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Topic: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue (Read 902 times) previous topic - next topic

Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue

Hope one of you can help us with this. We had the AF One system installed at MOT a month ago, and everything has been working great. Lots of miles driven, with the coach and toad only. But Monday -- without the coach attached -- the car brakes did not release completely after stopping at a light and turning a corner.  The car would move, but clearly it wasn't a good idea to keep going. The brakes were very very hot -- the front brakes the hottest.  No dash warning lights illuminated. Trying to isolate the problem, we first tried to deactivate the AF One braking in the car by disconnecting the line to the signal light on the toad mirror. But that light is evidently separate from the system because it didn't disconnect it. We then detached the air cylinder from the car's brake pedal arm and moved it out of the way of the pedal which fixed the problem. We've left it off and the car drives and stops normally.
What could have caused the car brakes to fail to release completely with the small AF One cylinder attached?  We're wondering if this is an installation issue, a product issue or operator error. 

Thanks,

Mike and Deb

Mike and Deb Durbin
1997 u320 36', Build# 5059
2007 Saturn Vue
Sophie and Rosie: pooches.
Buddy  01/01/2002 -  03/15/2017.  RIP sweet boy.

Re: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue

Reply #1 –
Mike- take it back to MOT and have Keith Risch look at which brake line on the coach it was attached to.  I understand they are not always labeled so it is possible they attached it to the wrong brake line.  Guess how I know that...............s

Take both the car and coach there and hook up and test it right in their lot before you hit the road.  This is a simple error, but can be a serious one.  Test it fully hooked up in the lot before you hit the street- can save a lot of aggravation and $$$.

Hope this helps

Ted

Mike- I just realized you were not hooked up to the coach when this happened.  Based on that, perhaps the check valve in the AFOne cylinder did not release after you unhooked and it is holding pressure?  Perhaps your front calipers on the car are sticking??  Hope you get it resolved- tricky one
Ted & Karen
2001 U270 36' - sold after 12 years full timing

Re: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue

Reply #2 –
Mike, you near Nac?  If not, probably Issac installed that and maybe call him?  Either way Risch good option Ted gave.

Ted offered good ideas I had not thought about......

One other, someone stole from the front of our jeep the little plug that is normally only pulled out of the toad when the car becomes disconnected while towing and that applies the brake. 

However, that would only happen if the system was turned on and the plug pulled.  Very unlikely that happened to you, but did us, for the system was left on even though not towing.  That alone ok, but not if a kid pulled the plug.

mike
Mike
2001 U320 4010 Build 5878 (Gus)
Wrangle Unlimited Toad
Nacogdoches

Re: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue

Reply #3 –
Quote from: debnmike –

What could have caused the car brakes to fail to release completely with the small AF One cylinder attached?  We're wondering if this is an installation issue, a product issue or operator error. 

It sounds like the cylinder was pulling on the brake pedal since detaching it solved the problem.

Mike H's thought on the plug in the breakaway being pulled (or loose) is the primary suspect.  If it had pulled, the small cylinder would have operated - when you removed its connection, could you tell if the cylinder was retracted/activated or "at rest"?

The second would be the adjustment on the cable that goes from the small cylinder to the brake pedal, if the cylinder wasn't retracted/activated.  "At rest" it shouldn't be tight.  This should be a simple adjustment if it's the problem.

Worse case call SMI and ask for Logan.  He's their tech guru who does installations and helped us with an issue. 

BTW I carry a spare "plug" in my purse since that little loop attached to the breakaway plug is oh-so-tempting to mischief makers.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue

Reply #4 –
While ordering a part from SMI this morning I asked about your problem.

Here are the answers.

1.  If the you have adjustable pedals the cylinder should be installed with the pedals adjusted all the way up to the seats.  There should be slack in the cable then.  If not re-install.

2.  As Michelle suggested check that the breakaway actuator pin is in all the way.

Keith
Keith, Joyce & Smokey the Australian Cattle Dog
1995 U320 SE Extreme 40' WTBI Build # 4780, with a Honda CR-V hopefully still following behind.
Motorcade # 17030
FMCA # F422159

Re: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue

Reply #5 –
If the breakaway plug gets pulled or the brake is otherwise stilled applied, you should be able to remove the system fuse to deactivate AF1 braking. My AF! is an older version, but I suspect the newer version also has that provision. Mine looks like this and is located in the engine compartment.

Re: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue

Reply #6 –
Thanks to everyone who replied. Good info.  Since the breakaway plug is pushed in tight, we're going to try to readjust the pedal closer to the seat and then reattach the canister.  In our Saturn it's really hard to see the pedal adjust mechanism.  But it must be up in there so we're gonna give it a go now that the rain stopped.  Hopefully that will do it.  Thanks again!

Mike and Deb
Mike and Deb Durbin
1997 u320 36', Build# 5059
2007 Saturn Vue
Sophie and Rosie: pooches.
Buddy  01/01/2002 -  03/15/2017.  RIP sweet boy.

Re: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue- Fixed we hope

Reply #7 –
The pedal was already adjusted toward the seat, so we re-installed the canister/cylinder according to an SMI online video we found. We then had the Saturn brakes checked for damage -- they are fine -- and changed the brake fluid.  Still not sure why the brake pedal was not releasing before, but it's been fine now for several days.  The good thing is that we now have a much better understanding of how the AF One system works. Thanks again for your help.

Mike and Deb
Mike and Deb Durbin
1997 u320 36', Build# 5059
2007 Saturn Vue
Sophie and Rosie: pooches.
Buddy  01/01/2002 -  03/15/2017.  RIP sweet boy.

Re: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Michael & Jackie –
Mike, you near Nac?  If not, probably Issac installed that and maybe call him?  Either way Risch good option Ted gave.

Ted offered good ideas I had not thought about......

One other, someone stole from the front of our jeep the little plug that is normally only pulled out of the toad when the car becomes disconnected while towing and that applies the brake. 

However, that would only happen if the system was turned on and the plug pulled.  Very unlikely that happened to you, but did us, for the system was left on even though not towing.  That alone ok, but not if a kid pulled the plug.

mike

Issac did not install this one....  It only seems fair to avoid speculation when referencing the work of a technician...these guys take much pride in their work and reputations. 
 

Re: Air Force One In 2007 Saturn Vue

Reply #9 –
I don't think Mike (of Michael & Jackie) was implying that our AF One was installed incorrecty. I believe he was just suggesting we call Isaac for ideas since he evidently installs most of them.  In fact, our re-attachment of the air cylinder to the pedal looks just the same as it did after MOT attached it. Maybe the cylinder check-valve stuck, as Ted suggested? Maybe our changing the brake fluid did something?  Speculation. All we know is that it's working fine now.

Deb
Mike and Deb Durbin
1997 u320 36', Build# 5059
2007 Saturn Vue
Sophie and Rosie: pooches.
Buddy  01/01/2002 -  03/15/2017.  RIP sweet boy.