drawing, we see a larger number 12 red wire. That larger wire is often the power, making it semi-easy to check battery is getting to the controls! Then it is smart to test the ground is on the 16 gauge brown at the same time!

Certainly not a full blown test and we need to go deeper if we find battery and ground gets there but if we don't find those two, we can stop looking at the step unit until we DO get battery and ground to it!
I find it is a super tricky control that I have to be fully awake as a first step but finding if we are getting the basics to something is often a good place to try to cut the chase!
Just like fixing a lamp at home, we need to first find out if we need a new lamp or do we need a new house? Maybe we just need a fuse?
Thanks for the link!

 

[Scotty B]

As always, Thanks guys for the input. Reading the info as I wait for my mobile tech to show up! Much is way beyond me.
Here's my story. The steps stopped almost all the way out while we were cleaning/ packing the coach for our current adventure.
The next day after disconnecting the 50 amp power for about 20 minutes so I could move the extension cord out of the way of another vehicle, I opened and closed the door to the coach and they worked.
The next day as we prepared to leave, the steps had already gone in and out at least once as we started the motor to extend the slides with no problems, it made a stripped gearbox sound as the steps went in when we started the motor to bring in the slides. They went all the in with a push, and came out one more time with a pull. Think this happened a couple of times.
They ended up all the way in and we decided to head west and take care of the steps at our campground. It was already 100 at 9:00 am in the desert and we were heading to San Diego.
That was yesterday and they haven't moved since.
I tried all of the basic easy fixes I could think of with no luck.
Lifting a 60 lb aussie in and out of that narrow coach door is no fun!
Not much fun for either us getting in or out either!
Will let you know how it ends up.
Safe travels friends.
Here's a pic of my makeshift stairs for me and the wife. Ugh!

 

[Morich]

UGH! That kind of sounds like stripped nylon gears and the broken teeth may explain why it works or not as the teeth got in the remaining gear parts to jam or let it work after it chewed them up?
What I am thinking it is may be good to leave your wallet at home when you go to check this!
Part of that idea of how they work involves electronics that sense things to decide when to stop, rather than going to a stop where a switch shuts it down. I never got to the point of opening one, but the electronic "brains" are more involved than I expected!
I tend to like to leave the sleeping dog lie---- if it doesn't jump up and bite me!