Interstate side door step and rear door shades

[Harmantick]

I have a 2016 AI EXT and am 4,000 miles into a drive across NA, started in Florida and now in Algonquin PP in Ontario.

The step below the sliding side door just stopped working. For the last week I could hear the motor that controls it cycling at odd times and then a few days ago it cycled multiple times (the step did not move, just heard the motor cycle). Now the step does not come out.

The other issue I have encountered is that when I had the rear doors off hinge and on the side of the van, I hit “night shades all” on the remote. The rear door shades started to descend and then failed.

I’m on the move and will not have access to an Airstream dealer for the next month.

My questions are
Regarding the step: Is this step failure a common problem? Is there a simple “do it yourself” fix? Does it require Airstream service or can any RV repair facility handle it?

Regarding the shades: Is there a connector wire that I can access that would fix the problem? Does it require Airstream service...?

Thanks for your suggestions.

[swilly43]

Enjoy your trip
For the step, make sure it is clean on top. Often, dirt/sand can build up on the top and jam the step. Otherwise, unless it has been hit they have been reliable. I have also had strange behavior if you start or move the coach with the step deployed. It may take a few cycle of turning on/off the motor, closing/opening the side door. Maybe that takes care of it.

The rear shade electrical connection through the door are pretty robust too. Perhaps the shades have lost the programming or jammed as well. Do both the sun shades and night shades exhibit the same problem? I have also found the automotion shades can exhibit interesting behavior. I have had them lose programming at least once. I have had them jam as well in the tracks. Check the bottom of the shades. They should fit loosly in the tracks.
and

[AirstreamInc]

Originally Posted by Harmantick

I have a 2016 AI EXT and am 4,000 miles into a drive across NA, started in Florida and now in Algonquin PP in Ontario.

The step below the sliding side door just stopped working. For the last week I could hear the motor that controls it cycling at odd times and then a few days ago it cycled multiple times (the step did not move, just heard the motor cycle). Now the step does not come out.

The other issue I have encountered is that when I had the rear doors off hinge and on the side of the van, I hit “night shades all” on the remote. The rear door shades started to descend and then failed.

I’m on the move and will not have access to an Airstream dealer for the next month.

My questions are
Regarding the step: Is this step failure a common problem? Is there a simple “do it yourself” fix? Does it require Airstream service or can any RV repair facility handle it?

Regarding the shades: Is there a connector wire that I can access that would fix the problem? Does it require Airstream service...?

Thanks for your suggestions.

Hi Harmantick,

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. We look forward to helping you get this resolved.

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

Thank you.

[Harmantick]

Thanks for your reply. I sweep the step regularly and a dirty step would not explain the motor activating when the coach is parked, the sliding door is closed and the engine is not running. This happened several days in a row just before it failed.

Checked the shades too. They are in their tracks and were working fine until I opened the rear doors.

[jrkemist]

We have a 2012 Interstate and our step quit working just like yours (motor running, no step open or close). We found NO dealer that knew how to fix it, rather just open it up and see what happened (and charge us). After that we took the assembly down from under the vehicle, opened the box top cover and found a set screw on the drive gear was loose allowing the motor to spin (motor running sound), but the drive gear was not engaging with the chain that opens/closes the step. After we tightened the set screw on the drive gear, the step works fine. Kind of a mess taking the assembly down and apart, but once you open the box, tighten the set screw, it bolts back easily and done.
Attached picture shows the open box, gear and set screw. The good news: you don't have anything broken, the bad news: you have to drop the box, open it, tighten the set screw and put it back.