Power side step issues

[RamCares]

I noticed this happens when starting the car during the cycling of the step to close. There must be a slight power disturbance and then when you go to drive off the system wants to make sure they are fully closed so they cycle them down then up.

Hi @Laramie_2019 - Sorry for the trouble. If you would be willing to work with your dealer, I would be more than willing to ensure that your experience is formally documented on our end, as well as escalate a case on your behalf so that a case specialist could work alongside you and your dealer to exhaust all available resources in addressing this concern.

Our team is always a private message away to get the process started!

Mark
RamCares

 

[varmintjcl]

My truck has done this ever since the dealer installed the power running boards. When I took it back they said this is normal and that's how they work! I never take the truck back to any dealer that hasn't told me either the issue I have is normal or they can't duplicate the problem. I have very little faith in the Ram dealers anymore.

 

[jbeck64]

I installed my steps on my 2019 1500, went to the dealer to have them flashed. I see them showing on the control screen, also on the Safty and Driving Assistance screen however, on that screen neither checkbox is enabled for Auto or Manual. Any suggestions. Can't get my steps to operate

Never Mind, I figured it out

 

[Sully1960]

Picked up a new 2021 Ram 1500 Longhorn Limited Edition 0n 12/16/20. Beautiful truck... and expensive. On 12/24/20, eight days and 120 mi. after taking delivery on the truck, a message flashed on the instrument panel that said "power assist steps unavailable, schedule service." I called the dealer and scheduled an appointment for 12/31/20... first available appointment. The next day, the steps were working. On 12/27/20, same message and steps not working. Next day steps working again. On 12/31/20, dealer took in to check problem. At this time, steps were working. I was told they found a code that showed steps lost communication. But no other problem was found. Reset and sent me along my way. I got home 25 minutes later and... steps would not deploy when I was exiting my truck. Immediately called dealer and spoke w/ service mgr. He asked me to bring the truck in on 1/5/21 and leave it for a couple days so they "could play around with it." Today, 1/1/21, I got in my truck and steps not working. Left with my wife to run errands. While out, steps would deploy... then not deploy. This happened twice in about 90 minutes. Additionally, during that 90 min period, the "steps unavailable" message flashed no less than 4 times. I hope the dealership is prepared to go through the entire "circuit" of the power assist steps, including all wiring, connections and elements (eg control modules) in the circuit. This problem needs to be fixed. The truck is two weeks old with approximately 300 min on it. To boot... it's a $66K truck!

Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[securityguy]

Picked up a new 2021 Ram 1500 Longhorn Limited Edition 0n 12/16/20. Beautiful truck... and expensive. On 12/24/20, eight days and 120 mi. after taking delivery on the truck, a message flashed on the instrument panel that said "power assist steps unavailable, schedule service." I called the dealer and scheduled an appointment for 12/31/20... first available appointment. The next day, the steps were working. On 12/27/20, same message and steps not working. Next day steps working again. On 12/31/20, dealer took in to check problem. At this time, steps were working. I was told they found a code that showed steps lost communication. But no other problem was found. Reset and sent me along my way. I got home 25 minutes later and... steps would not deploy when I was exiting my truck. Immediately called dealer and spoke w/ service mgr. He asked me to bring the truck in on 1/5/21 and leave it for a couple days so they "could play around with it." Today, 1/1/21, I got in my truck and steps not working. Left with my wife to run errands. While out, steps would deploy... then not deploy. This happened twice in about 90 minutes. Additionally, during that 90 min period, the "steps unavailable" message flashed no less than 4 times. I hope the dealership is prepared to go through the entire "circuit" of the power assist steps, including all wiring, connections and elements (eg control modules) in the circuit. This problem needs to be fixed. The truck is two weeks old with approximately 300 min on it. To boot... it's a $66K truck!

Has anyone else had this issue?

$hit happens...be patient and let your dealer try and resolve it. We are ALL paying a lot of money for these trucks

 

[Ram21]

All of a sudden my power boards won't stay retracted, drivers side only it seems. Its like its binding on something but I didn't hit anything, nor see anything stuck in there or see any abrasions in the metal or anything. I can get it to stay retracted if I'm outside the vehicle and give it a nudge as it retracts. They deploy normally. Anyone ever had this issue? Any sensor I can check to see if there's an obstruction? Do the front bumper sensors tie in to the power boards system?

 

[EJSTX]

Similar issue here on a 2021 1500. Sometimes the passenger side will deploy partially and then immediately retract. Frustrating and will have the dealer check it out when I take it for first service.

 

[timberlupus]

Picked up a new 2021 Ram 1500 Longhorn Limited Edition 0n 12/16/20. Beautiful truck... and expensive. On 12/24/20, eight days and 120 mi. after taking delivery on the truck, a message flashed on the instrument panel that said "power assist steps unavailable, schedule service." I called the dealer and scheduled an appointment for 12/31/20... first available appointment. The next day, the steps were working. On 12/27/20, same message and steps not working. Next day steps working again. On 12/31/20, dealer took in to check problem. At this time, steps were working. I was told they found a code that showed steps lost communication. But no other problem was found. Reset and sent me along my way. I got home 25 minutes later and... steps would not deploy when I was exiting my truck. Immediately called dealer and spoke w/ service mgr. He asked me to bring the truck in on 1/5/21 and leave it for a couple days so they "could play around with it." Today, 1/1/21, I got in my truck and steps not working. Left with my wife to run errands. While out, steps would deploy... then not deploy. This happened twice in about 90 minutes. Additionally, during that 90 min period, the "steps unavailable" message flashed no less than 4 times. I hope the dealership is prepared to go through the entire "circuit" of the power assist steps, including all wiring, connections and elements (eg control modules) in the circuit. This problem needs to be fixed. The truck is two weeks old with approximately 300 min on it. To boot... it's a $66K truck!

Has anyone else had this issue?

Yep, same here.. Not hopeful that dealers will be able to fix it. Only reason I let them install them is because I don't have time to deal with it. But so far it looks like I'll have to go under and figure out what numbnuts have done. Dealers are totally useless!!! I come from Ford camp and I can't be happier with my 2021 Rebel, which I've got in May. What a difference from Ford. Ford dealers?? Same useless idiots with an attitude. That's after changing 5 different Ford dealerships here in Ontario, Canada. So far, one RAM dealership, totally useless. I'm so annoyed with all truck manufacturers hiding behind dealerships that don't give a crap and are totally incompetent.
Now, I notice here that most guys that installed boards themselves don't have the issue and on the other hand, some dealer installed boards are having issue. hmm...

 

[RichM1983]

Has anyone had solution to this? My power steps are doing this now too out of nowhere. I also have a parasitic draw I can't find that is killing my battery every few days so now I have to keep it on a tender. Hoping the two are connected.

 

[jblank12]

Same issues here. 2020 Limited. Random Power Side Step messages. Sometimes they will start to deploy then go back up. Now drivers side will intermittently stay down. Sometimes it will go up if I nudge it. Wont even go up if I turn it off on the screen. Lubricated and no difference.

 

[Neil McCauley]

>Settings >Safety/Driving Assistance >Power Side Step >Change "Auto" to "Store"

I haven't deployed mine in about a year.

 

[Tinatwj]

Has anyone else experienced these issues with the power running boards? Sometimes when pulling out from parking, as I'm driving away, the driver and passenger sidesteps will randomly deploy and then retract. Sometimes just driver, sometimes just passenger. Sometimes only does it once (up and down), sometimes multiple times. Kind of embarrassing as I'm driving away and my steps are randomly going up and down on their own lol. And yes I have cleaned them and there is no mud or anything in the brackets. PFA View attachment 17977

I have same problem with my 2019 dodge ram, at one point they would deploy and retrack while I'm pulling away to drive now my drivers side is deployed and won't retrack bur when I'm driving I hearing it trying to retrack multiple times but it won't retrack, so frustrating and you pay so much for the vehicle!

 

[cpetku]

I noticed this happens when starting the car during the cycling of the step to close. There must be a slight power disturbance and then when you go to drive off the system wants to make sure they are fully closed so they cycle them down then up.

If you can't reproduce it as a bug, sell it as a safety feature...