Hi,

As you know the 2010 to 2012's don't have any ignition key so if there are any issues with deployable steps it becomes very hit and miss to get the roof isolation switch to actually work with the push button ignition & roof switch.

Mine is one such car, today I tried to get the steps to hold out today, but they both just moved to some sort of central position, neither out nor in and refused to budge despite several resets etc.

Tried disconnecting the battery, cycling the lock unlock, opening and closing all the doors several times, kicking them standong on them, anything I could think of given by now it's dark and I've a 150 mile drive in the wee hours tomorrow.

Even tried cycling the off road modes to try to force the steps to wind in, driving around the bumpiest roads in my area, even tried up and down the kerbs a few times to see if something would budge, nothing.

In the end tried pulling fuse 58 in the glovebox again, nothing, refitted it again nothing, tried it several times with the ignition on and engine running, coz now I'm thinking this looks like it's going to be a dealer visit, thus expensive and I'm sure I felt something shift.

Hoorah !! something suddenly kicked it back into life by pulling the fuse and refitting it with the engine running, must have been 4 or more times, the steps popped out to their deployed position. Have tried the lock unlock some 10+ times now, all looking good again.

It has to be something in the controller as both steps were impacted and both released together so it's not a mechanical thing.

Never again, wash the roof, will just use my kitchen steps instead.

Who'd have thunk it and now time for a cold one and slap myself on the back for not throwing all of my toys out of the pram.

Andy Fuji White 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westmiinster

This is interesting as I have found the operation of the roof isolation switch for the steps is entirely random too. I wanted to deploy them so I could wash the steps and lubricate the moving parts.

I now resort to leaving a door ajar while I clean them.
Interestingly the owners handbook doesn't refer to the roof button and it says if you have deployable steps, you must remove them before jacking the car!!! That would be handy for a roadside wheel change.

Or simply unplug the motor... Can't move that way

Hi,

If I'm jacking the car up I just leave a door open a bit, but for washing I didn't want water getting in, now I'll just use steps.

Different schools of though on jacking on the forum, some say jack under the step when retracted, others say jacking point when extended, I'm of the latter. Fuji White 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westmiinster

After posting on this thread 2 days ago, yesterday I noticed that the drivers step was still deployed when I came back to the car. I unlocked and locked again and the step retracted a little then stopped and deployed again. I got in the car and the step didn't retract. I drove home and before I got out I looked out the window and the step had retracted. Opened the door and it deployed. Locked the car and it snagged and deployed again. I can't see anything physically hampering it. When the weather improves I will give the moving parts a good clean and lubricate them with some moly grease.
In the interim, I will try and reset them by holding the roof button.

Hi,

I've had that before it seemed it was seeing an obstruction part way in and then re-extending , what I did was lean on the step and press the lock button to give it a helping hand, I had to do this a couple of times before it would travel all the way.

Only ever had it happen on the passnger's side, I guess that gets the brunt of the road debris.

I extended them fully and brushed grease into all the joints, did the lock / unlock thing about 20 times and working fine now.

I think the joints get a little gunked up and just need some fresh lube.

Andy Fuji White 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westmiinster

Thanks for that advice Andyroo. Definitely will give that a go.
Normally I powerwash the steps and hinges with the steps deployed they spray the hinged bits with WD40 or one of those water dispersal agents then use a small paintbrush to work some moly grease in.
The time they most need done is of course winter when the washing is done least so they probably pick up grit and debris.

AndyRoo wrote:

Hi,

If I'm jacking the car up I just leave a door open a bit, but for washing I didn't want water getting in, now I'll just use steps.

Different schools of though on jacking on the forum, some say jack under the step when retracted, others say jacking point when extended, I'm of the latter.

Hi, I use a full size trolley jack @ home, but in the car I keep a bottle jack. Fuji White 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westmiinster

Yeah, I have a trolly jack too but im concerned that it wont clear the step if it is deployed. Thinking I need to by a bottle to jack the car if I dont take the steps off like you did. I'm too chicken to jack the car from the under the step with the trolly jack.

Hi, I have a bottle jack as well but it wouldn't fit under the sill if you had a punture even in off road mode.

So I have 2 of these, combined they give about 4 inches, sit atop the trolley jack just to get around that problem, 2' x 6" piece of 22mm ply in the boot as well to go under the jack to stop it sinking.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144301125259

Andy Fuji White 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westmiinster

I lock the steps out or else leave a door ajar and use a trolley jack with one of these big rubber blocks between the jack pad and the jacking point. Rubber blocks like this Amazon one

Kora 73 Rubber Block 160 x 120 x 80 mm Black https://amzn.eu/d/eYttidi

Axle stands in place as soon as the jeep is in the air.

I wish this accidental fuse fix would work for me! I got my steps working for about a week or two after purchase but then they seized up again. When I took them off the arms had seized and on closer inspection the motor housing had failed and water had gotten into the electrics.

I've decide to pull mine off for a full refurb including Tig welding the cracks, new motors and thorough cleaning. I do miss them for getting in and out. That said this is a luxury and there are probably more pressing service jobs to be done. Current yokes
2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster
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