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Leveling jacks

A guided diagnosis for RV techs. Each step is a check, a reading or a question.

  1. Which leveling system is on the coach? Read the touch pad or look at the jacks: a motor on each leg is electric; one pump with hoses is hydraulic.
  2. What is the electric system doing? Pick what you see.
  3. What is the hydraulic system doing? Pick what you see.
  4. Describe the system Pick the closest.
  5. Electric: one jack dead Meter 12V at the dead jack while the switch is held. Lippert electric jacks have a motor at each leg. Expect: About 12.0 V or more
  6. Electric: no sound Check the battery, the fuse, and the panel. Meter 12V at the controller. Ground Control panels need a good 12V feed. Expect: About 12.0 V or more
  7. Electric: drift down A jack that drifts down points to a worn gear or a weak brake. Lippert electric jacks use a brake in the motor.
  8. Which panel is showing it? Codes look different on each panel. Pick yours.
  9. Hydraulic: pump runs, no travel Check the fluid level and look for a leak. Bigfoot and Power Gear reservoirs are behind a panel near the pump. Expect: Full fluid, no leak
  10. Hydraulic: no sound Check the battery, the fuse, and the panel. Meter 12V at the pump motor. Expect: About 12.0 V or more
  11. Hydraulic: drift down A jack that drifts down points to a leaking valve or a bad seal. Bigfoot solenoid valves are a common wear item.
  12. Find where the 12v stops The dead jack gets no 12V. Hold the jack's button in MANUAL and work back from the jack to the controller. Expect: Battery voltage at the controller output for that jack while commanded
  13. One electric jack drifts Mark the jack tube with tape at the ground line and leave it overnight. Check the next morning.
  14. Valve or pump: test the valve first Fluid is full, no leak, the pump runs, but the jacks don't move. Select one jack. Listen at the manifold for its valve to click, and meter 12V at its coil.
  15. Code excess angle: controller is not secured or the coach angle went too far Controller is not secured or the coach angle went too far. Expect: Do this first: Secure the controller. Move the coach to flatter ground.
  16. Code feature disabled: front is below level when starting, no touch pad power cycle, or zero point not set Front is below level when starting, no touch pad power cycle, or zero point not set. Expect: Do this first: Manually retract the rear (and middle) jacks, set the front jacks at hitch height, power the touch pad off and on, then set the zero point.
  17. Code low voltage: battery dropped below 10.8 v Battery dropped below 10.8 V. Expect: Do this first: Test the battery under load. Charge or replace it. Check the wire size and connections.
  18. Code out of stroke: a jack reached max stroke, or a high-amp stall A jack reached max stroke, or a high-amp stall. Expect: Do this first: Check the jack positions. Move the coach. Test that jack manually or use manual override. Check for a bent jack.
  19. Code external sensor: bad link to the rear sensor Bad link to the rear sensor. Expect: Do this first: Repair or replace the rear sensor harness and plugs.
  20. Code jack time out: auto operation ran longer than allowed Auto operation ran longer than allowed. Expect: Do this first: Check the jack positions and movement. Check for slow jacks and low voltage.
  21. Code auto level fail: ground too uneven, or the zero point is wrong Ground too uneven, or the zero point is wrong. Expect: Do this first: Move the coach. Reset the zero point.
  22. Code comm error: touch pad and controller lost communication Touch pad and controller lost communication. Expect: Do this first: Check the harness for damage and loose plugs. Replace if damaged.
  23. Code bad calibration: sensor calibration out of range Sensor calibration out of range. Expect: Do this first: Replace the controller.
  24. Code internal sensor: controller sensor problem Controller sensor problem. Expect: Do this first: Replace the controller.
  25. Code hall effect short: short in a hall-effect circuit Short in a hall-effect circuit. Expect: Do this first: Test and repair the short. Replace the jack or harness as needed.
  26. Code panic stop: a touch pad button was pressed during auto operation A touch pad button was pressed during auto operation. Expect: Do this first: Restart the auto operation. Do not touch buttons while it runs.
  27. Which message is on the touch pad? Pick the code or message exactly as the panel shows it.
  28. Code 2 flashes: satellite sensor problem Satellite sensor problem. Expect: Do this first: Inspect the satellite sensor and its harness connections. Reset with RETRACT.
  29. Code 3 flashes: internal sensor problem Internal sensor problem. Expect: Do this first: The internal sensor is in the controller. Reset with RETRACT and retest. If it repeats, suspect the controller.
  30. Code 4 flashes: low voltage Low voltage. Expect: Do this first: Charge the battery and check power and ground connections at the pump.

Causes and repairs

Electric jack motor failed

The jack gets 12V but does not run. Lippert sells the motor assembly per leg.

Tools: multimeter

Replace the jack motor with the same part.

No 12v to the leveling system

The system has no power. Check the battery, the fuse, and the switch.

Tools: multimeter

Meter the fuse, the switch, and the feed. Fix the open.

Controller or panel

Power is there but the system does not respond. Ground Control panels fail more often than the wiring.

Tools: multimeter

Meter the panel and the controller output. Replace the failed part.

All jacks drift

All jacks settling together points to the coach shifting, not every brake failing at once.

Tools: Tape

Check for soft ground and tire pressure changes first. Re-level and mark every jack with tape. If one jack moves first, test that jack. If they all move, check that the controller is turning off after leveling (a stuck controller can keep backing the jacks off).

Hydraulic fluid low

Low fluid starves the pump. There is a leak somewhere.

Tools: ATF, rags

Retract all jacks fully first. Fill to within 1/4 in of the fill spout lip with ATF Dexron III or Mercon (Level Up uses either or a blend). Wipe the jacks, hoses and manifold, cycle the jacks, and look for fresh fluid to find the leak.

Pump motor failed

The pump gets 12V but does not run.

Tools: multimeter

Replace the pump motor with the same part.

One jack or its valve

One jack drifting points to a leaking valve or a bad seal on that jack.

Tools: hand tools

Check the jack seal and its valve. Replace the failed part.

System valve or pump

All jacks drifting points to a system valve or the pump.

Tools: hand tools

Check the system valve and the pump. Replace the failed part.

Cleared

Cleared. Run a full auto level and a full retract twice before you sign it off.

Write down what you did and the reading that proved it.

Weak battery

The battery can't carry the leveling load.

Tools: Battery charger, load tester

Charge it fully and load-test it. Replace a battery that drops below about 9.6 V on a load test. Leveling draws hard: one small battery often isn't enough.

Voltage drop to the leveling system

The battery is fine, but voltage is lost in the cables before it reaches the pump or controller.

Tools: Multimeter

With a jack running, meter battery + to pump/controller +, then pump/controller - to battery -. Fix the side reading more than 0.5 V: corroded ring terminals, a loose ground on the frame, a weak breaker or disconnect.

Controller's internal sensor or calibration

The controller reports a fault with its own sensor. Lippert's answer for Bad Calibration and Internal Sensor is to replace the controller.

Tools: Hand tools

First rule out mounting: the controller must be screwed down tight, flat, with the FRONT OF VEHICLE arrow pointing forward and THIS SIDE DOWN facing down. Power-cycle at the controller (pull its 12V feed 10 seconds). If the code returns, replace the controller and set the zero point.

Stabilizer timed out

A rear electric stabilizer is jammed or hitting something.

Tools: Multimeter

Look at both rear stabilizers for something under the foot or a bent leg. Run each one by itself. A stabilizer that runs free with no load but stalls on the ground has a weak motor: meter its voltage while it runs.

Touch pad cable or pad

The link between the touch pad and the controller is broken.

Tools: Multimeter

Unplug both ends and ohm each wire end to end, flexing the cable where it passes through walls and floors. Repair or replace the harness. Good harness: swap in a known-good touch pad before you replace the controller.

Site too steep or zero point wrong

The system can't reach level from where the coach sits, or its idea of level is wrong.

Tools: Level, jack pads

Move to flatter, solid ground and put pads under soft spots. Make sure the controller is screwed down tight. Still failing on flat ground: reset the zero point.

Zero point sequence not taking

The button sequence only works from a specific state.

The pad has to be OFF (not asleep) before the sequence. Press each button firmly and evenly, about one press a second. Make sure all jacks are down and the coach is in MANUAL-leveled position. On Ground Control, 'Feature Disabled' at start means the front was below level or the pad wasn't power-cycled: retract, set the front at hitch height, cycle the pad, and try again.

Mounting was wrong

A loose, tilted or flipped controller or sensor reads the wrong angle.

Tools: Level, shims, hand tools

Mount it flat and tight with the arrows right. Shim the sensor if the crossmember is twisted (check it with a small level). Then set the zero point again and run a full auto level.

Controller not feeding the sensor

The port has no supply voltage, so the sensor can't run.

Tools: Multimeter

Meter the controller's own 12V feed and ground while powered: both should be within 0.3 V of the battery. Good feed and still no voltage at the port: replace the controller.

Controller ground floating

The sensor's ground comes from the controller. If no port pin sits at 0 V, the controller ground is bad.

Tools: Multimeter

With the controller powered and a jack running, meter from the controller ground wire to battery negative. More than a few tenths of a volt is a bad ground: clean and tighten the ground at the frame and the battery, or run a new ground.

Harness or splice between controller and sensor

Supply voltage leaves the controller but doesn't arrive at the sensor. Twisted, unsoldered splices under the coach are the usual cause, and colors are often crossed at them.

Tools: Multimeter, solder, adhesive heat shrink

Find every splice in the run. Confirm each splice joins the same function on both sides (supply to supply, ground to ground, signal to signal) by reading, not color. Redo them soldered with adhesive heat shrink or sealed butt connectors. Ohm each wire end to end with the plugs off and flex the harness. Then power-cycle and set the zero point.

Signal wire or sensor

The sensor has power but its signal doesn't respond.

Tools: Multimeter

Unplug both ends and ohm the signal wire end to end (near 0 ohms) and to ground (open). Good wire: the sensor isn't working. Compare the part number on the new sensor with the old one (for example, LCI 5TH WHEEL REMOTE SENSOR, PN 14022-B) before you blame a new part.

Mounting surface is off

The sensor works sitting level, so where it was bolted is tilted or twisted too far.

Tools: Level, shims

Check the crossmember with a small level both ways. Shim the sensor flat or move it to a straight section of the same crossmember behind the rear axle. Bolt it tight, set the zero point, run a full auto level.

Sensor and controller don't match

Good wiring, good power, the sensor sits level, and the controller still rejects it.

Compare the part number and plug pinout of the sensor with the original, and the controller part number with what the coach shipped with. A 5th wheel sensor and a travel trailer sensor aren't interchangeable. Check the touch pad setup for the system type and jack count. A controller that rejects two known-good matching sensors is the fault.

Broken wire to the jack

The controller sends 12V but it doesn't reach the jack.

Tools: Multimeter, solder, heat shrink

Unplug both ends, ohm each wire end to end, and flex the harness along the frame (it chafes on crossmembers). Repair with soldered, heat-shrunk splices or replace the harness. Then home the jacks: extend all so each can retract 6 in, then hold RETRACT until every jack stops at its current limit.

Bad connection at the leg

12V reaches the plug but not the motor.

Tools: Pick, contact cleaner, dielectric grease

Clean and tighten the pins, replace a burned connector, seal it with dielectric grease. Retest the jack in MANUAL, then home the jacks.

Controller channel or fuse

The controller doesn't put out 12V for that jack.

Tools: Multimeter

Check the fuses on the controller. Swap the dead jack's motor plug with a working jack at the controller: if the dead output stays with the controller position, the controller channel failed. Replace the controller and set the zero point.

Home the jacks to clear it

A special jack error only clears after the jacks are homed.

Extend all jacks (press LEFT and RIGHT together for the middles) so each one can retract at least 6 in. Then press and hold RETRACT until every jack reaches its hard current limit. The error clears.

Voltage drop on that leg

The jack is starved by its own harness or connector.

Tools: Multimeter

Voltage-drop each wire from the controller to that jack while it runs. Fix the wire or connector with the drop, then home the jacks.

Jack dragging or motor weak

Full voltage but the jack is slow or stalls.

Tools: 12-18 V drill, 3/8 in extension, 5/16 in socket

Look for a bent jack tube or foot. Run it with the manual override: unplug the motor harness first, then use a 12 to 18 V drill (never an impact) in the motor's override port (top: 3/8 in drive extension, no socket; bottom: 5/16 in socket). Hard to turn by hand: the jack is binding, replace it. Turns easy: the motor is weak, replace the motor assembly.

Jack brake or gear worn

Lippert electric jacks hold with a brake in the motor. A jack that creeps down under load has a weak brake or worn gears.

Tools: Hand tools

Replace the motor assembly on that leg (Lippert sells it per leg), or the jack if the gear is worn. Home the jacks after.

Ground settling, not the jack

The jack held; the ground gave.

Use wide jack pads on soft ground and re-level after the first night.

No signal to the valve

The controller isn't sending 12V to that valve coil.

Tools: Multimeter

Check the controller output for that valve and ohm the wire to the coil. Repair the open. No output with a good wire: controller channel.

Valve coil failed

The coil gets 12V but the valve doesn't click.

Tools: Multimeter, hand tools

Unplug it and ohm the coil. Compare with a matching coil on the same manifold: open, shorted or far off its twin means replace the coil. It slides off the valve stem after the nut comes off; the hydraulics stay sealed.

Valve spool sticking

The coil clicks but fluid doesn't move that jack.

Tools: Screwdriver handle

Tap the valve body gently while the jack is selected. If the jack moves, the spool is sticking: replace the valve cartridge. If not, check the hose to that jack for a kink and the jack for binding.

Pump not making pressure

Every valve opens and nothing moves, so the pump isn't making pressure.

Tools: Multimeter, hydraulic gauge

Meter voltage at the pump motor while it runs: under about 11 V is a supply problem first. Good voltage: tee a hydraulic gauge into a test port (use one rated for the system) and compare with the pump's rating. Low pressure: check the pickup screen in the reservoir, then replace the pump. Make sure the manual release valve is closed.

Dual-polarity solenoid failed

The pump runs one way only, so the solenoid that reverses it has failed on the retract side.

Tools: Multimeter, hand tools

Meter the pump motor leads while RETRACT is pressed: no voltage with a retract command at the solenoid's control terminal means the solenoid failed. Replace it (the pump stays installed). To get the jacks up now, use the manual override on the pump.

Keep going on slides and leveling

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