Anyone good with power steps? HELP!

[Dano]

You and I should open a detective agency! The last post I said "thanks but don't worry" was regarding you looking in the seat belt pillar area where I'm sure the problem sin't. What I meant was it is located up front. Where did you get those Ford images? I'm starting to think whatever that item is up front looks awfully guilty to me...The photos above are of the actual part...

[Blue~Go]

Don't apologize, thank you!

Believe it or not, I actually found that today and took off the cap that covers it but didn't really know what it was. There is in fact an orange wire there with 3 others that goes into a "connector...not 100% sure what I was looking at ....is it a fuse Blue?

That is just basically a fancy plastic Ford connector that takes the place of any other type of wire connection. By making it like that, they can offer the mating "pigtail" as a part that anyone can connect easily.

Reason I know about those is when I went to re-wire my trailer connector (Chinook gave a four-flat, but I needed five wires and also just prefer a 7-round as a physical connection) I looked up Ford's same type of connector that is in the frame rail back there. They use the same style and then you can buy the matching pigtail to make doing the trailer receptacle hookup easy.

Well, lo and behold there was a bit of a mess down there. There were four wires coming out to the Chinook-installed flat four (as expected), but then THOSE wires also "y-ed" off (plus an fifth wire) and went up through the floor. Huh? That's when I figured out that Chinook used the Ford trailer wiring to power the Chinook's OWN taillights (and the fifth wire for the backup lights). Slightly unconventional.... Not unworkable once you know about it, but not maybe what I would have chosen.

Just so you see what I mean (obviously this probably doesn't have anything to do with your step.... um, unless they used the ORANGE "battery" wire from the black schnozzle somehow? (On my Chinook the brown connector was completely used as those are the basic four wires for taillights, brake lights, turn signals, and ground. On the black connector the black and light green wire was used for back up lights, and the blue for the trailer brake and the orange for trailer battery were just left unused.) But what that orange wire normally does is provide power for charging your trailer battery (lamely, as it's small, but anyway). So I think that is likely also ignition controlled (I don't think it is always hot but have not checked). So could that be involved? That is in the passenger side frame rail (inner side) back near the tire locker (but underneath the chassis).

I realize this doesn't directly address your situation with the power to one side of the fuse block and not the other but I figure knowing the path of the wiring (if we can) sure can't hurt.

[Dano]

Well, if all that is, is a connector, I don't think that's our culprit. I tested all four leads at that connector and got power from one but not two pins which is the same as I am getting at the connector. Power at one wire but not the other. It's as if this connector is suffering from the same fate for the moment and must be before the problem...

[Blue~Go]

The way I'm reading Ford's modified vehicle connector is that they expect "you" (Chinook) to fuse the wires properly. That could be wrong, but that's how I'm reading it at the moment. So let's say Chinook used that to power their auxilliary fuse block (which would be logical). If so, you'd expect them to have crimped wires onto the Ford pigtail (under the hood by the connector - I have had some of those Ford pigtails and the wires on the user side are only about 10" long as provided) and then run them to fuses somewhere -- like, oh, say, the Chinook fuse block.

But I already (think I) know that the "added only for a couple of years" electric dump valves did not have a fuse on that block. And yet I bet that if Chinook did use that modified vehicle connector that one of those wires must have powered them (they could only be used if the ignition was on from what I have read - I ditched mine pretty much immediately). And the steps are another thing that got added later. Why not on one of the available slots in the block? (One wonders.)

Okay, just a minute....

So I just read through all of your posts that were coming in while I was investigating. I think you are onto it with that modified vehicle connector. I'm starting to get slightly confused, so can you just reiterate the problem wire and where it has and doesn't have power? I know you already said it above, but if you could put it here separately that would be great.

BG

PS: Where I got that info. My previous camper van came with this Ford cardboard box in a storage compartment. In that box were like TEN different Ford pigtails plus a huge sheet of paper that unfolds to about 24" x 24" and has all the information about the various pigtails. The excerpts I posted are from that sheet of paper. The van was a late 90's model. I brought the big sheet of paper with me, but can't remember if I have the pigtails in storage. There is more info on the paper about other things, but at the moment they don't look germane. My guess is that not much changed over the years since then about those things - maybe small details.

PPS: I still wonder if that orange wire from the black trailer hitch isn't involved somehow. Also, I wonder if there are two different power sources? Because I mean yes they are ignition controlled (they retract when you start vehicle), BUT don't they also have to work when the ignition is off? For example, you shut off vehicle, step in back to make lunch, and then later open the back door from inside ..... at which point the step powers open... right?

[Dano]

Never noticed but the only two wires that are used are the yellow and orange from the connector, the rest are clipped. So, these two wires are the only thing powering the two fuse blocks. One is from a direct power source and the other goes through the ignition. Yellow works fine, the orange does not. The connector in the engine bay has four pins and only one is powered which tells me that connector is after wherever this blown fuse/connector/relay is located. Does ANYONE have ANY idea what is going on!? Blue, please keep chiming in

[Blue~Go]

Okay, so just to make sure I've got it, you have determined that the ORANGE connector on the Ford modified vehicle connector does not have power, one the FORD side. Is that right?

Okay, so apparently neither one of us is on firm ground here, but with two of us maybe we can figure it out

Let me see if I have any info about where that ORANGE pin on the Ford modified vehicle connector gets power. I'll be right back.

[Blue~Go]

Okay, AHA. I see that in that big black rectangular fuse block behind the driver's side headlight, fuse number 21 (50 amp) is labeled "Modified Vehicle Connector." So is that fuse blown or good? To save time from uploading a diagram, fuse #21 is in the pair of matching rows that each have 8 fuse slots (16 total). If you orient yourself so that the four tiny rectangular fuses are at the "back right" of the block, then #21 is the third one from the back in the left hand row (50 amp, remember as a clue).

For switching and testing purposes, fuse #13 is also 50 amp (controls blower motor relay). In the same orientation it is in the same position as #21 but in the right hand row.

Right now I'm looking at a book and not under my hood, and they don't tell you how the drawing compares to the rectangle in the sense of orientation, so that's why I'm describing it how I am. I'll go look under my hood but wanted to get this to you first.

[Blue~Go]

Okay, just checked the drawing with reality. The corner with the four small rectangular fuses is in the forward/passenger side corner. In other words, if you are standing in front of the Chinook with the hood open peering in, the big block with the #1 on it is on your left (toward center of vehicle).

I have circled #21, which is the 50 amp modified vehicle connector fuse, and also #13, which is also called out as a 50 amp fuse of the same style (one of the blower motor relay fuses). In case you want to switch them for testing or whatever.

PS: I'm going to be away from the computer for a bit, but I'll check in later (have to see how the sleuthing is going)

[Dano]

I just spent an hour checking each and every fuse and relay in the power distribution box and everything works, except what I need to work I’ve now removed the front panel under the steering wheel and will find which wires are hot and which need the key turned to accessory in order to gain power. This should in theory, lead to which wire at least does what I hope. There HAS to be SOMETHING preventing this from getting power!!! AAAAGGGHHH!!! You're the only thing keeping me going Blue, don't leave me

[Blue~Go]

Misery does love company

But so wait, you are saying that that fuse #21 is good? Not blown? But then how does the "orange prong" on the modified vehicle connector not have power? Unless somehow it needs something behind the wheel (wire-wise) to also do something in order to work?

Bummer that there wasn't an easy (well, if you consider all that you've done up until now easy... which it most certainly isn't) fix in that big fuse box. I will be very interested to see what you find behind the wheel as that is something I have never explored. You are motivating me to find those ignition-activated wires that used to go to my dump valves. I don't really need to do that (I removed the electric valves) but I'd just as soon tidy the wires up on the front end. Maybe I can follow your example.

Now I can't even remember if your steps used to work and then stopped? Or never have worked correctly in your ownership? Heck that was like six pages ago

Okay, over to you