Starting problems

This happened to me last month, on the way home from florida.
We fueled up in a flying J, and when I went to restart the rig, nuttin, nada, zippo.
Dash all lit up like it was supposed to, trans pad lit up, wait to start went on then off, but nuttin when I turned the key.

As we were stuck at a truck diesel pump in a busy flying j, I had them call the mobile truck fixer guy.

I had him crawl under with a screwdriver and jump across the starter solenoid, and she fired right up.

Next night was home, so I just didn't turn it off the whole way.

Since then, I've cranked and started the rig several times, no problem.
I suspect the ignition switch, but there is also a small relay in the circuit, and troubleshooting a problem that isn't happening isn't easy.

I may just crawl under and hookup a remote start pushbutton, put it in a storage bay, just in case. Or go with Don's method and just replace the ignition switch.
Or both.

I can usually diagnose a lot of issues my coach is having, but when I can't, I do a process of elimination and try to determine what part is most likely causing my issue. I then take the price of the part and weigh it against what it would cost me to have someone work on it. In your situation, from information you gave us, it sounds like a bad ignition switch. My guess would be the switch is somewhere around $50.00 or less (usually made by Ford or Chevy). That would be substantially less than a $200.00 minimum service charge for a shop to look at it and most likely replace the switch anyway. My decision would be to replace the switch myself and if that wasn't it, I would keep it as a spare.

The above process serves me well 95% of the time.

ScottG wrote:

midnightsadie wrote:
lets start at the source. take cables off battery and clean battery and cable ends, might even have the battery load tested, but sounds like your not geting good contact on the electric side.

Here is your answer. This is the first step and if you don't do this then you'll pay who ever fixes to do so.

Well,
I have a question, if this "is" the answer, then why would it start, or, crank over, AFTER he returns the key to the "OFF" position? I would think that, if there was a connection problem or, corrosion problem, it wouldn't crank or start, no matter how many times he returned to the off position of the key. A bad connection is a bad connection, period.

Why would faulty or, corroded connections or battery cables, come to life, AFTER he'd gone through the "Wait to start" and, all the other gauge activation ceremony, and then make him return to the off position and, then start as he makes the full trip from off to "crank"?
Scott

ScottG wrote:

midnightsadie wrote:
lets start at the source. take cables off battery and clean battery and cable ends, might even have the battery load tested, but sounds like your not geting good contact on the electric side.

Here is your answer. This is the first step and if you don't do this then you'll pay who ever fixes to do so.

+1
Had a similar problem with a Chevy pickup truck.
After putting in a new starter......I discovered that the real problem was the "neutral safety switch".
When you notice the problem.....WITHOUT turning it OFF.....move the gear shifter to N and see what happens.

midnightsadie wrote:
lets start at the source. take cables off battery and clean battery and cable ends, might even have the battery load tested, but sounds like your not geting good contact on the electric side.

Here is your answer. This is the first step and if you don't do this then you'll pay who ever fixes to do so.

Hi Coffee2015,

Welcome to RV.net! Welcome to RVing its a great life even tho' bugs tend to take our joy away for a moment or two.

If you look below the line of this post you will see my "signature" which describes my coach and tow'd. This helps those of us who are trying to answer your question know how to answer your question. For example I am supposing your engine is diesel since gas engines don't have a "wait" light. It could be a Cummins, Caterpillar or Mercedes (not likely). It does make a difference since they are wired differently! the year also matters as there are specifi issues related to some years that are well known.

To add a signature from the My Forums page look to the line above the list for "My Preferences" and scroll down to "Your Signature" (first item on the page) and put the information there. It will then appear with every post you make.

Coffee2015 wrote:
With ignition key turned to on position for icons and preheat(wait to start)on - after they go out, will not start when go from this position to start position. Have to go back to off position, then turn all the way to start position, in one motion, for it to start. Two weeks ago would do nothing. After it set overnight worked the next day. Purchased this motor home from private seller in NOvember of 2014 and it has does this twice since we have had it.

Defining this motorhome would help greatly for troubleshooting anything and making it part of your signature would prevent a lot of redundancy.
There's enough guessing as it is with things that are completely unrelated to the problem.
From what I'm reading, that it is on a freightliner chassis and diesel powered.

Have had it checked at local RV dealership and everything worked fine.
Spoke with Freightliner service and they can't check it out on a diagnostic machine unless it is doing it.

It does not crank at all

naturist wrote:
Define "will not start." Does that mean it won't crank at all, or that it cranks but will not fire up?

If it won't crank, sounds like an ignition switch problem.