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EZRider800's avatar
EZRider800
Explorer
Oct 20, 2017

Alarm Warning Questions

I recently bought a 2006 Class A diesel pusher. It's a Holiday Rambler Ambassador. It has air brakes and air ride. I'm familiar with the LOW AIR PRESSURE alarm that sounds when the engine is started until the air pressure comes up to about 90 PSI. Once it gets to about 90 PSI the alarm stops like it's supposed to. But then when I put the transmission in DRIVE or REVERSE the alarm starts sounding again and will not turn off until I put the transmission in NEUTRAL. It's a 3000 series Allison auto. Any ideas why this alarm comes back on when I put the transmission in Drive or Reverse? There are no codes. Fluid is full. Runs and drives perfectly. Gauges all look good. Is this an Allison issue or an air brake issue? My local Camping World sent me to the Allison Dealer and the Allison Dealer suggested I go to Camping World. Seems neither one knows what to do. HELP!!! I drove for 5 HOURS with this thing blaring at me from under the dash!!!
  • EZrider, what I recommend trying is to park on level ground. Chock the wheels and build the air pressure to 120/125 lbs. you should hear the air dryer exhaust and the compressor will cut out. Release the brakes, and watch the air pressure gauge. It should fall slightly then stop and hold steady. If not then you have a leak in the system. Walk around the coach and you should hear it. It may be helpful to have a helper on the inside while you are outside. If someone releases the brakes as soon as the low air pressure buzzer quits the buzzer will sound as the volume of air needed to release will result in the alarm sounding again. Hope this helps, let us know.
  • I had that happen sometimes. I would stop,pull up the knob for parking brake, then push knob down to release the brake and then the alarm would stop.
  • EZRider800 wrote:
    Path1,
    I have 2 needles on the gauge. One red and one green. Both move together. Owners manual says that one needle is for the front tank and one is for the rear tank. I'm getting 120 PSI on the air gauge so the pressure is good. Can't figure out why the alarm comes back on when I put the transmission into Drive?


    I am not used to separate needles for separate tanks. So I'm probably not much good to you. But did find this article, not sure if it will help.

    http://www.rvforum.net/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=173:motorhome-air-brake-system-testing&catid=24:tech-topics
  • Path1,
    I have 2 needles on the gauge. One red and one green. Both move together. Owners manual says that one needle is for the front tank and one is for the rear tank. I'm getting 120 PSI on the air gauge so the pressure is good. Can't figure out why the alarm comes back on when I put the transmission into Drive?
  • To sort things out some...Look real close at air pressure gauge...does your air pressure gauge have one or 2 needles? If you have 2 needles, one needle shows total amount of psi air in system and the other needle is the amount of pressure being applied to system.

    If so...when fully charged up with air(if you can) ...apply brake, then does one needle keep going down? if so you could have air leak or spec of dirt stuck in a valve somewhere. Or if you're in cold climate right now, rubber in a valve is stuck (valve is not sealing air tight) because you have moisture in air system somewhere. Or maybe you drained your system and left valve open and leaking air. If any above applies problem is in air system not trans problem. Above is based on what I'm used to in air brake system.

    ( :)P.S. Ha, HA, Ha ...if you're on the clock right now...call your dispatch, tell them air is froze up. Buy 4 cups of coffee. Pour 2 into air system and 2 inside yourself. Both systems will warm up. Then after thawing, drain air brake system to get out water, then drain yourself later:))