Electric Step

The push in button on the electric step on my two year old Symbol is sticking and doesn't always activate the step. I am concerned it will fail to operate in the 'out position'

When you start the engine it will retract the step, if the button is sticking is it temp related, have you tried lubricating it?

If it did I think it would retract on engine start.
I can only suggest you attempt to investigte why/what is sticking by removal if required. Replacement is the cure if repair does not sort it.

Thanks very much for Both of  your prompt replies. Didn't realise the step retracts automatically when the engine starts. Feel less stressed about it now! Also it was quite cold when I last used it so that may be responsible for this issue. Thanks once again.

If it is the switch that needs replacing there is an earlier thread on this....

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Thanks for the above. It's very helpful.

Hi Boxwood
I have a 2016 Symbol which also has a sticking push button for the electric step
Would be interested in hearing if & how you resolved it ?

Hi Gedders,
Followed the advice from the excellent help above- sprayed switch with switch cleaner. When activating switch also used a short 'jabbing action' as advised in Paulmold's link,rather than push and hold which I had been doing. Seems to be OK at the moment.
Thank you to everyone who has helped me.

Gedders wrote:Hi Boxwood
I have a 2016 Symbol which also has a sticking push button for the electric step
Would be interested in hearing if & how you resolved it ?

I have just posted this on a similar thread:

This happened with my Symbol step button during it's second winter when the weather was cold.
In my case I pressed the button and the step came out and only a couple of minutes later pressing the button resulted in no step movement. 
When I turned off the Sargent off, and back on again the step moved. Not exactly ideal. Industrial control systems would not have a button doing two functions (In and Out) - there would be two buttons.
I contacted my dealer and they sent me a replacement switch under warranty. They said they had had this problem before. 
While I was waiting for it to arrive I took the switch apart and managed to repair it:
Be careful how you remove the triple chrome socket surround because it is easily scratched and it is quite flimsy. I used a not too sharp wood chisel down the back to lever it off.
The plastic body of the switch is pushed tight into the plastic mounting plate. Autosleepers must have bought a batch of switches that are too tight when pushed together. Cold weather makes the fit even tighter, preventing the switch from operating, even though the button moves.
I got the switch assembly apart by using a bit of brute force. Once separated, testing the switch body showed it was now functioning OK electrically.
I then made the whole in the mounting plate a bit bigger by filing. The body of the switch was then glued to the mounting plate on assembly because I was now a loose fit. When the glue had gone off I checked it was working OK and replaced it. Works fine now.
Gluing might not have been necessary if I had filed a bit less out of the mounting plate hole.

Hi baggiecamper,
I am assuming that based on your location you are a baggies fan, as in WBA supporter. I am a fellow Baggie supporter of 65 years standing. Doesn't get much worse than this season.
Like you my step started playing up in cold weather. Working OK at the moment but if I get any more problems I will try your fix. Thanks for that
Am resigned to the championship next season!!.

Boxwood22 wrote:.......  resigned to the championship next season!!.

Yeah going down 

When mine failed I wired up a temporary switch to the inside of the drinks cupboard. Just remove the two female spade connectors and wire up temporary switch. Ideally a push button but a latching (two position) will do. - just switch on for one second and then off again for either in or out. You could make one up for emergency use.

Something like this ideal:
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You could always warm up the faulty one in situ.  

If the mechanism sticks it can also blow the fuse. Early prob with our 2020 van. easy fix though with a bit of lube.

Thanks for above. Seems like a combination of cold weather and sticky switch causing the problem. Working OK now. Thanks to everyone for their help.