No windshield wipers or driving lights, and the electric mirrors don't work.

[gpippins]

2004 coachman cross country 376 ds on a 2003 xc chassis. On our trip yesterday it started raining and I tried to turn on the windshield wipers. Nothing. Then I noticed the electric mirror adjustment was not backlit. Tried to adjust the mirrors and got nothing. When I got to our site I tried the driving lights and again got nothing. Everything worked before the trip. I have located the two freightliner fuse boxes and the coachman fuse box and I have checked every fuse I can. I am frustrated and can't think at this point. Can anyone offer anything that might help me figure this out?  Thanks

[dickandlois]

gpippins, Sounds like you have a connection point that is disconnected. The simple answer.

Does your coach have a Smart Wheel ? That item can change the way things are connected, Smart Wheel have an added control module - so one can control items mentioned right from the steering wheel ! Need to Know  

A number of the items are in what one refers to as the front run harness ! This harness connects to the items listed and the connection is most often located behind the dash and close to the harness that runs down the steering column.

Pass on some information on how and where these item are controlled.  Instrument panel and or Console.  Information is key to knowing where to start looking for the needed harness information.

Rich.

[wolfe10]

Yup, two questions:

Smart wheel?

Any other things that only work with ignition on not working (like dash HVAC fan, transmission shift pad, etc)?

 

[gpippins]

Thanks y'all. No, no smart wheel. Those are the only things not working. I'm at a loss.

[gpippins]

Oh, wiper and driving light switches are on the console to the left of driver and mirror adjustment switch is on the dash to driver's left. Hope that helps.

[dickandlois]

1 hour ago, gpippins said:

Oh, wiper and driving light switches are on the console to the left of driver and mirror adjustment switch is on the dash to driver's left. Hope that helps.

Sure sounds like and issue with the front Harness. All the front lights - turn signals, head lights(both high and Low) Do you have any Marker lights (exterior)

Dash lights, 

Do the Wipers work when the  Ignition switch is set in Accessory  position ? Does the heater blower motor run? Could be a bad ignition switch wiring harness - those connections have been known to fail do to heat.

Reaching for straws at this point and items that are easily check .

There are sections of the fuse box panel that are powered on different 12 volt feeds going to the fuse box(s) The Engine starts and that circuit is power by one of those primary 12 volt heavy gauge wires.

Rich

The wiper and driving light circuits are split out of the harness so they can be connected to the different locations at the drivers set.

[gpippins]

Rich, I just checked and things behave the same with the ignition key on ACC. Everything else works fine. Head scratcher. I did find a row of fuses in the coach fuse box that has a driving light fuse. There is no power to any of those fuses in that row.

[dickandlois]

1 hour ago, gpippins said:

Rich, I just checked and things behave the same with the ignition key on ACC. Everything else works fine. Head scratcher. I did find a row of fuses in the coach fuse box that has a driving light fuse. There is no power to any of those fuses in that row.

Bingo !!!!!   A little piece of cheese !!!

Can you list the fuse's that do not have power - then I can try to trace the power back to its source > Think the drawings I chose are real close to how your fuse panel might be wired.

There is a strong possibility that the main 12 volt power feeder is loose at the supply point or the wire connected to the feeder buss has opened or somehow disconnected. 

Good work !!!

Rich.

[manholt]

When my fog lights, dash and touch pad light did'nt work, back 2 months ago, it was due to water (raining) and a lose common ground!  Crack in one headlight.  I thought it was the visible crack, it was a small hole by the base! 

[gpippins]

19 hours ago, DickandLois said:

Bingo !!!!!   A little piece of cheese !!!

Can you list the fuse's that do not have power - then I can try to trace the power back to its source > Think the drawings I chose are real close to how your fuse panel might be wired.

There is a strong possibility that the main 12 volt power feeder is loose at the supply point or the wire connected to the feeder buss has opened or somehow disconnected. 

Good work !!!

Rich.

Rich, I didn't check the forum in time. I dropped it off at Freightliner this afternoon because my upcoming schedule won't allow me to work on it for a while. I dread the bill.  Fixing electrical problems can be time consuming.  I left a detailed synopsis of events to hopefully help the mechanic troubleshoot. I will post again when its finished.  Thanks to all. 

[manholt]

My labor bill was $150, new head light $378 

[gpippins]

Ok, the good news is the windshield wipers and mirrors now work and we know the problem with the fog lights. The bad news is that freightliner charged $1500 to diagnose and fix. I am still in shock. The mechanic finally determined the problem was caused by a solenoid. I didn't get to talk to the mechanic but I'm wondering if this is the relay I just replaced because in his notes he says he traced to outside front bulkhead then down to bus cir/brk. He got no power there so he tested the solenoid feeding it and the solenoid was bad. He replaced with a ECH ST85 solenoid. For the fog lights, he said they are pulling 14amps on a 10 amp circuit causing fuses to blow. I need lower wattage fog lights. Over 9 hrs labor @ $140/hr. I hope this helps others.

[dickandlois]

Pippins, Thanks for the update, glad things are working.

I think you should ask for a brake down of the 9 hrs. Labor, Traced from what bulkhead(location) Down to the bus circuit breaker(Breaker location and number) and the location of the relay / Solenoid. What part of the solenoid failed ? Contacts or activation coil? 

The circuit numbers that the ECH ST85 solenoid supplied power to  and is the coil powered from the ignition switch or sub circuit.

Rich.

 

[gpippins]

Here is the description from the mechanic

[dickandlois]

Thanks for the information. The fact that there was a loose connection at the rear of the coach, that would cause issues. The tech mentioned a loose connection, very well could mean the main 12 volt bus connection was at the rear of the coach. This circuit often has a sealed 100 to 150 amp fuse that feeds power to a common 12 volt terminal up front near the drivers side area. where the other fuse box terminals get 12 volt power form branch lines connection to this main power source. (You did mention that the solenoid was changed 2 mounts earlier if I'm interpreting you information correctly)  The solenoid very well could have failed, due to damaged high current contacts. 

The other circuit numbers are sub feeds from the solenoid and the terminal lugs where redone and sealed. (Makes sense-one does not want to have a coach comeback for the same issue, fuses where replaced - Just replace them - a constant on and off issue can cause a domino affect down stream from the primary supply point.)

I would almost put money on the fact that some of the time was looking at electrical drawings - that enabled the tech to trace the wiring.

They did print out a an OK list of the work and parts used. 

The connection at the rear that powers the solenoid, start and run circuits and everything off the fuse panel is one standard method to power the drivers station.

Rich.

Note - Think you might want to ask for the Chassis wiring PDF file to have on hand. You do have one family member that works in a field with a number of items that require DC Power.

They build a house on wheels and we shake and rattle them down the road. SO many of the electrical issues are the result of thing loosening up !!!!