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Topic: VIP Wheel buttons dead (Read 692 times) previous topic - next topic

VIP Wheel buttons dead

Picked up my coach from service this afternoon, and on the way home I used the cruise control.  Stopped for fuel, and when I returned to the highway I pushed the on button for the cruise control, but I did not hear the normal click to indicate the cruise was on.  Also noticed that none of the buttons on the wheel work..to include the wipers an horn.  I looked for a fuse that may have been blown, but could not find any.  Anybody have any suggestion on where I should start looking?

Thanks
Brian and Jen

Re: VIP Wheel buttons dead

Reply #1 –
My guess is that there is a connector between the steering column wiring and the dash wiring that has become separated. I would start searching in that area and checking any connectors I could find.
David and Carolyn Osborn
1995 U320C SE 40' Build 4726 Feb 1995
FMCA 147762
Motorcade 17186

Re: VIP Wheel buttons dead

Reply #2 –
The control module for the VIP Smartwheel in the 99's is the SM203 and it is located on a slide out board underneath the flip up center dash cover (where the cup holders are). The there are only two wires from the steering wheel and the signal is multiplexed and turned into cruise control, wiper control, etc. by the SM203. The plywood board also has some relays, the Javelina Audit monitor control box, and maybe the auto gen start module. I don't know where the power for the SM203 is fused. It is possible that one of the wires under the cap on the wheel is disconnected or open. That should be easy to check because the cap can be unscrewed from below. The SM203 could also have died but maybe just have a look and see if all the plugs are well seated. They don't make that model anymore, but occasionally they come up on eBay and I have purchased one fro Visone salvage for about a hundred bucks. Actually, I got an SM206 which is comparable and has the possibility of adding variable intermittent wiper control with the addition of a potentiometer.
Don
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Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson

Re: VIP Wheel buttons dead

Reply #3 –
Thanks for all of the suggestions.  Just spoke with Victor at VIP, and he gave me some troubleshooting steps to determine if the controller is bad.  I'll let everybody know the outcome later this afternoon.

Brian and Jen

Re: VIP Wheel buttons dead

Reply #4 –
It looks like the Master Controller is bad.  Unfortunately, as Don stated, VIP does not make the part any more.  The only option, after speaking with VIP, is to go with a new controller, new wheel, and re-wire (new) the harnesses.  Since I'm not too thrilled about creating a new harness, I think I am going to put the coach in storage earlier this year if I can't find a used one.  I can live without the cruise control, but not having wipers is not an option.
Brian and Jen

Re: VIP Wheel buttons dead

Reply #5 –
 That stinks Brian.  There must be thousands of these smart VIP wheels out there.  I am almost certain you can source one.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: VIP Wheel buttons dead

Reply #7 –
Wow..That was very quick..and nice of you to find one.  I'm still in my coach putting things back together, and was going to start searching in 30 minutes.

Thanks, Peter and Beth!!!!
Brian and Jen

Re: VIP Wheel buttons dead

Reply #8 –
Nice find Peter... It is even an SM206 to boot! Add a pot for variable delay ^.^d
Don
Quote from: aspenpilot –
Wow..That was very quick..and nice of you to find one.  I'm still in my coach putting things back together, and was going to start searching in 30 minutes.

Thanks, Peter and Beth!!!!
The selected media item is not currently available.
Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson
 

Re: VIP Wheel buttons dead

Reply #9 –
I was looking at the picture of the SM206 VIP Smartwheel/IPX Wiper Master controller and I noticed something funny... The picture of the unit on the auction is taken from Visones' website and is a cropped version of the specific unit that I bought from Visone. I can tell this because the part of the plastic case on the bottom left hand corner is broken off and the the smudging on the label is the same. The upper left hand corner, you can see part of the wire tag that was tied to the unit. It may not mean anything, but they don't state that it is an SM206 explicitly anywhere in the auction. Bontrager's is not the same business as Visonerv, as far as I can tell. Since they state that the units are new old stock, this might be a better option than the used one I bought or it might be something else altogether... Just though I should mention it. I have attached a picture of the one I bought and the picture from the current auction at Bontrager's eBay store.
Link to SM206 (the specific unit I bought) listed as out of stock at Visone;
http://rvcomponents.visonerv.com/cgi-bin/md/M41/s1.pl
Don
The selected media item is not currently available.
Don & Tys
1999 U270 3602 WTFE #5402
Xtreme Stage 1 w/Headlight, Step Conversion, etc.
2009 Honda Fit Sport with Navi
Freedom is NOT "just another word for nothing left to lose"... with apologies to Kris Kristofferson