I was an owner-operator from 85 to 17 and there was no worse feeling than going to work and having mechanical issues. It hovers over you the whole shift and puts you in a foul, distracted mood. Not a great disposition in the customer service industry or just driving. I am not living in my vehicle but it is my only source of income which is a stressor. The one thing I did learn was that I automatically go to the absolute worst-case scenario " My engines gonna blow!!!" which I would learn is rarely the case. Once my car stopped working completely, the day after I replaced the fuel pump, thinking the worse I got a taxi to get another fuel pump and talking to the taxi driver we figured out I may be just out of gas which was the problem. The gift of gab saved me that day. The gas gauge hadn't worked for at least a year and when you fill up every day it is not an issue I had just forgotten to do it that day. When you were on the phone with Freightliner and asked to review what you had talked about, a light bulb went on above my head. To provide some backup of information in a digital way I will assume like android there are apps on iPhone that will record your conversation for every phone call so that you can review them or delete them later. (if you use voice recognition on google search it stores that by default on android phones I turn it off) I was thinking that Wyoming could easily be a homonym. One meaning a state in the US and the other meaning a place or state being void of any service or parts outlets.
Since the day I started driving when I was 16, I worried about "blowing my engine". I eventually did blow up my 327 Checy! And I blew up a 3:70 rear end! And then finally blew up a 3 speed tranny! Hoping the old Dutch Star motor hangs together,...........I don't drive quite as hard now at 69 years old!
I love to see the engineer in you at work solving problems. Collect all data possible, understand the “what if’s”, explain/include the team, listen/discuss then agree to proceed to the next step. Great video!! Thanks
@@OurJourneyInMyles We sure do. Wife says I over do it sometimes on simple things but I can’t stop thinking about it until I get to the root cause on everything
The good old hard reset. I've done it a couple times with our Wanderlodge. These electrical gremlins can be an issue going forward on any coach of age. Congratulation on the repair. Love your channel. Thanks Mark and Sue.
Glad everything reset OK for you guys. Happy to have an 'older' diesel pusher with 8.3 on Spartan chassis. No computers, no EGR but unfortunately no exhaust brake either... Sometimes simpler and analog are good things! Be safe, be well.
Sorry and Mark and Sue about your home having issues. But at just glad it was up and running after you turned off the battery. Then it turned back on. Glad you decided to keep your reservations. Glad you said a little prayer to get it started. It helped.. Glad you back on track. Hike you have a great day abs week. See you soon! Stay safe and travel safe.
I can completely relate and I think we've all had the look on Mark's face a few times before. I can't express enough the love of my engine brake wether driving in the mountains or just needing that extra help in slowing down! As Paul Harvey use to say... I'll be waiting for the... Rest of The Story! Safe Travels and Happy Trails guys!
I just had the same issue on our 2009 Tiffin Allegro Bus. 1st time for this issue. Watched your video. Turned the main battery switch off (1st time since buying the coach in 1 yr.). Waited 30 mins. Turned switch back on. Made the sign of the cross. Started engine. SURPRISE, all gauges are working. If you hadn't made this video, I would have taken it to the service center. Thank you for the much needed info.
Glad it helped! Even though your chassis frame is a Powerglide, the complex engine monitor and reporting computers must have the same issues. Think how many times you have to do that at home with your laptop or desktop computer.
You were lucky you did a great job Mark. I have always wondered what would happen if I lost my displays. In my situation I have the computer and the good old-fashioned analog displays. As you just learned always use that battery cut off switch to kill the couch and bring back whatever you’re lost! Thomyt
Thanks for the tip! We have an episode coming up that shows a GIANT Bison Ranch we visited,.....the Durham Bison Ranch. It is not an RV,.......just a ranch you can tour.
Hey Mark, later comments today. We were in Charlotte at the NASCAR race this past weekend. Great video for us newbies. The reason we pick an freightliner chassis on our 2022 Coach was that 24/7 hotline.. We also stop at NIRVC Lawrenceville on the way to Charlotte to look at the new Coach, it is beautiful.. PS it is waiting for your visit to inspect when you get their, told Sam you were coming…..
We will be there arriving to the NIRVC Atlanta Store on Nov 6th and leaving Nov 13th. Booked a stay from Jan 3rd to Jan 16th at Cabana Club RV Resort. If you are on the road we understand. It just worked out this way for our trip to the Tampa RV Show this year. I am an AIM Club member, but didn't sign up for the rally. Hope I can at least get a burger on Saturday the 15th from the group.
Glad you got it to reset. Just a hint about the auxiliary breaking set up. After you set the car up and turn it off, pump the brakes to remove the vacuum/power on the toad breaks. Ore you can slide the tiers the first couple times the toad breaks are activated. Ask me how I know this.😁😁
So far so good all the way to Wisconsin. It's really tough fixing something that is only broke when it feels like it. I will have Gaffney Freightliner in SC look at it on November 3/4/5 2021 when I am there for general maintenance and repairs.
We have a 2009 American Coach. I have installed a Silverleaf system which connects to a different communication port. It gives me everything the dash gauges have plus some. So you might look into something like this.
All I have to do is to make it to Gaffney SC on November 3rd 2021. We are in Milwaukee now,..... Instrument glitch hasn't re-occurred,.......KNOCK ON WOOD. 🎰
Taking a 34hr reset at Johnson's Corner in Denver, CO...was able to check in to admire your lifestyle. This Truck Stop is known for a movie setting for "Bigger Than Life" with Bill Murray. Maybe take some time for a little humor and compare your situation. Resently while at another truck stop, my truck wouldn't start...called my mechanic to discuss the prognosis...my mechanic set up roadside service to look at it...after sitting in the truck for an hour at 95 degrees, I decided to go inside where its cooler! Assuming I would get a phone call when my truck was fixed was a mistake...I returned to my truck to see it running unattended...got inside to see all the gauges in the rest position and the DEF gauge blinking red...I, definitely didn't feel lucky!!! Truck wouldn't start due to a battery glitch, PLUS, a bad DEF sensor (which gave me the empty DEF warning blinking light) Oh the challenges of the open road...
I actually consider myself lucky so far with breakdowns while traveling,.........but luck only lasts so long. You guys will be the first to know when something goes south!
Mark I am wondering if the glitches you're seeing is from a high power CB radio. As he transmits you get those dashes. You can put some ferret chokes on that line I'm to help mitigate RF from getting into those wires.
Lol, I played your ending comments for Bryan and he was happy to hear you say “money well spent!” We should be getting a build date soon from Newmar, just can’t wait.
If you are going from a gasser in the mountains, to a diesel in the mountains, the first time you experience it you are going to be so happy with your choice you may have to pull over for pizza and beer!
Thank you for reassuring me that my money was well spent on this 05 Monaco. I LOVE the Aladin System. Great 2nd advice to suport my standard gauges. Okd style but trusty as you saw it in 'Next Exit' Something similar but with new technology should be standard on these high priced homes on wheel.
I DO LOVE the gage screen readout that Bob & Pearl have on their Monaco. That is why I bought the ScanGuage D that plugs into the OBD port under the dash so I could see what my transmission temp was.
By the way I've been following your channel since you started it. Love the channel. Keep doing you because in these times we're in your channel uplifts people that right now they don't have much hope. Thanks for everything you do stay safe and as my grandfather thought me before I started driving 28 years ago respect turns , respect hills and always keep a 8 to 10 sec following distance. And those word has been with me all these years and has kept me safe. Have a great day.
Mark and Sue, thanks for this video!! RV life is not all rainbows and butterflies. Looking forward to the final analysis of the situation. Having a Scan Gauge that could access all of this info (that you temporarily lost) thru the OBD2 port would be helpful as a backup.
We agree! We DO have one,........it is below all the main gages on the dash. I currently have it set for temps that don't appear on my dash like input air temp, trans oil temp, and some redundant checks like oil pressure and engine water temp. We love the scan gage.
Mark great job with the pros and cons regarding the whole situation!! A BIG AMEIN regarding a JACOB'S ENGINE BRAKING SYSTEM!! Better than money in the bank!! SAFE TRAVELS
Hey Mark I've been driving 18 wheelers for 28 years it's a common thing.what happens is when we start our trucks or rv sometimes we start our unit prematurely and not giving it the time it needs to boot before starting the unit. But all the time that it happened to me 100% of the time when I shut off the batteries and waited a little while and turning it back on like you have done it solved the problem.
Hey Mark, I really enjoyed this video and seeing how you and Sue worked through the concerns with the instrumentation. We had the exact same issue several years ago when all of our instruments just stopped working. With our older coach, I don't really have anyone to call other than internet searches. I ended up taking the top of the dash cover off and was searching for a possible fuse or a loose connection but found nothing. Then I disconnected the battery for a couple of minutes and it all started working again when I turned the batteries back on. It has been several years now and all seems well and hope you have the same results. I really enjoyed seeing your expressions while thinking it through (I definitely know that feeling) and just like Pearl, Sue was there with a calming presence knowing you would figure it all out.
Bob,.........make CERTAIN you knock on wood four times, spin around 360 degrees, and repeat "I love my Monaco instrumentation" twice to continue that lucky streak!
100% agreement. Jake brake worth it!! Had our own SBO moment this weekend... sank in the mud and had to be helped out with a backhoe. It's so very helpful when you both take us along for the good time and the reality. Thanks again for taking us along! Brendan & Lena Muddy Sneakers, Pa.
Mark, glad the universal fix-reboot the computer-worked for you. Thanks for the WI translation assistance; “WTF=Great” and “SBO=Sucks the big one.” The lesson was “not too bad” that is Minnesotan for “great!”
Love the Rudy's T shirt., Good BBQ. Sorry to hear of the dash problem and hope that it is fixed now. I am in Bahrain now and there are no RV.s here. LOL so living RV life through you and Sue. Safe travels.
Mark, thanks for keeping it real. It’s not all rainbow and unicorns out there. As an ME as well, I kick into failure modes and effects analysis in my head and the mitigation’s and residual risks. Your face said it all. BTW, Sue was cool and calm while this was all going on. I tend to get stressed when things aren’t quit right while my wife Judy is much like Sue. We are lucky to have them as our co pilots. And to your point, I can’t see driving anything other than a diesel pusher with the engine braking if you venture out west. We have a 2021 Holiday Nautica 34RX.
Well said! In the beginning of all the issues, Sue was just happy eating her dates! We will see what Gaffney Freightliner SC has to say in early November 2021.
Can’t wait to see you guys here in Florida later this year. We’ve had our fair share of issues buying a new coach and after 8 months later, I think the kinks are all resolved. Fingers crossed. Headed to Disney Fort Wilderness tomorrow.
Hubby and I would have traveled on as well. We have had things happen too.. making lemonade from lemons is always good. Life is an adventure so sometimes you just have to take a chamnce. You two are an inspiration. ❤️
Thanks Pattie,.........it is really helpful when your travel partner stays calm and helps with the situation like Sue did. We are both happy to be on the right side of the dirt, and everything else we can take in stride and handle,.....
As a retired IT professional/engineer I had to chuckle at the reboot suggestion from Freightliner. They gave us the same advice when we started getting a false low coolant + check engine soon warning while far from home and the closest service center. It didn't fix our issue turns out the sensor wire was mounted to low and was struck by the fan blades until it frayed and failed. Good luck I don't have much faith electronic issues always fix themselves with a simple reboot
The first six things out of our IT guy at work was always reboot as well. I learned that lesson for my PC back then,....and now for the Dutch Star Freightliner!
So far so good all the way to Wisconsin. It's really tough fixing something that is only broke when it feels like it. I will have Gaffney Freightliner in SC look at it on November 3/4/5 2021 when I am there for general maintenance and repairs.
We recently had the same problem in our 2014 DS. Freightliner gave me the same advice and it worked, for now. You mentioned your visit to Truck Country in Oak Creek. Do you happen to have a video on that work. I have been there several times without great success. They seem disorganized and not too competent for a Freightliner dealer. They also claim not to know about the Freightliner Chassis Owners Club 10% discount. Thanks for all the videos. I really appreciate them.
I had the same issue 4 years ago in Oak Creek! They pretended not to know about the 10% discount,.........AND.........forgot to put water back into my Onan generator radiator when they flushed it,.............and changed my trans fluid without changing the old filters,..............AND broke my oil pan drain plug. These are only the things I know about for sure. When I tried to talk to them about some of these issues later, they blew me off. So now I just tells folks the facts, and let them decide if they would like to have the same experience that I had.
J1939 lots of suggestions for that code just watched Trucking Together they had the same problem in their recent episode. Hang in there Mark I know you can get it.
Being an aircraft mechanic, we have to do power off resets often. If you have an intermittent fault, unless its faulting at the time the Mx is looking at it a shotgun repair is the best you can expect. Best you can do is video record when the fault occurs and then contact a shop and send the video to them. They may be able to help without having to go there. 🤔
In our American Coach on a Spartan chassis with a Cummins ISL they found a defective coolant sensor cable and coolant was running down to the ECM. Spartan found it before in to to our ECM which can cause all sorts of issues. Something to ask the shop to check, if you have a Cummins
Well that’s reality for you. Mechanical issues of all types will always pop up and they’ll force you to stop and think what should you do NOW. Considering your safety with future campground reservations is always a tough call. And with no matter your decision, you will always have that pit in your stomach “did we make the right decision” as you move ahead and start to drive. With our Newmar KSDP we’ve had our share of “what’s that” kinda sounds or realizing something just isn’t right, and indeed may be a sign of something really wrong. We share your pain. Mark and Sue, if karma is real, and I believe that it is, you’re both really good people who only deserve the best. And besides, you’ve got all your subscribers pulling for you too! Safe travels and best wishes. 👍 Bill and Mark. Aka jerseyrv
Thanks Bill,.......it's really tough fixing something that is only broke when it feels like it. I will have Gaffney Freightliner in SC look at it on November 3/4/5 2021 when I am there for general maintenance and repairs.
I know this has been 3 years but did your Scan gauge D still work when the dash ones didn't. I know it plugs into the J1939 data port. Our fuel gauge quit working on our 2003 Dutch Star DP so I'm going to be using that trip data "Gallons to empty" feature to keep an eye on fuel. Trying to find a wiring schematic for our coach that shows the dash and instruments, which look the same as yours(3 large gauges). Called Gaftney yesterday, haven't heard back yet, might try that FTL hotline. Safe travels.
I don't remember to ever have looked! Or,..........I might have bought the Scan D after this failure,.......and took the photo later when I was making the video. Very good question Rick,.....wish I had a better answer. I still DO use the scanD gauge and like the additional ACTUAL TEMP NUMBER VALUES I get for water/trans/alt voltage and real oil pressure value.
@OurJourneyInMyles I like being able to see the turbo boost value. We lost power once and it was a bad boost sensor. It would go over 45 on the interstate towing our Saturn ion. Luckily we were only 5 or 6 miles from a Caterpillar dealer. Ours is a 7.2 liter 3126 cat. 330 HP. No DEF no DPF.
Oh boy,we've been there,although I am a retired diesel mechanic,there is really not a lot you can do w/out a laptop and program when in doubt,disconnect batteries for 1 min ,then let it reboot,were in Roswell nm waiting out a storm,goodluck mark love your videos....rvbroke
I have a 2002 winnebago Journey and had a similar experience. It was intermittent for a while and then all dash instrument panel out. I made it home and after troubleshooting with Freightliner, they convinced me that it was the VDC itself. $640 later, the problem was still there. So I took it to a dealer and they found a broken wire.
Thanks for another informative video. I have a Sportscoach 339DS (2021) on a FTL Chassis with a digital dash (OptiView) that went completely blank and FTL is saying that it is the Viper Control Module. I am supposed to head into service in the a.m. but will definitely try resetting the master switch and some good karma... maybe that will do the trick. Unlike yours that some of the dash is analogue/digital - mine is completely blank. no dials, no dings, no error codes. Blindfolded...I am not feeling too lucky
I did a hard-reset as you did, and luck was on my side. The OptiView digital dash came back to life... you saved me a few days of my life 😀. Thank you!!!
Thanks for the PayPal tip Ran! No one has ever done that before, and we were really surprised and grateful. You can see in the comments below, other folks apparently have had to do that as well. Lets both keep our finger crossed,.........at least for the first month.........
@@OurJourneyInMyles Unfortunately the hard-reset trick worked for only one day and my OptiView dash display went dark again. So i will be spending my day/week @ FTL. Wish me luck
Something similar happened to me and I was told to do the same with the battery switch, my error code went away. It happened right after my A/C compressor blew up and I was stuck at a Freightliner shop parking lot for 4 days. Seen that check engine light come on again after spending $900 it made my heart palpitate really fast. Been full timer also it worries me on what we're going to do if the coach need to stay in the shop for few weeks or so. Every time I start the engine or put the slides out, I have to pray a little and hope that everything will be ok today.
Hector we pray and do the same things. We worry less about the slides now that my FWS has been fixed once and for all by Newmar in Nappanee. I still worry about a tire blow out,.....so that's why I spent $4500 on the Rettrobands.
Computers do need to be rebooted to run clean. Identical computers with identical images of software can do little things differently, they are not alive but they are life like and a nap is good for them. I cannot believe you think you are not lucky, next time you are driving turn your head to your right briefly and you will see you are one of the luckiest men in the world.
@@OurJourneyInMyles Safe travels! I have hundreds of thousands of miles in pulling double and triple trailers. Always be proactive on inspecting and changing out brake components. Always (if conditions allow) use whatever form of engine brake you have proactively. The panel that you cleaned up 2 years ago that had the sand in it needs to be inspected and cleaned as preventative maintenance I would guess. Better safe in looking at it now rather than wishing you had later.
I kinda had the feeling the guy on the other end of the phone was going to say; "Turn it off and on again." However, I'd be wanting to find the cause that resulted in the effect to start with. Sorta reminds me of someone calling an electrician to see why a circuit keeps throwing a breaker and all he does is put in a higher amp breaker to "fix" the problem, then your house burns down due to an over-heated electrical panel. 🤔 Hopefully, you guys were able to find a service dealer to properly remedy the cause.
I will have the bulkhead plug opened up again and checked to be clean and moisture free in Gaffney Freightliner SC. If it is OK,......then I will cross my fingers. Those darn computers always end up getting me,......
Very good info Mark. That's the engineer in you coming out. It's nice to see you have a grasp of what your coach does and how to troubleshoot the problem. You and Sue make a great team.
Thanks John,......I find that reading all I can on irv2.com and working with Newmar & Freightliner is the best I can do. Then it's off to Gaffney Freightliner and/or National Indoor RV Center to fix what I can't,..........which is most things!
Hey! Freightliner has a great app for the iPhone “Freightliner Chassis, 24/7 “ Also, it’s the heat, it is a common issue when you drive in 95f + temperatures. My 2020 Horizon 42Q dash went blank in South Dakota on the way west. I stopped for 5 minutes and it came back on. Never did it again. Also, my Jeep blew a 40 amp fuse in Montana, I pull it with a blue ox and the ignition has to be on. It never blew a fuse before in 18 yrs of RVing, it was 96f+.
I was an owner-operator from 85 to 17 and there was no worse feeling than going to work and having mechanical issues. It hovers over you the whole shift and puts you in a foul, distracted mood. Not a great disposition in the customer service industry or just driving. I am not living in my vehicle but it is my only source of income which is a stressor. The one thing I did learn was that I automatically go to the absolute worst-case scenario " My engines gonna blow!!!" which I would learn is rarely the case. Once my car stopped working completely, the day after I replaced the fuel pump, thinking the worse I got a taxi to get another fuel pump and talking to the taxi driver we figured out I may be just out of gas which was the problem. The gift of gab saved me that day. The gas gauge hadn't worked for at least a year and when you fill up every day it is not an issue I had just forgotten to do it that day.
When you were on the phone with Freightliner and asked to review what you had talked about, a light bulb went on above my head. To provide some backup of information in a digital way I will assume like android there are apps on iPhone that will record your conversation for every phone call so that you can review them or delete them later. (if you use voice recognition on google search it stores that by default on android phones I turn it off)
I was thinking that Wyoming could easily be a homonym. One meaning a state in the US and the other meaning a place or state being void of any service or parts outlets.
Since the day I started driving when I was 16, I worried about "blowing my engine". I eventually did blow up my 327 Checy! And I blew up a 3:70 rear end! And then finally blew up a 3 speed tranny! Hoping the old Dutch Star motor hangs together,...........I don't drive quite as hard now at 69 years old!
I love to see the engineer in you at work solving problems. Collect all data possible, understand the “what if’s”, explain/include the team, listen/discuss then agree to proceed to the next step. Great video!! Thanks
Good point! I LOVED this comment, and read it to Sue with pride. She said, I bet those guys have an engineer on board as well!
@@OurJourneyInMyles We sure do. Wife says I over do it sometimes on simple things but I can’t stop thinking about it until I get to the root cause on everything
The good old hard reset. I've done it a couple times with our Wanderlodge. These electrical gremlins can be an issue going forward on any coach of age. Congratulation on the repair. Love your channel. Thanks Mark and Sue.
Thanks for the great, kind comment BSF!
Glad everything reset OK for you guys. Happy to have an 'older' diesel pusher with 8.3 on Spartan chassis. No computers, no EGR but unfortunately no exhaust brake either... Sometimes simpler and analog are good things! Be safe, be well.
As a 69 year old, I can tell you I think that 10 times a day,..............except with iPhone cameras!
Always amazed at how life can go from great one moment, to "OMG, what the hell happened". Glad it worked out for you both.
Right?! We have really had some doozier days over the years!
@@OurJourneyInMyles callphone
Sorry and Mark and Sue about your home having issues. But at just glad it was up and running after you turned off the battery. Then it turned back on. Glad you decided to keep your reservations. Glad you said a little prayer to get it started. It helped.. Glad you back on track. Hike you have a great day abs week. See you soon! Stay safe and travel safe.
Thanks for stopping by Sherri.
I can completely relate and I think we've all had the look on Mark's face a few times before. I can't express enough the love of my engine brake wether driving in the mountains or just needing that extra help in slowing down! As Paul Harvey use to say... I'll be waiting for the... Rest of The Story! Safe Travels and Happy Trails guys!
SO FAR SO GOOD,.......will be at Gaffney SC for maintenance November 3-5 2021. I will have them open up the bulkhead connector again!
I just had the same issue on our 2009 Tiffin Allegro Bus. 1st time for this issue. Watched your video. Turned the main battery switch off (1st time since buying the coach in 1 yr.). Waited 30 mins. Turned switch back on. Made the sign of the cross. Started engine. SURPRISE, all gauges are working. If you hadn't made this video, I would have taken it to the service center. Thank you for the much needed info.
Glad it helped! Even though your chassis frame is a Powerglide, the complex engine monitor and reporting computers must have the same issues. Think how many times you have to do that at home with your laptop or desktop computer.
You were lucky you did a great job Mark. I have always wondered what would happen if I lost my displays. In my situation I have the computer and the good old-fashioned analog displays. As you just learned always use that battery cut off switch to kill the couch and bring back whatever you’re lost! Thomyt
So far so good. We will be on the road again to Florida in 10 days!
If you get the chance. Visit the Terry bison ranch/Rv park in Cheyenne. They take passport. Interesting place. Mr Terry is great.
Thanks for the tip! We have an episode coming up that shows a GIANT Bison Ranch we visited,.....the Durham Bison Ranch. It is not an RV,.......just a ranch you can tour.
Hey Mark, later comments today. We were in Charlotte at the NASCAR race this past weekend. Great video for us newbies. The reason we pick an freightliner chassis on our 2022 Coach was that 24/7 hotline.. We also stop at NIRVC Lawrenceville on the way to Charlotte to look at the new Coach, it is beautiful.. PS it is waiting for your visit to inspect when you get their, told Sam you were coming…..
We will be there arriving to the NIRVC Atlanta Store on Nov 6th and leaving Nov 13th. Booked a stay from Jan 3rd to Jan 16th at Cabana Club RV Resort. If you are on the road we understand. It just worked out this way for our trip to the Tampa RV Show this year. I am an AIM Club member, but didn't sign up for the rally. Hope I can at least get a burger on Saturday the 15th from the group.
Glad you got it to reset. Just a hint about the auxiliary breaking set up. After you set the car up and turn it off, pump the brakes to remove the vacuum/power on the toad breaks. Ore you can slide the tiers the first couple times the toad breaks are activated. Ask me how I know this.😁😁
Thanks for the tip!
Cliffhanger! Looking forward to seeing how you made out. Good luck!
So far so good all the way to Wisconsin. It's really tough fixing something that is only broke when it feels like it. I will have Gaffney Freightliner in SC look at it on November 3/4/5 2021 when I am there for general maintenance and repairs.
Great video, and kudos on the methodical troubleshooting.
Thanks guys,.....
We have a 2009 American Coach. I have installed a Silverleaf system which connects to a different communication port. It gives me everything the dash gauges have plus some. So you might look into something like this.
I am hoping I will be good for a while,....knock on wood,......
Great information. After driving a Class A gasser for 10 years, I love the exhaust brake in our diesel pusher.
Having driven in the mountains now for 4 years, I am certain I would be terrified without the jake brake.
Oh no I feel so bad for you guys. Can’t wait to see how this turns out
I agree Michael.
All I have to do is to make it to Gaffney SC on November 3rd 2021. We are in Milwaukee now,..... Instrument glitch hasn't re-occurred,.......KNOCK ON WOOD. 🎰
Taking a 34hr reset at Johnson's Corner in Denver, CO...was able to check in to admire your lifestyle. This Truck Stop is known for a movie setting for "Bigger Than Life" with Bill Murray. Maybe take some time for a little humor and compare your situation. Resently while at another truck stop, my truck wouldn't start...called my mechanic to discuss the prognosis...my mechanic set up roadside service to look at it...after sitting in the truck for an hour at 95 degrees, I decided to go inside where its cooler! Assuming I would get a phone call when my truck was fixed was a mistake...I returned to my truck to see it running unattended...got inside to see all the gauges in the rest position and the DEF gauge blinking red...I, definitely didn't feel lucky!!! Truck wouldn't start due to a battery glitch, PLUS, a bad DEF sensor (which gave me the empty DEF warning blinking light)
Oh the challenges of the open road...
I actually consider myself lucky so far with breakdowns while traveling,.........but luck only lasts so long. You guys will be the first to know when something goes south!
Freightliner 24/7 tech support is fantastic.
We agree and are thankful Freightliner understands the predicament RVers and truckers are in while on the road.
Mark I am wondering if the glitches you're seeing is from a high power CB radio. As he transmits you get those dashes. You can put some ferret chokes on that line I'm to help mitigate RF from getting into those wires.
Interesting thought!
Lol, I played your ending comments for Bryan and he was happy to hear you say “money well spent!” We should be getting a build date soon from Newmar, just can’t wait.
If you are going from a gasser in the mountains, to a diesel in the mountains, the first time you experience it you are going to be so happy with your choice you may have to pull over for pizza and beer!
Thank you for reassuring me that my money was well spent on this 05 Monaco. I LOVE the Aladin System. Great 2nd advice to suport my standard gauges. Okd style but trusty as you saw it in 'Next Exit' Something similar but with new technology should be standard on these high priced homes on wheel.
I DO LOVE the gage screen readout that Bob & Pearl have on their Monaco. That is why I bought the ScanGuage D that plugs into the OBD port under the dash so I could see what my transmission temp was.
By the way I've been following your channel since you started it. Love the channel. Keep doing you because in these times we're in your channel uplifts people that right now they don't have much hope. Thanks for everything you do stay safe and as my grandfather thought me before I started driving 28 years ago respect turns , respect hills and always keep a 8 to 10 sec following distance. And those word has been with me all these years and has kept me safe. Have a great day.
I appreciate the kind comments Edwin!
Good luck and safe travels
Thanks Bob.
Hopefully that fixed the situation for good!
You and me both!
Mark and Sue, thanks for this video!! RV life is not all rainbows and butterflies. Looking forward to the final analysis of the situation. Having a Scan Gauge that could access all of this info (that you temporarily lost) thru the OBD2 port would be helpful as a backup.
We agree! We DO have one,........it is below all the main gages on the dash. I currently have it set for temps that don't appear on my dash like input air temp, trans oil temp, and some redundant checks like oil pressure and engine water temp. We love the scan gage.
Mark great job with the pros and cons regarding the whole situation!! A BIG AMEIN regarding a JACOB'S ENGINE BRAKING SYSTEM!! Better than money in the bank!! SAFE TRAVELS
Glad you enjoyed it Ron,......
Hey Mark I've been driving 18 wheelers for 28 years it's a common thing.what happens is when we start our trucks or rv sometimes we start our unit prematurely and not giving it the time it needs to boot before starting the unit. But all the time that it happened to me 100% of the time when I shut off the batteries and waited a little while and turning it back on like you have done it solved the problem.
That is very reassuring Edwin!
Hey Mark, I really enjoyed this video and seeing how you and Sue worked through the concerns with the instrumentation. We had the exact same issue several years ago when all of our instruments just stopped working. With our older coach, I don't really have anyone to call other than internet searches. I ended up taking the top of the dash cover off and was searching for a possible fuse or a loose connection but found nothing. Then I disconnected the battery for a couple of minutes and it all started working again when I turned the batteries back on. It has been several years now and all seems well and hope you have the same results. I really enjoyed seeing your expressions while thinking it through (I definitely know that feeling) and just like Pearl, Sue was there with a calming presence knowing you would figure it all out.
Bob,.........make CERTAIN you knock on wood four times, spin around 360 degrees, and repeat "I love my Monaco instrumentation" twice to continue that lucky streak!
@@OurJourneyInMyles On a daily basis!
100% agreement. Jake brake worth it!!
Had our own SBO moment this weekend... sank in the mud and had to be helped out with a backhoe. It's so very helpful when you both take us along for the good time and the reality. Thanks again for taking us along!
Brendan & Lena
Muddy Sneakers, Pa.
Wow! Glad you got out easy. It's amazing how powerful those backhoes are.
Mark, glad the universal fix-reboot the computer-worked for you. Thanks for the WI translation assistance; “WTF=Great” and “SBO=Sucks the big one.” The lesson was “not too bad” that is Minnesotan for “great!”
Wow! Now I learned something,......
Love the Rudy's T shirt., Good BBQ. Sorry to hear of the dash problem and hope that it is fixed now. I am in Bahrain now and there are no RV.s here. LOL so living RV life through you and Sue. Safe travels.
Richard,......I think you will win the "farthest away viewer" prize this week! Thanks for checking in,....
Mark, thanks for keeping it real. It’s not all rainbow and unicorns out there. As an ME as well, I kick into failure modes and effects analysis in my head and the mitigation’s and residual risks. Your face said it all. BTW, Sue was cool and calm while this was all going on. I tend to get stressed when things aren’t quit right while my wife Judy is much like Sue. We are lucky to have them as our co pilots. And to your point, I can’t see driving anything other than a diesel pusher with the engine braking if you venture out west. We have a 2021 Holiday Nautica 34RX.
Well said! In the beginning of all the issues, Sue was just happy eating her dates! We will see what Gaffney Freightliner SC has to say in early November 2021.
Can’t wait to see you guys here in Florida later this year. We’ve had our fair share of issues buying a new coach and after 8 months later, I think the kinks are all resolved. Fingers crossed. Headed to Disney Fort Wilderness tomorrow.
Hubby and I would have traveled on as well. We have had things happen too.. making lemonade from lemons is always good. Life is an adventure so sometimes you just have to take a chamnce. You two are an inspiration. ❤️
Thanks Pattie,.........it is really helpful when your travel partner stays calm and helps with the situation like Sue did. We are both happy to be on the right side of the dirt, and everything else we can take in stride and handle,.....
As a retired IT professional/engineer I had to chuckle at the reboot suggestion from Freightliner. They gave us the same advice when we started getting a false low coolant + check engine soon warning while far from home and the closest service center. It didn't fix our issue turns out the sensor wire was mounted to low and was struck by the fan blades until it frayed and failed. Good luck I don't have much faith electronic issues always fix themselves with a simple reboot
The first six things out of our IT guy at work was always reboot as well. I learned that lesson for my PC back then,....and now for the Dutch Star Freightliner!
Hope all works out
So far so good all the way to Wisconsin. It's really tough fixing something that is only broke when it feels like it. I will have Gaffney Freightliner in SC look at it on November 3/4/5 2021 when I am there for general maintenance and repairs.
We recently had the same problem in our 2014 DS. Freightliner gave me the same advice and it worked, for now. You mentioned your visit to Truck Country in Oak Creek. Do you happen to have a video on that work. I have been there several times without great success. They seem disorganized and not too competent for a Freightliner dealer. They also claim not to know about the Freightliner Chassis Owners Club 10% discount. Thanks for all the videos. I really appreciate them.
I had the same issue 4 years ago in Oak Creek! They pretended not to know about the 10% discount,.........AND.........forgot to put water back into my Onan generator radiator when they flushed it,.............and changed my trans fluid without changing the old filters,..............AND broke my oil pan drain plug. These are only the things I know about for sure. When I tried to talk to them about some of these issues later, they blew me off. So now I just tells folks the facts, and let them decide if they would like to have the same experience that I had.
we have an exaust brake on our diesel chevy tow rig it is a huge stress saver when going down the mtns our rig is 15000 lbs so the jake helps a lot
You got that right,.........takes the stress level down to almost just the fun level.
J1939 lots of suggestions for that code just watched Trucking Together they had the same problem in their recent episode. Hang in there Mark I know you can get it.
Hey Char. That looks like a cool channel. I wish them success!
Being an aircraft mechanic, we have to do power off resets often. If you have an intermittent fault, unless its faulting at the time the Mx is looking at it a shotgun repair is the best you can expect. Best you can do is video record when the fault occurs and then contact a shop and send the video to them. They may be able to help without having to go there. 🤔
Roger that!
In our American Coach on a Spartan chassis with a Cummins ISL they found a defective coolant sensor cable and coolant was running down to the ECM. Spartan found it before in to to our ECM which can cause all sorts of issues. Something to ask the shop to check, if you have a Cummins
I will make certain to talk to the RV Tech about any evidence of water or antifreeze intrusion!
Well that’s reality for you. Mechanical issues of all types will always pop up and they’ll force you to stop and think what should you do NOW. Considering your safety with future campground reservations is always a tough call. And with no matter your decision, you will always have that pit in your stomach “did we make the right decision” as you move ahead and start to drive. With our Newmar KSDP we’ve had our share of “what’s that” kinda sounds or realizing something just isn’t right, and indeed may be a sign of something really wrong. We share your pain. Mark and Sue, if karma is real, and I believe that it is, you’re both really good people who only deserve the best. And besides, you’ve got all your subscribers pulling for you too! Safe travels and best wishes. 👍
Bill and Mark. Aka jerseyrv
Thanks Bill,.......it's really tough fixing something that is only broke when it feels like it. I will have Gaffney Freightliner in SC look at it on November 3/4/5 2021 when I am there for general maintenance and repairs.
I know this has been 3 years but did your Scan gauge D still work when the dash ones didn't. I know it plugs into the J1939 data port. Our fuel gauge quit working on our 2003 Dutch Star DP so I'm going to be using that trip data "Gallons to empty" feature to keep an eye on fuel. Trying to find a wiring schematic for our coach that shows the dash and instruments, which look the same as yours(3 large gauges). Called Gaftney yesterday, haven't heard back yet, might try that FTL hotline. Safe travels.
I don't remember to ever have looked! Or,..........I might have bought the Scan D after this failure,.......and took the photo later when I was making the video. Very good question Rick,.....wish I had a better answer. I still DO use the scanD gauge and like the additional ACTUAL TEMP NUMBER VALUES I get for water/trans/alt voltage and real oil pressure value.
@OurJourneyInMyles I like being able to see the turbo boost value. We lost power once and it was a bad boost sensor. It would go over 45 on the interstate towing our Saturn ion. Luckily we were only 5 or 6 miles from a Caterpillar dealer. Ours is a 7.2 liter 3126 cat. 330 HP. No DEF no DPF.
I own las vegas rv wash and detail in las vegas. I handle the washing and detailing of national indoor rv centers in las vegas.
Love NIRVC!
Oh boy,we've been there,although I am a retired diesel mechanic,there is really not a lot you can do w/out a laptop and program when in doubt,disconnect batteries for 1 min ,then let it reboot,were in Roswell nm waiting out a storm,goodluck mark love your videos....rvbroke
Thanks Harley. Truth be told,......keeping a diesel motorhome running and all in one piece is a little dicey sometimes!
I have a 2002 winnebago Journey and had a similar experience. It was intermittent for a while and then all dash instrument panel out. I made it home and after troubleshooting with Freightliner, they convinced me that it was the VDC itself. $640 later, the problem was still there. So I took it to a dealer and they found a broken wire.
That is the worst case scenario we all dread! Hope I am good,.......
Thanks for another informative video. I have a Sportscoach 339DS (2021) on a FTL Chassis with a digital dash (OptiView) that went completely blank and FTL is saying that it is the Viper Control Module. I am supposed to head into service in the a.m. but will definitely try resetting the master switch and some good karma... maybe that will do the trick. Unlike yours that some of the dash is analogue/digital - mine is completely blank. no dials, no dings, no error codes. Blindfolded...I am not feeling too lucky
I did a hard-reset as you did, and luck was on my side. The OptiView digital dash came back to life... you saved me a few days of my life 😀. Thank you!!!
Thanks for the PayPal tip Ran! No one has ever done that before, and we were really surprised and grateful. You can see in the comments below, other folks apparently have had to do that as well. Lets both keep our finger crossed,.........at least for the first month.........
@@OurJourneyInMyles Unfortunately the hard-reset trick worked for only one day and my OptiView dash display went dark again. So i will be spending my day/week @ FTL. Wish me luck
Time to buy your prevost
I probably should of bought a used $250,000 ish Prevost in June 17,................but that is hindsight now! I'm a one & done Dutch Star guy,........
Something similar happened to me and I was told to do the same with the battery switch, my error code went away. It happened right after my A/C compressor blew up and I was stuck at a Freightliner shop parking lot for 4 days. Seen that check engine light come on again after spending $900 it made my heart palpitate really fast. Been full timer also it worries me on what we're going to do if the coach need to stay in the shop for few weeks or so. Every time I start the engine or put the slides out, I have to pray a little and hope that everything will be ok today.
Hector we pray and do the same things. We worry less about the slides now that my FWS has been fixed once and for all by Newmar in Nappanee. I still worry about a tire blow out,.....so that's why I spent $4500 on the Rettrobands.
Brakes fail....you could always stop like the FLINTSTONES 😳 Safe travels guys!
Right!! I'm fairly certain if THAT ever happens the channel will be changing to a knitting instruction zoom club.
How did things turn out?
So far we are running OK. We are in WI, and will leave for Gaffney SC for general maintenance. I will have the bulkhead fitting looked at again.
The best way for diesel units is to turn key 1 turn let the computer set maybe 30 seconds to a minute then start it.
Roger that!
Reboot. Bad connection or ground?
Don't know yet. I have a maintenance appointment in Gaffney SC on November 4th 2021. I am in WI right now. Hope it stays fixed till then!
It could be a senser
SO FAR SO GOOD,.......will be at Gaffney SC for maintenance November 3-5 2021. I will have them open up the bulkhead connector again!
@@OurJourneyInMyles it just sounds like like it could be a senser . But what do i know
That look on Marks face of what the h@llo is going on here. Cool calm and collect though great video
Thanks Kevin,.........I think maybe I just knew a camera was on and I couldn't start crying.
@@OurJourneyInMyles I don’t do well when things like that happen🤣 getting better though🤣
Uh ohhhh.......................
Dodged a bullet on this one,.........will have it looked at while at Gaffney Freightliner in SC.
@@OurJourneyInMyles 👍
Computers do need to be rebooted to run clean. Identical computers with identical images of software can do little things differently, they are not alive but they are life like and a nap is good for them. I cannot believe you think you are not lucky, next time you are driving turn your head to your right briefly and you will see you are one of the luckiest men in the world.
I agree,..........and showed Sue your comment. Then, I gave her a hug and thanked her for sharing this RV adventure with me,......
If the air compressor fails the brakes come on....... not off. That's the safety of air brakes.
You are correct sir! That is always reassuring.
@@OurJourneyInMyles Safe travels! I have hundreds of thousands of miles in pulling double and triple trailers. Always be proactive on inspecting and changing out brake components. Always (if conditions allow) use whatever form of engine brake you have proactively. The panel that you cleaned up 2 years ago that had the sand in it needs to be inspected and cleaned as preventative maintenance I would guess. Better safe in looking at it now rather than wishing you had later.
8 percent grade wow try taking a gasser up that. 20mph tops
Wow,.......I have no experience with the power issues!
I kinda had the feeling the guy on the other end of the phone was going to say; "Turn it off and on again." However, I'd be wanting to find the cause that resulted in the effect to start with. Sorta reminds me of someone calling an electrician to see why a circuit keeps throwing a breaker and all he does is put in a higher amp breaker to "fix" the problem, then your house burns down due to an over-heated electrical panel. 🤔 Hopefully, you guys were able to find a service dealer to properly remedy the cause.
I will have the bulkhead plug opened up again and checked to be clean and moisture free in Gaffney Freightliner SC. If it is OK,......then I will cross my fingers. Those darn computers always end up getting me,......
Very good info Mark. That's the engineer in you coming out. It's nice to see you have a grasp of what your coach does and how to troubleshoot the problem. You and Sue make a great team.
Thanks John,......I find that reading all I can on irv2.com and working with Newmar & Freightliner is the best I can do. Then it's off to Gaffney Freightliner and/or National Indoor RV Center to fix what I can't,..........which is most things!
Hey! Freightliner has a great app for the iPhone “Freightliner Chassis, 24/7 “
Also, it’s the heat, it is a common issue when you drive in 95f + temperatures.
My 2020 Horizon 42Q dash went blank in South Dakota on the way west. I stopped for 5 minutes and it came back on. Never did it again.
Also, my Jeep blew a 40 amp fuse in Montana, I pull it with a blue ox and the ignition has to be on. It never blew a fuse before in 18 yrs of RVing, it was 96f+.
Wow! Really valid points! I have a few issues that always pop up in rain. I will try to add the heat thing to my noggin now. Thanks,....
"What Da Crap"...!
Oh ya "STUMPS !"
I would have been way more nervous if this hadn't happened before!
Be intrepid, trust your and Sue’s good karma.
Will do Scott!
The dreaded "J1939." Like the year, it's a hell of an experience. Unlike the year, you avoided a war by doing a reboot. 👍🏾💙🤍❤️
That is it in a nutshell.