Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

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Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

October 16, 2024, 11:51:17 am

Travel day just outside of Flagstaff AZ. It's about freezing outside. Cranked engine and aired up system. Pushed travel mode button and system went into travel mode. A couple minutes later system dropped out of travel mode. Pushed all raise then canceled and tried travel mode. System went into travel mode but will not remain in travel mode. Both front and rear air tanks show 115 to 120 lbs pressure. Any suggestions on what I can do to fix the issue or any work arounds. 9 zero 9 five five 3 3 zero 8 1

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #1 – October 16, 2024, 12:02:21 pm

Quote from: WagonWheels – October 16, 2024, 11:51:17 am

Travel day just outside of Flagstaff AZ. It's about freezing outside. Cranked engine and aired up system. Pushed travel mode button and system went into travel mode. A couple minutes later system dropped out of travel mode. Pushed all raise then canceled and tried travel mode. System went into travel mode but will not remain in travel mode. Both front and rear air tanks show 115 to 120 lbs pressure. Any suggestions on what I can do to fix the issue or any work arounds. 9 zero 9 five five 3 3 zero 8 1

Haven't heard of this issue before, I'm leaning towards a problem with the control box but am curious what the other symptoms are. When it "won't remain in travel mode" what does it do?

I'm not far from you (Prescott) with room for your coach on my property if you need somewhere to land while you figure it out.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #2 – October 16, 2024, 12:08:24 pm

If it is out of travel mode and the coach is at the right height you can drive and if it isn't the right
height you can set it manually and then go.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #3 – October 16, 2024, 12:20:44 pm

On my 2008 Nimbus I had a similar situation. Turned out on of the slide out rooms was open about 3/4" on one corner. The slide out rooms have switches to confirm closure. In this state I was able to release the parking brake or get the transmission into gear.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #4 – October 16, 2024, 12:28:36 pm

Use old guy's suggestion to get moving. When it's convenient, take a close look at the pressure switch on the rear HWH 6-pack manifold. Check for disconnected or damaged wiring. The leveling system looks at air pressure in the rear manifold to determine if it is in travel mode.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #5 – October 16, 2024, 12:28:45 pm

Run the slide(s) out and back in. If that doesn't fix it, you can put the HWH box in bypass by turning the switch on the box in the basement from 110 to 220 (bypass). Does that get it moving? If so, something is telling the HWH system it's not happy.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #6 – October 16, 2024, 12:44:00 pm

Push the travel mode button; system goes into travel mode. Stays that way for about a minute then level system light on dash comes on along with beeping. Push the travel mode button and travel mode comes on like normal then after about a minute the level system dash light comes on along with beeping. Just got off the phone with James T. He had me run the slide rooms out and in. Thinks the problem may be the pressure switch on the rear 6-pack.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #7 – October 16, 2024, 01:01:46 pm

How does one set the ride manually?

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #8 – October 16, 2024, 01:12:12 pm

Did you try the HWH reset butont left side of drivers seat yet?

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #9 – October 16, 2024, 09:25:50 pm

To set it manually you use your leveling buttons and I just looked at the wheels and guessed
if the height looked OK

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #10 – October 17, 2024, 10:17:11 am

What ever happened here WW?

While you can adjust the height with the leveling buttons, if you tried to go down the road that way, it would not be looking at the axle sensors and wouldn't adjust as needed. I think putting the HWH box in override may get you moving. Did you try that?

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #11 – October 17, 2024, 10:34:16 am

Quote from: oldguy – October 16, 2024, 09:25:50 pm

To set it manually you use your leveling buttons and I just looked at the wheels and guessed
if the height looked OK

I would walk around and made sure my fist would fit on top of the tire

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #12 – October 17, 2024, 12:32:55 pm

Quote from: WagonWheels – October 16, 2024, 01:01:46 pm

How does one set the ride manually?

On your HWH panel with the parking brake set select mode button twice. Manually adjust to correct ride height. You must physically measure outside at the wheels. Once your were you want to be remove the 12v power fuse inside the hwh controller to shut it down. System will stay were it was at but must be monitored regularly till you know if it leaks down. Mine will go weeks at a given height. To reset fuse must be reinstalled and manually reset then removed again. Since it does go into travel mode for a minute it probably is close to the correct travel height.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #13 – October 17, 2024, 12:55:37 pm

Yes, set RIDE HEIGHT with a ruler starting on the rear axle. Don't just "eye-ball" it.

Check it every time you stop.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #14 – October 17, 2024, 01:38:00 pm

I have had this happen a couple of times. The first thing I do is go through the retract sequence with all slides. No need to extend first. I hold retract until the red light turns off and for an additional three seconds or so. If at this point the red level annunciation is off. I crank the engine to build normal air pressure. Hold the foot brake and release and reengage the parking brake. The green ride height light will be on. HWH recommends waiting at least one minute for coach to reach ride height. I'll high idle the engine until warm before moving it. I haven't had a problem since.
This is from HWH. I would go down this rabbit hole first before looking at a six pack problem. Jmho.
NOTE: Low air pressure or an extended or unlocked room can turn the green "TRAVEL MODE" light off and turn the MASTER WARNING light on.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #15 – October 17, 2024, 03:08:26 pm

The problem we were experiencing concerned the level light on the dash and the beeping that went with it. This issue probably started several months ago or maybe even a year ago. Memory is kind of foggy, but the first time something like this occurred we had broken camp and had departed down the highway. We had traveled about 10 miles when the dash leveling light illuminated and the beeper sounded. Oh crap, "Houston we have a problem!!"

Pulled over to the shoulder and hit the travel mode button, but that didn't fix the problem. Hit the all raise button thinking maybe a valve in the 6-pack was stuck and maybe this procedure would correct the problem. Raised the coach to max, then hit the travel button. Waited for the coach to settle into travel mode. The dash level light went out along with the beeping. This solved the problem and we continued down the highway to our newt destination. Life is good.

This past summer in NM we had the same issue happen again. Used the same procedures described above and we were on our merry way. After the second incident I started raising the coach to max when we were preparing to depart a campground. I would start the coach and bring up the air pressure to blow off. Then put in the two slides. No issues with the slides. Then I would hit the all raise button and fully raise the coach. With the air pressure gauges showing at least 100 psi I would then push the travel mode button and wait for the coach to go into travel mode. The rear valves would dump first and then the front. This procedure has worked numerous times until yesterday. Yesterday after all raise, I pushed the travel mode button, the travel light came on for about a minute and then the dash level light came back on. All attempts to make it work were futile. I measured the ride hight as best I could given the parking surface. It appeared to be within specs. With that we departed for Las Vegas, 250 miles away with the dash leveling light on and the beeper blaring away. I must say it was not a pleasant drive with the ever constant beeping, and the bam, bam from the pot holes in the AZ highways. Just thankful we made it. After parking and hookup, a libation

was surely in order.

I reached out to Keith R about the problem via text. He called me and provided some instruction on how to check the sensor switches on the 6-packs which he thinks are most likely the problem. If I am successful in checking the switches and one or more are defective he has the parts in stock. THANK YOU KEITH!! Your concern and support are the best.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #16 – October 17, 2024, 06:51:54 pm

Today I crawled under the coach to take a look at the rear air and tag solenoid manifolds. I noted that a wire on one of the tag manifold 20psi pressure switches was damaged. I also observed that one of the wires to the 85psi pressure switch on the rear air manifold was pinched between the pressure switch and the housing to the tag manifold. See pictures. Any ideas how to remove these pressure switches? It looks like they screw on to the manifold housing or a piece of piping. What about the wiring?

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #17 – October 17, 2024, 07:45:53 pm

Those wires go to a plug about 6-8 inches away from the switch. You can cut some wire ties to access the wires and repair the wires. That will probably fix the problem.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #18 – October 18, 2024, 01:04:40 am

I vote for what Red Tractor said. It is never easy working under the coach but depending how agile you are just repairing the wires or the wiring insulation would be much cheaper and quicker than replacing the parts.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #19 – October 18, 2024, 01:22:11 am

Please use safety stands when working under the coach, if you haven't already.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #20 – October 18, 2024, 01:27:43 am

Those switches are the ones that have leaked for me. They leaked air between the metal and plastic body, so I have replaced 4 of them now. As mentioned, they are plugged into the harness using weatherpack connectors, which in my case are ty-rapped up just above and inboard of the 6-packs. As for removing them, unscrewing them is a PITA with a wrench. I bought a 1" socket and slotted it so the wires could go inside the socket. Since you're now in Vegas, and I am too, you're welcome to come borrow it. I grabbed it out of my coach tonight and will have it with me at work tomorrow. Message me if you want to meet up.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #21 – October 18, 2024, 11:53:27 am

Keith, thanks for the kind offer. Will contact you via private message.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #22 – October 26, 2024, 02:21:52 pm

Yesterday I decided to check the ride height of our motorcoach, thinking maybe it might be out of specs and this could be reason the HWH panel kept dropping out of travel mode. We are parked on a concrete apron that appears to be level. There is a slight pitch downward from front to back to facilitate runoff when it rains. Started the engine and brought the air system up to max pressure. Raised the coach to max and then pushed the travel mode button. The coach responded correctly, dumping air in the rear first and then the front. I inspected the ride height valves to see if the horizontal control arms were perpendicular to the ride height control valves. They were. Ref: Detailed Procedures to Adjust Ride Height. I then took measurements. Not good!! 7 7/8" on the front curbside; 9 1/4" on the rear curbside. Didn't check the street side because sunshine blocked my view. How could this happen? I had MOT check/adjust the RH back in April. I had the transmission replaced in late May. Maybe Allison messed something up? BTW: The coach stayed in travel mode and did not drop out after a minute or two like it was doing when I first started this discussion. Guess the gremlins were asleep?

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #23 – October 29, 2024, 08:11:43 am

Quote from: WagonWheels – October 26, 2024, 02:21:52 pm

We are parked on a concrete apron that appears to be level. There is a slight pitch downward from front to back to facilitate runoff when it rains.

Here's the thing, though. It's not so much that the site has to be level, but what is critical is that it is flat as in not a warped or twisted plane. Driveways and parking pads are seldom if ever installed to be flat, but rather to blend with the site....like the edge of the road and to drain water as a priority. Setting the ride height valves is only as accurate as the the surface the bus is parked on.

There is a fairly simple way to determine flatness, will describe if you're not familiar with it. No tools required.

Re: Help!! Coach Will Not Stay in Travel Mode

Reply #24 – October 29, 2024, 11:33:25 am

Please describe

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