I'm trying to get my automatic step to work. When the coach had it's pre-purchase inspection the tech commented that the step appeared to be wired properly but the control unit showed signs of shorting. The light worked when the door opened but the door motor did not function. The plastic case had indications that it bubbled from overheating. I just installed a new control unit. When I connected the wires from the control unit to the coach the motor came on for a few seconds and the light lit up. Neither opening nor closing the door seems to have any effect on operation and the step light stays on continuously. Since opening the door powered the light prior to the new control unit I'm assuming that at least the light switch should be functioning. There are two silver switches in the door jam and there appears to be some sort of magnetic contacts at the base of the interior screen door and on the door frame. Any thoughts??

Check the forums for threads on this.

Be sure the connections are all good. They don't use limit switches on these things, the motor runs until it hits the end, then the current draw tells the controller to shut off the motor. If the system is mechanically binding it will draw too much and act weird, also if connections are poor the motor quits too soon. The door switches are in line on some, search the Kwikee info on the forums. I think there are wiring diagrams there, too.

It looks like I have traced the problem to the wiring for the door open switch and the override switch. It looks like the PO wired both to a magnetic switch at the base of the screen door and frame. One of the two plunger switches in the door frame turns on a light under the dash. I'm not sure what the other plunger switch does but cut wires under the coach appear as if they are coming from the vicinity of the door frame.

The controller should have one wire(brown)going to a normally open switch that closes to ground when the door is opened. Does anyone know if that is how the plunger switches are wired. The override wire(white) is supposed to loop from a power source with a switch to break the circuit as desired.

Did the mid 80's Regals come with an step override switch near the doorways? There is a bank of four switches to the left of the door. Two turn on exterior lights on either side of the coach. The other two currently don't do anything but I suspect one lights the grab bar that does not currently light. The other may turn on a light on the interior steps but does not currently work. In addition there is a single switch above the bank of four that I suspect may be for the step override.

Looking at the status of the wiring and various cuts and splices I believe my multimeter and I will be spending a lot of time together.

Wiring diagram available on line. The door switch is the magnetic switch in the door frame. This switch makes sure the steps retract when the key is turned on.

I have the wiring diagram and understand how it should be wired. My problem is that I am replacing the controller unit which plugs into an existing 4 wire plug and I question how that is wired. I think that the magnetic switch is non-original and is wired incorrectly. I can drill out the rivets of the one plunger switch and see if that is wired to ground and where the other side of the of the switch leads. I was hoping that someone would share how theirs was wired.

I found that older steps used the magnetic switch for the hot lead. I replaced my step, and the magnetic switch was for ground.

That said, my major issue was that there were four pieces of wire in the hot in 2' of wire, held together by butt connectors. I suggest addressing the wires first.

The magnetic switch depends on age of unit. Some are NO and others are NC. Don't remember which is which, faced this issue when I changed out my steps. Still have the old controller, motor etc, but the steps went into the iron pile.

Kwikee issues solved. Even though I was replacing only the controller unit for the step I had to address a number of wiring issues. The PO severed the override switch wiring and wired both the override wire and the brown retracting wire to the same magnetic switch on the door frame.

I've gotten everything to work ALMOST properly. Apparently the Kwikee retraction works the opposite of the original step. When I open the door the step retracts and when I close it it extends. I just need to replace the door switch with one that completes it's circuit when the plunger is depressed. I did discover a number of other severed wires that I need to address.

I hate having to go behind someone's butcher jobs.

tom taylor

In case anyone changes steps and finds that the door switch is normally open and your new steps require normally closed or visa versa, I found it was relatively simple to open the switch and move the contact to convert the switch from normally closed to normally open. I had purchased a new switch locally but it seemed to be of such poor quality that I modified my existing switch.