Electric step not working

Hello Hannah K .... welcome . A while ago my electric step stopped working and I got down under to where the motor is. I dismantled and cleaned the electrical connections and eveything worked. It gets a lot of road muck down there. If this is unsuccessful, you would really need to invest in a small multi meter and do some testing. Check if there is power to the switch. Does (did) your step retract automatically when you start the engine. Check your owners manual if you have one. There may be a line fuse somewhere. I've just nipped out to check my manual before it dawned on me that the van is away being MOT'd today so I'll check later (doh!!)

cheers Bob

Hello again...... I've now examined my wiring diagram (well as diagrams go it is not the best) in fact it is referred to only as a schematic layout.!! However, it would appear that your starting point, as Roger posted, will be under the driver's seat. My diagram shows the changeover relay and three fuses mounted together on one block. The fuse with the red/blue wire should be the one we're interested in, if they haven't done a colour change. You say this fuse is okay so the next step will be at the switch, which should have the red/blue wire as the input. The switch should also have an earth wire (black?) and possibly an orange wire and a blue wire. The orange and blue wires should be the feeds to the step motor (one for up and one for down). If power is available on the orange and blue wires when switched alternately, then the next step will be the motor or motor connections. There is a plastic cowling surrounding the motor, which, when removed, exposes the terminals.
I take it you have the switch opened up so you should be able to check.

good luck

You don't say whether the step doesn't work at all or whether it is just a problem with the auto-retract

The step wiring in Fords at that time was in a transient stage.

The DSR feed from the alternator (only present when the engine is running) is connected via an in line 5 amp (that blows frequently) blade fuse to the step circuit under the drivers seat near the step buzzer.

The majority of the circuitry is around the retract switch and relay, the switch being at the habitation door and the relay mounted on the inside of the van wall and in the Ascot should be accessible via the lower fridge vent cover (that is easily removed). The circuitry is shown in the bottom left of the diagram below.



Not shown on the diagram is a switch that is part of the step. It is on the side of the step and under a rubber cover held on by one screw. The switch is operated by the step mechanism and often sticks in with road dirt. Once the cover is removed it can be 'flicked out' and then lubricated with WD40.

It will be nice to hear what you actually find the problem to be.

Peter