Coach has been parked for winter storage. Plugged-in the shoreline on Sunday Afternoon, as it was my intent to get things charged-up, started and begin the slow creep from storage.

Plugged the shoreline into the coach, then went 50 feet away to plug-into the garage receptical. Went back to the coach to find white smoke billowing-out from under the steps. A rapid hands-and-knees inspection reveled flames coming-from the little thingy with all the wires leading to-it...

...ran to the port side of the coach to unplug the shoreline, then back to the step, where a handful of snow was sucessful in extinguishing the flames. The steps then slowly deployed, as acrid electrical smoke from the [now know-as] Control Unit ...kinda-like something from a bad sci-fi flick.

Was not able to do much of an inspection following the incident, as it was cold and getting dark.

An inspection the next day revels a "melted" Control Unit and much of the wiring leading to-and-from.

Steps are slightly less-than 2 years old.

I know I need to contact the dealer who installed them, but thought I would contact Kwikee, before having to get everything up and running.

Can't get anyone to answer the phone at "Kwikee Gear" in ANY of the departments and no one has returned my messages.

I did find a service bulletin on-line, which describes shorting and possible fire during COLD weather of some 2006 model year RV's with these steps due to faulty Control Units.

Does anyone have a line on Kwikee Warranty, Replacement, or Recall information B-4 I have to go deal-with the upscale dealership ...would rather have some answers on my own first???

Kwikee Warranty Procedures are here and here. There are different phone numbers listed in each. The warranty is 2 years. The control box, IIRC, runs about $190, and is an easy user-replace.

They also claim to be under new ownership, with a customer service number of 800-334-4712

If there's balking over replacing the control box for free, I'd offer this: "If you send a replacement, then you will have this box. If I have to buy one, then the NHTSA gets it. Your call."

I agree with your thought process.

The number you have posted [1-800-334-4712] is the number I have been calling for the last 3 days. They place-you in the hold pattern for a couple of minutes, then send-you to voicemail. Called off and on for the past 3 days. No one answers when you punch-in 1, 2, or 3 and no one returns you message.

Seems a bit disheartening for a company who sells a product that many of us rely-on daily.

All I would like is a little information B-4 I go to the high-class dealer who installed the step and have to deal-with their snooty BS in attempting to get some warranty work done, nor do I want my vehicle sitting at a repair facility for "days" waiting for a part I could easily install myself in less-than 30minutes.

I will keep trying ...it's still cold and snowy here in MN, so it will be a while B-4 I am completly out of storage and back in-service for the season.

Thanks for the info...

I would expect the dealer to be entirely cooperative. If it wants to be snooty, ask for its insurance information; in Florida, it has to be provided within 20 days from written request; I don't know about MN. While Kwikee has ultimate responsibility, intermediate sellers (dealers) are also liable for products they sell and/or install.

If you have any problems, small claims courts are easy to work, don't require a lawyer, and frequently stimulate an attentive manner...

I would suggest that any Kwikee owner with a box problem consider manual control. When mine fails, I will install a CO mom DPDT switch and an automatic CB, just like our previous MH. It will have an alarm that sounds when the ignition is on and the step is not fully up.

I agree - the switch is much simpler, but if one buys a new step, the one with the control, box is only $7 more, and if it goes, it can be bypassed.

This instance is a matter of not letting Kwikee off the hook, IMHO.

I thought I would follow-up on this situation in the event that "others" might need to deal-with Kwikee. I'll attempt to keep this short and informative.

I took the coach to the dealer where the step was installed. They called Kwikee. The fool from Kwikee claimed that the step was a "replacement", thus, was no longer under warranty [not certain what this "technician" was thinking. Dealer called me and said it was not covered.

Dealer spent 2 hours replacing Control Unit and grounding-it to a different location. If Kwikee were to cover-it, they would only allow 36 minutes, not 120 minutes for this warranty procedure.

I continued to attempt to get someone from Kwikee on the phone to dispute their decission not to repair under warranty. Got the same recordings, but no human on the phone ...I left a few messages with some choise words, regarding how Kwikee obviously does not care-about their customers.

Picked-up the coach ...step works great as expected. I finally started calling some other numbers I had for Kwikee and actually got a woman from their finance department on the phone. She sent an email to someone in the technical department to call-me. No one called the following day, so I called the dealer and got the service manager to give-me the "secret phone number" that dealers have in order to contact the techs at Kwikee.

Called the number and got a guy on the phone who was not happy with the fact that a customer was calling on this line. I told-him to hear-me-out and maybe start actually answering the customer phone lines and these measures would not have to be taken.

He took my email addy, said it sounded like I had a case, and fowarded my information to the warranty administrator. Got an email from her asking-me for several documents to prove my case. I faxed everything to her the same day.

A few days later, she sent-me an email stating that Kwikee would pay-for the entire $208 repair under warranty and to send her a mailing address so she could send a check. That was 3 weeks ago and I still do not have a check. I sent an email last evening reminding them that hey still owe-me.

I will keep the group posted on when I finally get the check. I have the "secret phone number" and the name and email addy of the warranty person if anyone here ever has a problem with Kwikee, let me know!

...what a mess...

I use a very productive method to secure satisfaction. When agreement has been reached but not fulfilled, I send a message indicating this issue can be concluded by either the easy way (send the money) or the "Hard Way", involving the courts and other government and private agencies. "Your call."

...and today I received an email requesting-me to fill-out a W-9 in order to get a check.

I will attempt telephone contact on Monday in an effort to resolve this situation immediately.

Possibly your tactics are now in order...

Asking for a W-9 is asinine. This is reimbursement for a fault, and Kwikee's asking for a W-9 only signifies they intend to report the amount as (possibly taxable) income to you.

Instructions include:

"Use Form W-9 only if you are a U.S. person (including a
resident alien), to provide your correct TIN to the person
requesting it (the requester) and, when applicable, to:
1. Certify that the TIN you are giving is correct (or you are
waiting for a number to be issued),
2. Certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, or
3. Claim exemption from backup withholding if you are a U.S.
exempt payee. If applicable, you are also certifying that as a
U.S. person, your allocable share of any partnership income from
a U.S. trade or business is not subject to the withholding tax on
foreign partners’ share of effectively connected income."

This is absolutely unnecessary for a warranty claim, and is worthy of reporting to the IRS as a violation of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)

They want the W9 because they are treating this like he made the repair. They want to send him payment based on a warranty repair as a subcontractor.

Unbelievable... I bet it also says that if you don't supply it they'll only send you a percentage as required for withholding purposes per Gov Regulations.

If you do send them a W9, at the end of the year they'll send you a W4 form too.

In addition, you would be sending them private information that they have no business having. I would get the name of their corporate attorney and send that person a letter advising that either he solve the problem immediately or the next contact they hear will be your attorney. This is B.S. of the first order. No wonder Camping World is dumping them in favor of another step manufacturer.

Exactly ...then I'll get a 1099-misc. next January, as if I were a private contractor who actually got his hands dirty on this one.

I relplied to them, stating that I had no intent in filling-out a W-9. This was their mistake from the very beginning and they have fully admitted-that by intending to fulfill the refund.

Now, they can EAT whatever else they think they are going to squeze out of me.

...bet ya'all can't wait to run out and purchase a brand new Kwikee Product, then have it fail within 2 years ...it'll be fun for ya!

Don't forget, I have the "secret phone number"!!!

...and just as a quick follow-up on this post.

Kwikee ended-up refunding my check card in the amount of $208.00, which is the best I could ask-for under the circumstances.

It took some time and several emails and phone contacts, so I guess *persistence* is the key...