Lippert 6 point auto leveling total SNAFU (Help)

[rbev2308]

Just picked up my new Alpine 3535RE and during PDI, dealer demonstrated auto leveling how to retract and return to pre hook up stage. Basically, never hit the auto level button as it was already level...(Lesson Learned). I took the camper to local campground to spend the remainder of the day and night to check out all the systems (Best part was the Dual Zone Dometic HP system- Holy cow?). Anyway, I unhooked and followed all the instructions and hit the auto level. It went thru the motions and said it was complete and level. Problem was with the naked eye, you could see side to side left front landing jack was 2 inches lower so. LCD display registered 0.0 side to side indicating it was level. I repeated everything and no dice. Contacted dealer who responded with a tech and they manually leveled and then recalibrated. When they set auto level, same thing. So we manually leveled and this morning, they brought a new touchpad and controller board out of another new Alpine and swapped them. When they hit auto level this time the damn camper almost turned over, left front jack went to the ground and right wheels were off the ground. They overrode and reset manually. Seemed it did not like the new board or controller. I told them about the rear sensor which no one seems to know where it is. I seem to think it is rear of the axles, centered on the frame and under the underbelly cover which really do not desire to remove. Bottom line is I made the call to leave the dealership and head home 3 states away and take elsewhere for several reasons:

1. Not sure if this did not exist and they tried to hide since they knew I was out of area
2. No confidence they know what they are doing
3. It is under warranty so I know it will get fixed and did not want to make another 400 mile trip if I left.

I do plan on calling Lippert myself to see if some other diagnostic can be done and if the rear sensor can be reset via the display.

- Has anyone ever experienced anything like this or know exactly where the sensor is and how accessed.

Welcome any advice. Yes I can simply drop off and tell someone to fix but the curious side of me wants to spend some effort if I can fix without a dealer trip.

[chuckster57]

The sensor is most likely mounted in the front compartment up at the top. What procedure did the tech use to "set" level?

Here is how we do it:

Manually level unit, then turn off

Then press UP button 10 times followed by DOWN button 10 times. Should cause the display to light-just follow prompts. If this fails then it needs warranty replacement.

[rbev2308]

Same procedure you referenced. Manual level then followed the zero calibration protocol multiple times. It always returns to same position so they replaced the board and controller this morning and made it worse so they put the original back. Only other things on the system is hydraulics and the rear sensor. According to the LCI diagrams, the red sensor appears to be rear of the wheels based on schematic. To me, the sensor tells the board which relays to the display. Sensor could not be changed in the campground and I am not sure they knew what the hell they were doing. I do believe it is possible to reset the sensor or "calibrate" the sensor. The board they swapped it with came out of another new Alpine sitting on their lot!

[Ron]

I am not aware of a rear sensor, as mentioned the main sensor is in the front compartment overhead, this sensor controls the front to back and side to side leveling, I did the recalibration on our Montana as mentioned and as also stated In the manuel and all worked fine for us .....

[bobbecky]

I do recall seeing, when we were on a factory tour of the Montana line, that the actual sensor is located toward the rear, near the axles, in the center of the frame. I think the device in the front compartment is the control board, and whether it has any sensor function, I am not aware of that. Good luck on getting this fixed. Lippert should be able to steer you in the right direction.

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by bobbecky

I do recall seeing, when we were on a factory tour of the Montana line, that the actual sensor is located toward the rear, near the axles, in the center of the frame. I think the device in the front compartment is the control board, and whether it has any sensor function, I am not aware of that. Good luck on getting this fixed. Lippert should be able to steer you in the right direction.

It would make sense if the level "sensor" (we call them frogs) was mounted somewhere in the middle of the coach. Probably under the coroplast, and the controller was in the compartment. I have adjusted many frogs on class A's but haven't had to on a towable yet.