Reading the controller: codes and fixes
Every controller tells you what it saw. Sort the message into site, power, sensor, jack or interlock, fix that, then clear it. A code that comes back after Enter means it wasn't fixed.
The short version
- Site codes (Excess angle, Out of stroke, Auto level fail) mean move the coach or check the zero point before you blame parts.
- Low voltage is measured during the run: under 10.8 V on Ground Control, under 9.5 V on Level Up and Lippert motorhomes.
- On Lippert, 'Bad calibration' and 'Internal sensor' mean replace the controller. 'External sensor' is the rear sensor or its wire.
- Power Gear talks in lights. All lights flashing with the buzzer is emergency retract; without the buzzer it's zero mode.
Ground Control 3.0 messages
Fix the cause, then press Enter. On the Rev. B keypad most faults also clear with 'Retract all' (hold it for jack faults), but 'Hall power short', 'Bad calibration' and 'External sensor' only clear from the OneControl panel or app. The keypad LED helps too: solid red is low battery, blinking red is a general error, and a slow faded red and green blink is a jack error.
| Message | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Excess angle | Controller loose, or the site is too steep | Secure the controller; move the trailer |
| Feature disabled | Hitch recognition asked for, but auto level started with the front below level | Retract rear and middle jacks in manual, set front to hitch height, start the next auto level nose high |
| Power cycle, or auto level fail with power not cycled | Pad not turned off between auto runs | Pad off, then on |
| Zero point not set | No zero saved | Set the zero point |
| Low voltage | Battery under 10.8 V during the run | Check wiring; load test, charge or replace |
| Out of stroke | A jack hit full stroke and can't lift | Check jacks in manual; look for a bent jack; relocate |
| Unexpected high amp stall | A jack stalled on current | Run that jack in manual or by override; look for a bent or bound jack |
| External sensor | Rear sensor or its harness | Repair the connection or replace the sensor |
| Jack time out | Auto ran past its time limit | Check jack positions |
| Comm error | Pad lost the controller | Check the pad harness; replace if damaged |
| Bad calibration, internal sensor | Controller sensor values out of range | Replace the controller |
| Hall effect short | Short on a Hall circuit | Find and repair the short |
| LF, RF, LM, RM, LR or RR jack | Hall signal or motor circuit fault at that jack | Harness at controller and jack, controller fuses, then home the jacks |
Level Up fifth-wheel messages
Same idea, a slightly different list. The 2019 owner's manual trips 'Low voltage' below 9.5 V; the 2015 aftermarket manual says 9.0 V, so check which manual matches the unit.
| Message | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Excess angle, excessive angle | Controller loose, or too far out of level (auto or manual) | Secure the controller; move the trailer |
| Feature disabled | Front below level for hitch recognition, pad not cycled between runs, or no zero point | Raise the front to hitch height, cycle the pad, or set the zero |
| Out of stroke | A jack at full stroke and still not level | Check jacks; move the trailer |
| Jack time out | Auto ran past its time limit | Check jacks |
| Auto level fail | Uneven ground or a bad zero point | Relocate or re-zero |
| Bad calibration, internal sensor | Controller sensor fault | Replace the controller |
| Function aborted | A button was pressed during auto | Restart and keep hands off |
Lippert motorhome messages
Lippert's motorhome hydraulic systems (Level Up motorhome, Class C, Sprinter) add park brake and pressure messages. All normal functions lock out in error mode. Most clear with Enter; the latched retract errors clear with Retract and Enter pressed together.
| Message | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Engage park brake | Brake not set before auto level | Set it and restart; if it's set, check the brake input |
| Excess angle | 3.5 degrees or more out, or a bad zero | Move the coach; re-zero |
| Unable to finish leveling | Movement inside the coach, or site not level enough | Hold still; move the coach |
| Retract timeout, return levelers for service | Retract pressure never sensed: brake off, engine off, or a leaking hose or fitting | Brake on, engine running, fix leaks, clear with Enter and Retract, retract again |
| Retracted longer than 50 seconds, latched retract | Retract timed out | Check hoses and fittings for leaks; clear with Retract and Enter |
| Caution, excess run time | Pump ran too long in manual | Let it rest |
| Check wiring, comm error | Pad powered but not talking to the controller | Check pins 1 and 2 of the pad harness |
Power Gear light patterns
Power Gear pads have no text, so the pattern is the code. This is TIP 0213 for control 140-1178 with pad 500629; other Power Gear controls are close, but pull the TIP sheet for the box in front of you.
| Lights | Meaning | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Arrows chase clockwise, logo flashes | Self-check at key on, about 5 seconds | None |
| Park brake flashing | Brake not set, or brake wire wrong | Set the brake, then check the wire |
| Wait and On/Off flashing | Transmission in gear, or neutral safety wiring | Park (neutral on diesel), then check wiring |
| Low voltage flashing | Low voltage at the control | Charge; run the engine while leveling |
| All flashing, buzzer, jacks retracting | Emergency retract: in gear or brake off with jacks down, brake or neutral wiring, or low fluid | Brake on, out of gear, check fluid, then the wiring |
| All flashing, no buzzer | Zero mode, waiting for a level point | Program it (TIP 153), or cycle the key to keep the old one |
| Arrows and logo flashing | Out of level tolerance: too steep, or zeroed off level or with the box loose | Move; re-zero |
| Left, right and logo flashing | Failure mode: retract timeout (2 minutes) or auto timeout | Pressure switch should be open retracted, closed extended; then harness, pad, control |
| On/Off, jacks down and park brake flashing | Pad communication error | Connections, cycle power; then harness, pad, control in that order |
| All lights solid | Internal error | Replace the control box, not the pad |
Older LED panels
On Power Gear's electric jack system, Auto and Man blinking together is error mode, and the jack lights show which corner: Front and Left together is the left front. Exit by pressing all four jack buttons, or 'Retract all jacks' on Rev 0C, 0D and 0E controls.
On the 2014 LCI electronic/hydraulic LED panel, Left, Level and Right blinking is error mode. A latched error flashes Wait, Jacks down, Park brake, Excess slope and Low voltage together: battery under 10.0 V, or auto retract running over 67 seconds. Press all four diamond jack buttons at once to clear it.
On the job
- Write down the exact message or light pattern before anything clears it.
- Sort it: site, power, sensor or controller, one jack, or a chassis interlock.
- Site codes: check the slope and the zero point before you touch parts.
- Power codes: load test and read voltage at the controller during the run.
- Jack codes: run that jack alone in manual and check its harness and fuses.
- Fix it, clear it the maker's way, and run the cycle again. If it comes back, it isn't fixed.
Numbers
- Low voltage: under 10.8 V (Ground Control 3.0); under 9.5 V (Level Up 2019, Lippert motorhome); 9.0 V (Level Up 2015 aftermarket manual)
- Lippert motorhome retract timeout: 50 seconds
- LCI LED panel latched error: under 10.0 V, or auto retract over 67 seconds
- Power Gear failure mode retract timeout: 2 minutes (TIP 0213)
Shop tip
Photograph the pad before you press anything. Half the codes on a comeback were cleared by the owner, and the picture tells you what the coach saw the first time.
Where this comes from
- Lippert, Ground Control 3.0 5th Wheel Owner's Manual, CCD-0001518, p. 8
- Lippert, Ground Control 3.0 Troubleshooting Guide, CCD-0001746, pp. 8-9
- Lippert, Ground Control 3.0 FW with OneControl Owner's Manual, CCD-0001519, pp. 13-16
- Lippert, Level-Up 5th Wheel Owner's Manual, CCD-0001531, pp. 10-11; Level-Up Aftermarket Manual Rev 09.15, p. 15
- Lippert, Level-Up Motorhome Owner's Manual CCD-0001535 p. 14; Troubleshooting Guide CCD-0001751 p. 8; Sprinter Owner's Manual CCD-0001515 p. 10
- Power Gear TIP 0213 Rev 0 (5/19/2005); Power Gear 82-L0368 Rev 0D, error mode section
- LCI Electronic/Hydraulic Leveling and Slideout Owner's Manual, Rev 07.14.2014, p. 8