Omnistep

[Sheringham4]

Hi,
Just enquiring if anyone has experience of an Omnistep not retracting and how to resolve it? Starting back on a journey recently the step did not retract and there’s a constant buzzing telling me it’s out, only going off when ignition closes. I realise this is a warning it’s still out! I’m not that technical and looking at my motorhome stuff that came with the van, a 2007 Autotrail Cheyenne 632, a solution looks quite involved. Dangerous to read some things on line, like ‘whack with a rubber mallet’! Anyway thought I’d ask just in case anyone had been through a similar situation. Thanks

 

[wildebus]

Hi,
Just enquiring if anyone has experience of an Omnistep not retracting and how to resolve it? Starting back on a journey recently the step did not retract and there’s a constant buzzing telling me it’s out, only going off when ignition closes. I realise this is a warning it’s still out! I’m not that technical and looking at my motorhome stuff that came with the van, a 2007 Autotrail Cheyenne 632, a solution looks quite involved. Dangerous to read some things on line, like ‘whack with a rubber mallet’! Anyway thought I’d ask just in case anyone had been through a similar situation. Thanks

I had a similar issue with my Omnistep on my 2007MY Cheyenne 635, so bound to be the same step.

Read lots of things on possible reasons, like stripped gears, motor failures, etc, but when I eventually got round to looking at it, the problem was basically one of the bolts had become too tight to the step over time and the motor could not overcome the extra resistance.
I suggest you have a look at the bolts that secure the step treads to the arms that pivot and bring them in and with a spanner slacken them off a little and see if that allows it to move in and out again?
If so, take out the bolts and clean up/replace the washers and clean the tread and arm sides of any muck and rust and reassemble, not over-tightening.
I was fearing an expensive repair was needed to mine.... Turned out to cost pennies for new washers and around 20 minutes of time once I found what the actual problem was

 

[Sheringham4]

Thank you Wildebus, very helpful I’ll give that a try.

 

[Nabsim]

If you are stuck just unbolt one end of the arm that puts step in and out, you can then push the step in by hand and cable tie in place. So long as it’s not seized bolts as David suggests that is

 

[merl]

I took my step apart last year because it was getting very slow in both directions and sometimes got stuck when retracting, I found that the Ali/steel bearing on the pinion gear off the motor had part seized and was very tight. Stripped it apart, cleaned it up, re greased it and all is now fine. Mine is a slide out.

 

[Grappelli2]

Had a similar issue with my Thule step and found motor housing gear assembly packed with Road grime and fine grit kicked up by the rear tyre probably during wet weather. Made up and bolted a small rubber mudflap in front of motor/ gearbox assembly haven’t had a problem since

 

[Nabsim]

I think you only get the road grime problem on steps fitted on U.K. side. Mine is fitted Continental side and the way step is built it shields itself from road grime. I may be wrong of course lol

 

[wildebus]

I think you only get the road grime problem on steps fitted on U.K. side. Mine is fitted Continental side and the way step is built it shields itself from road grime. I may be wrong of course lol

I read about the road grime and crud, etc and expected that to be the issue with mine. No problem at all when I took the cover off.
But then again, my van has only covered 110,000 miles and been on the road for 14 years, unlike all these others with mucky gears

 

[Grappelli2]

Maybe I should have explained myself better when I posted. There are limit switches in my motor gearbox assembly which get stuck with the road shite and prevent proper operation

 

[Sue Paskins]

I had a similar issue with my Omnistep on my 2007MY Cheyenne 635, so bound to be the same step.

Read lots of things on possible reasons, like stripped gears, motor failures, etc, but when I eventually got round to looking at it, the problem was basically one of the bolts had become too tight to the step over time and the motor could not overcome the extra resistance.
I suggest you have a look at the bolts that secure the step treads to the arms that pivot and bring them in and with a spanner slacken them off a little and see if that allows it to move in and out again?
If so, take out the bolts and clean up/replace the washers and clean the tread and arm sides of any muck and rust and reassemble, not over-tightening.
I was fearing an expensive repair was needed to mine.... Turned out to cost pennies for new washers and around 20 minutes of time once I found what the actual problem was

Wwhen ours did this Autotrail cheyenne, it was a relay that had gone. Nice man in Greece spotted it and replaced cost about 5€

 

[wildebus]

Wwhen ours did this Autotrail cheyenne, it was a relay that had gone. Nice man in Greece spotted it and replaced cost about 5€

A key bit of troubleshooting is when you try to put the step in or out, is there any movement at all from the step or noise from the motor?
If Yes, the problem is almost certainly mechanical
if No, the problem is almost certainly electrical

The above check should be the first thing carried out.