2005 Fleetwood Southwind ignition problem

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Wavery

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Posts
1,116
Location
SoCal
Hi,

I just upgraded(?) from an old '98 Winnebago Adventurer (with an F53 Chassis) to a 2005 Fleetwood Southwind with an F53 Chassis.

I went out to start the coach last night (day of purchase). When I turned the key to start, I got a clicking then dead. In fact all the dash lights went out and it was like the battery was disconnected. I pushed the "AUX BATTERY" switch on the dash and the coach started then died when I released the switch. I tried it again and held the switch down for a few seconds and the coach kept running.

I left it overnight then checked the main battery voltage this morning @ 12.49V (1/2 charge). I tried starting the engine and when I turned on the key, I had nothing, no dash-lights or sound. I again pushed the "AUX" and it lit up and started. I let it run for 30 minutes and checked the main battery voltage. It was only 12.67 with the engine running but the dash gauge indicated 14V. I assume that the alternator is OK. Somehow, very little (if any) amperage is getting to the main battery. Even if it were a short in the battery (purchase date code 4/18), I would think that the dash lights would come on, at least.

I checked all of the battery cable connections on the battery, starter and frame. Everything is clean and tight.

I'm open to ideas here.
 
Wavery, I'd pull the chassis battery, put  it on a charger for a few hours and load test it.  Those symptoms are classic bad connection or bad battery.

On an aside note about the last line in your sig.  I spent 27 years as a service tech at various GM dealerships.  I now drive a Jeep and our coach in on a Ford F53 chassis.  I would have gotten a GM chassis coach, but none of the ones I looked at flipped my switches.  House issues, not chassis.
 
nfredrick said:
check your battery cables , sometimes the cable end itself is bad
Good call.... The ground cable was bad right at the cable end. Cut the end off and installed a new one. Problem solved.... Thanks.
 
Back
Top Bottom