Issue with my "Relax" awning

[jlandreth]

I have had my 2019 30' Classic for about six weeks now. Because of the weather we've only spent 4 nights in it and have only used the awning a couple of times. Saturday we set up the camp site and tried to deploy the awning and it would extend about 2' and stop. Did this several times with the same result. Finally tried "helping" it by pushing on the rear arm and it extended fully. So I put some spray lubricant on the extended arms and hit the retract button. It closed but then wouldn't extend past 2' without stopping. Helped it open again but this time when I hit the retract button it would only move 6" at a time. Finally got it fully closed and got the instructions out of the owners bag. First off, how old are these instructions? My instructions show using a remote to operate the awning, I didn't get a remote with mine. Called the dealership to get some help, salesman was clueless and the service department is closed on Saturday. Talked to them this morning and they said push the reset button(another one of the many things I wasn't told about when I took delivery) and if that didn't help I would have to bring it in. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[jlandreth]

I went home at lunch to try pushing the reset button for the awning. Had to remove the shelves under the sink to get to the control panel that is fastened to the floor. Pushed the reset button and the awning worked the first time then didn't work the second time. Pushed reset again and got the same results. Called the service tech and told him what happened and his response was sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

[Al U. Minium]

During our dealer walk thru, the technician showed us how he had to "assist" the power awning on our 30 ft. Serenity. Mind you this was on a 1 year old "used" trailer.

So bottom line this got better and better the more we used it. So I am suggesting that it may need some breaking in and hopefully that is your case as it seemed to be with ours.

At any rate, contact your dealer service department to help. Its under warranty and ZipDee and Airstream will stand behind it. It will work out.

[BAB]

Try this. (Nate at Zip Dee -- who is the complete expert on the Relax awning gave me this tip....my awning was doing the same thing).

If you look at the awning from outside you’ll see those heavy black bumpers at the base of the mechanism. They aren’t bumpers (although they do that). When you start to deploy your awning, go outside and “help” the arm that’s extending while it unrolls. Once it gets to the stage where the roller motor (you’ll hear it up in the awning tube) begins, you can let it do its thing). If it doesn’t completely unroll, close the awning and retry.

Here’s what’s happening. When you first open it, the awning is pushed back from the body of the trailer by that black bumper. If the bumper doesn’t push the awning away from the trailer far enough, the awning will stop. (They count on those black bumpers to put enough pressure on the awning arm to open far enough to engage the roller motor.)

Eventually, this will probably happen to everyone with a Zip Dee Relax awning. As that black bumper begins to not push the awning arm out far enough it’ll freeze up.

If you still have awning problems, see your dealer while you’re under warranty.

They will call Nate.

Hope this makes sense.

[Michael Anna]

I noticed the same issue with our Serenity and thought it was due to being cold. Thank you for sharing, I just keep on learning from the this forum.

[BAB]

I like the saying, “ we repeat lessons until we learn them.” At a certain point, I’ll take my heat gun to the black bumper and warm it until it’s round rather than elliptical. (You can replace it if you’re a fanatic. While the screw that holds it in place also holds the bracket to the trailer, the bracket is also attached with rivets.

[jlandreth]

Thanks for all the suggestions. It is amazing what you can learn on this forum. I will give these tips a try.

[Kevinshortnh]

While having some warranty work performed at Jackson Center on our 2018 Classic 30RB Twin, they updated the ZipDee controller software. Now the problem is fixed for us.

[Lucy Goosy]

Glad this posted today as my awning did the same thing this morning. I sent it back and forth until it unfolded. Guess I should take it in to get checked. Thanks for suggesting to check the black bumper, It is cold and been rainy so I too thought it was caused by the weather.

[AirstreamInc]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

I have had my 2019 30' Classic for about six weeks now. Because of the weather we've only spent 4 nights in it and have only used the awning a couple of times. Saturday we set up the camp site and tried to deploy the awning and it would extend about 2' and stop. Did this several times with the same result. Finally tried "helping" it by pushing on the rear arm and it extended fully. So I put some spray lubricant on the extended arms and hit the retract button. It closed but then wouldn't extend past 2' without stopping. Helped it open again but this time when I hit the retract button it would only move 6" at a time. Finally got it fully closed and got the instructions out of the owners bag. First off, how old are these instructions? My instructions show using a remote to operate the awning, I didn't get a remote with mine. Called the dealership to get some help, salesman was clueless and the service department is closed on Saturday. Talked to them this morning and they said push the reset button(another one of the many things I wasn't told about when I took delivery) and if that didn't help I would have to bring it in. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Hi jlandreth and Lucy_Goosy,*

Please send us a direct message with your contact information and the last 6 digits of your VIN so we can share it with our Customer Service and Technical Support team and help you get this resolved.

You can also reach Airstream Customer Service and Technical Support at*customer_support@airstream.com*

Thank you.

[Toasterlife]

I think the mechanised awning is an upgrade I am happy to pass on. I love out Toaster, but there are enough "mechanical" issues to keep us busy without adding "electronic" ones to the mix - I fail to see why Airstream loads it's newer rigs with power hungry and unreliable electronic gadgets, for a rig that could well spend time camping far from electricity and repairmen. Cell phone controlled heating and cooling? please most of the time we don't have enough cell signal to send a text. Never mind the heating could trash the batteries overnight if boondocking.

[motoguitr]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

I have had my 2019 30' Classic for about six weeks now. Because of the weather we've only spent 4 nights in it and have only used the awning a couple of times. Saturday we set up the camp site and tried to deploy the awning and it would extend about 2' and stop. Did this several times with the same result. Finally tried "helping" it by pushing on the rear arm and it extended fully. So I put some spray lubricant on the extended arms and hit the retract button. It closed but then wouldn't extend past 2' without stopping. Helped it open again but this time when I hit the retract button it would only move 6" at a time. Finally got it fully closed and got the instructions out of the owners bag. First off, how old are these instructions? My instructions show using a remote to operate the awning, I didn't get a remote with mine. Called the dealership to get some help, salesman was clueless and the service department is closed on Saturday. Talked to them this morning and they said push the reset button(another one of the many things I wasn't told about when I took delivery) and if that didn't help I would have to bring it in. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I bought the 2019 28ft Serenity (traded in my 25ft ) and had the same exact issue you are having, on top of that it created a very concerning leak from the roof that came very close to all the electrical controls right inside the front door.
Its been in the shop waiting for replacement arms from zip dee for 3 weeks.
I have a go to guy at our dealership he informed me that there is an issue with the arms pulling against each other. It causes the fabric to do what they call "crawl"and put strain on the motor.

Really hoping this is not going to be a prob but I do have doubts.
My 25ft awning worked like a champ with never an issue in 3500 miles of travel

More time in the shop most likely,, which is always a bummer.
Sorry to say all this but hope you have luck with yours
Good luck

[Mento05]

call zip dee customer service. very knowledgable.

[link2dks]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

I have had my 2019 30' Classic for about six weeks now. Because of the weather we've only spent 4 nights in it and have only used the awning a couple of times. Saturday we set up the camp site and tried to deploy the awning and it would extend about 2' and stop. Did this several times with the same result. Finally tried "helping" it by pushing on the rear arm and it extended fully. So I put some spray lubricant on the extended arms and hit the retract button. It closed but then wouldn't extend past 2' without stopping. Helped it open again but this time when I hit the retract button it would only move 6" at a time. Finally got it fully closed and got the instructions out of the owners bag. First off, how old are these instructions? My instructions show using a remote to operate the awning, I didn't get a remote with mine. Called the dealership to get some help, salesman was clueless and the service department is closed on Saturday. Talked to them this morning and they said push the reset button(another one of the many things I wasn't told about when I took delivery) and if that didn't help I would have to bring it in. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I have a 2019 GT that I thought was having Relax Awning issues. Turned out to all be operator error, there are three things I have learned which have solved the problems for me:

1. First and most important is to hit the close button before doing anything else if the power has been interrupted to the awning by turning the awning off at the awning control panel or the battery disconnect switch was activated. When power is restored to the awning control hitting the close button tells the control board the awnings position.
2. As BAB said previously, sometimes the awning needs a little help when it starts opening. Just push out on the large arm until the awning motor kicks in.
3. PATIENCE, after hitting a button on the control panel give it a couple of seconds to respond.

I have no more "issues" with the awning. I hope this helps.

Dave S

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by Toasterlife

I think the mechanised awning is an upgrade I am happy to pass on. I love out Toaster, but there are enough "mechanical" issues to keep us busy without adding "electronic" ones to the mix - I fail to see why Airstream loads it's newer rigs with power hungry and unreliable electronic gadgets, for a rig that could well spend time camping far from electricity and repairmen. Cell phone controlled heating and cooling? please most of the time we don't have enough cell signal to send a text. Never mind the heating could trash the batteries overnight if boondocking.

There are those of us who appropriate the goodies Airstream "loads" on the trailers.
We have a 2017 Classic, and while initially I was apprehensive about the electric awning I have grown to appreciate it. Had absolutely no issues so far. The more you use it the better it works.

[jlandreth]

Originally Posted by franklyfrank

There are those of us who appropriate the goodies Airstream "loads" on the trailers.
We have a 2017 Classic, and while initially I was apprehensive about the electric awning I have grown to appreciate it. Had absolutely no issues so far. The more you use it the better it works.

This is good to hear. We plan on using ours a lot next week.

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by jlandreth

This is good to hear. We plan on using ours a lot next week.

What I really like is that when we leave the trailer, go shopping, sightseeing etc. several times during the day I simply push a button and its closed or opened. With the manual it was just enough hassle that I was always playing the guessing game, should I or will it be OK.

[GregU]

I had the same issue with my 2018 Tommy Bahama Relax Awning. You may want to call Zip Dee directly and talk to their tech department. They are very familiar with the problem you described. In my case, the awning had run passed one of the sensors and the nylon gears inside the front arm had stripped. The sensors can somehow get knocked out of position which leads to the gear stripping. The awning would only go out 2'.

I ended up going 1200 miles back to the factory to have the entire arm replaced. The local dealers had no idea how to fix the problem. It seemed like an overkill to replace the entire arm for a dislocated sensor but I assume it was cheaper for Airstream to just get a new arm from Zip Dee.

Hope this helps
Greg U

[ctimberlake]

I also have a 2019 Airstream GT. The powered awning seems to open fine however when CLOSING it stops about two feet from the stowed position. I realized that pressing "open", and stopping it after a couple seconds then again pressing "close" will fix the stoppage and tuck it in as it should. Hope this is not damaging to it.

Does anyone have information about manually closing the awning in case it won't close, in which case you would be stuck? I have had it at the dealer to try to replicate the problem but then it works of course.

[link2dks]

Originally Posted by ctimberlake

I also have a 2019 Airstream GT. The powered awning seems to open fine however when CLOSING it stops about two feet from the stowed position. I realized that pressing "open", and stopping it after a couple seconds then again pressing "close" will fix the stoppage and tuck it in as it should. Hope this is not damaging to it.

Does anyone have information about manually closing the awning in case it won't close, in which case you would be stuck? I have had it at the dealer to try to replicate the problem but then it works of course.

Try hitting the close button every time before you open the awning, worked for me. The procedure for manually closing the awning is in the owners manual, hope I never have to do it.