ABS Error
I own a 37-foot 2006 Holiday Rambler Neptune built on a Roadmaster diesel chassis. Occasionally the ABS light comes on. The problem is that the light comes on intermittently. Sometimes it stays on longer than others, and at times it doesn’t come on at all. This has occurred since I purchased the motorhome in 2006. The service person said the light must be on to be checked. So, as with many intermittent problems, it never comes on when the vehicle is brought in for service and usually illuminates only when traveling and no service is available. I have not had any problems with the brakes, but I would like to know what might be causing this to happen.
Pete Chiarolanzio, F181694
Florham Park, New Jersey
To find an answer to this question, I contacted a technical adviser with Monaco RV LLC, who was able to shed a bit of light on the subject. Here is what I found out:
The ABS light indicates a fault in the ABS system. If the cause of the fault is intermittent, the light will go out after the motorhome calculates wheel speed data from all of the wheel speed sensors. There is no danger driving the motorhome with the light on, but it will disable the antilock function of the brakes while it’s displayed. It is very difficult to diagnose an intermittent failure without the light actually being on. There should be an ABS relay module in the front electrical bay under the driver’s window with a button to pull the codes. If you can pull over while the light is on and press this button for one second, then the ABS light should flash an error code, which a technician should be able to identify and troubleshoot accordingly.
Should you have additional questions, call Monaco RV’s service number, which is (877) 466-6226. By calling that number you can reach tech advisers, parts, sales, and other departments.
Frosty Fridge
My Dometic refrigerator coils continue to ice up; however, the refrigerator provides adequate cooling. Would it hurt if I used a hair dryer to melt the ice? It’s supposed to be a self-defrosting refrigerator and works fine most of the time. We spend the winter months in our motorhome.
Don Casteel, F211642
Benzonia, Michigan
There can be several reasons why frost will accumulate on the fins. The first is a significant air leak at the door seals. Another possibility is that the refrigerator is being operated at such a low temperature that the cooling unit is not turned off long enough for the fins to shed the frost before another cooling cycle is started. The only self-defrosting Dometic refrigerator is the 1402 with the zig-zag doors, and they sometimes have an incomplete air seal where it zigs and zags. For the self-defrosting feature to work, the internal clock must be correctly set — refer to your owners manual. The doors may need to be adjusted upward to help with the seal location, and you can temporarily put paper towels under the gasket where it is failing to contact the frame. It is a bit risky to use a hair dryer, as you might warp the fins or adjacent plastic, but if you do, use low heat and be careful. Contact Dometic’s Customer Support Center for further assistance at (800) 544 4881.
Too Much Condensation
I have a question regarding the Dometic four-door refrigerator in our 2008 Monaco Knight. We were in Florida in November, and when we opened the refrigerator we noticed a considerable amount of condensation. We used paper towels to soak up the water, which was mostly on the ceiling of the refrigerator compartment. I would like to know what’s causing the condensation and what I can do to eliminate the problem.
Randy Podschweit, F413678
Aurora, Illinois
In high-humidity locations such as Florida, condensation on the refrigerator ceiling normally occurs because the door is not making a good, airtight seal or the refrigerator door is being opened frequently. Both situations allow warm, moist air into the compartment. When this air meets the cooler air inside the compartment, the warm air rises and any moisture will condense on the most exposed cool surface, which happens to be the refrigerator ceiling.
To determine whether your refrigerator door seal is in good working condition, all you need is a $1 bill. Open the door, place the bill between the door seal, and close the door. If you can pull the dollar bill from the door easily, the seal needs to be replaced. Do this around the perimeter of the door, checking the seal at numerous points on the sides and along the top and bottom. You also should check that the condensate drain restrictor is in the condensate drain hose. If not, warm, moist air can enter the refrigerator through the hose.
Blown Breaker
We own a 2009 36-foot Allegro Bus. The front air conditioner trips the breaker when the outside temperature exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The first time this happened was at a rally in Minnesota with temperatures and humidity in the mid-80s. I thought it was being caused by low voltage coming from the power pedestal. As long as the rear air conditioner worked, we could live with it. I did a physical check of the roof portion of the air conditioner and it was okay.
The second time it occurred was in Nebraska, and the pedestal voltage checked out okay. So, I took off the breaker box cover and, with the power off, I felt the tripped breaker on the circuit that feeds the front air conditioner. It was very warm to the touch. What I found was that it was a split breaker. Physically, it was the same size as a regular breaker, but in reality it was two breakers — a 20-amp and a 30-amp — tied together. Being a retired mobile home repair guy, I have never liked that type of breaker.
I noticed I had a vacant space in the box next to the split breaker. So, I stopped at Home Depot the next day and bought separate 20-amp and 30-amp breakers. I split the two circuits and haven’t had a problem since. The total investment was $7. I thought this suggestion might help someone who may be experiencing a similar problem.
Jim & Kathy Maggi, F271797
Pine City, Minnesota
Thanks for the information. There may be other FMCA members experiencing a similar problem who can use this remedy. The 2-in-1-type breaker is actually very sensitive to temperature and can transfer heat from one to the other, so swapping it out for two separate breakers was a good idea.
Towed Vehicle Odometers
There may be simple answers to my questions, but when I review Family Motor Coaching magazine for information about towed vehicle odometers, I always end up with the same two questions.
I have been towing a vehicle four wheels down for 11 years — first a Chevrolet TrailBlazer and since 2004 a GMC Envoy. Both vehicles are equipped with four-wheel drive. When I put the vehicle in what I call four-wheel drive N (neutral), the towed miles do not add mileage to the odometer. With that background, my two questions are pretty obvious. Do “all-wheel-drive” and “front-wheel-drive” vehicles add towed miles to the odometer? Do the “four-wheel-drive” vehicles in the FMC’s towing guides have the capabilities of being placed in four-wheel drive N or something different that will allow the towed miles to be excluded from the odometer? I don’t think the owner’s manuals address these two issues, and the sales representatives certainly don’t know the answers. Can you recommend a way to determine the answers? And what is an easy way to tell if the speedometer is an analog mechanical or an electronic speedometer?
George R. Schmelzle, F363329
Naples, Florida
Your questions actually have very simple answers. The transmission/transfer case combination is not related to whether mileage accrues on the odometer while the vehicle is being towed. It’s entirely determined by the type of speedometer the vehicle has. If it’s an analog mechanical speedometer, it will record the mileage. If it’s an electronic-type speedometer, it will accrue mileage only when the ignition is on (and not just unlocked). You’d be hard-pressed to find a 2012 or 2013 vehicle without an electronic speedometer. I haven’t seen one yet! If the odometer is digital (comes on when you turn the key, open the door, etc.) and not analog (with those tiny numbered wheels we grew up with), it’s electronic and will not accrue mileage.
Relay Delay
I have a 2006 Monaco Camelot that is not charging the house batteries when the motorhome is being driven. I have talked to Monaco techs about this problem, and they decided that the problem is a “faulty relay isolator delay.” This part signals the solenoid that ties the batteries, the house, and the chassis together after a 12-second delay when starting the motorhome. This part is an electronic board that costs approximately $190. Why is this 12-second delay necessary? It’s simple to bypass this delay component so that the solenoid is activated when the switch is turned on. I have had several RVs that work this way. So why do I need the 12-second delay for $190?
Thomas E. Curtis, F126495
Norwich, New York
I recommend that you do not bypass the delaying relay. A tech adviser with Monaco RV said that the system actually looks for 13.3 volts AC before engaging the relay, and there is a small computer board in the mix that he would not recommend bypassing.
I’m guessing that your previous experience was with older motorhomes that may not have included sophisticated onboard computers. Therefore, if you bypass the relay, you could be asking for more severe problems down the road.
{loadpositionEndBlurbTechTalk}