Lippert Level-Up Motorhome Leveling (Winnebago, 9-2015+) — Operation, Manual Override & Service

Overview

The Level-Up system on 9-2015-and-newer Winnebago coaches is a 12 V electric/hydraulic leveling package: a DC motor/pump with reservoir and solenoid-valve manifold drives four straight-acting jacks through 1/4 in 3000 psi hose with size-4 O-ring-face fittings. Three jack families are used depending on coach weight — 8,000 lb (PN 195860, 15.00 in stroke, 2.00 in bore), 14,000 lb (PN 236560, 15.13 in stroke, 2.50 in bore) and 20,000 lb (PN 258550, 16.00 in stroke, 3.00 in bore) — with a 9 in swivel foot pad standard (12 in optional, PN 117238). A dash touch pad with LCD runs everything; a controller (PN 289252) and rear level sensor (PN 294287) provide the brains. The system is a leveling system only: never use it to hold the coach up for tire changes or under-chassis work, never lift all wheels off the ground, and support both axles on jack stands before going underneath.

Operating rules

The engine must be running (auto level needs 12.75 V DC; anything drops below 9.5 V and the function aborts) and the park brake set. Manual leveling works between 9.5 and 12.75 V. Park on a reasonably level site — the control refuses to operate beyond 3.5° fore/aft or side/side and shows EXCESS ANGLE. Keep people and pets clear, put pads under the feet on soft ground, and stay still inside the coach during an auto cycle: cabin movement can abort leveling ("Unable to Finish Leveling").

Automatic leveling

1. Press ON/OFF, then AUTO LEVEL. The LCD shows REMAIN STILL.
2. The controller grounds the low end first (lowest-side jack, then its partner), lifts that end level, grounds the remaining pair, then trims fore/aft, side/side, individual corners and twist. On air-bag diesels the bags dump automatically first to maximize jack stroke.
3. Wait for "Auto Level — SUCCESS!" and then "LEVEL — Jacks: Down" before touching any button.

To retract: power on, scroll DOWN to "Auto Retract All", press ENTER (or hold RETRACT one second). Air bags refill automatically during any retract — manual-retract functions are locked behind a 22-second air-fill countdown. The display ends at "READY — Jacks: Up"; still walk the coach and verify every jack is stored before driving. If the ignition is on, jacks are down and the park brake is released, the drive-away protection alarms and auto-retracts everything.

Manual leveling

Level front-to-rear first, then side-to-side. Enter MANUAL MODE (scroll + ENTER), use FRONT/REAR to ground the ends and LEFT/RIGHT to raise the low side (flashing red arrows show which side is low). Jacks always run in pairs. Afterward verify all four feet touch the ground; drop a floating rear foot with its LEFT/RIGHT button. The panel idles off after four minutes; cycle the ignition and ON/OFF to wake it.

Zero-point calibration

The auto-level target must be programmed after controller replacement or if the coach never settles level: manually level the coach to the desired attitude, turn the panel off, press FRONT five times then REAR five times; at "ZERO POINT CALIBRATION" press ENTER, wait for "ZERO POINT SUCCESSFUL". Diesel units with air suspension self-configure air-bag control if a dump-valve coil is detected.

Manual override — jacks stuck extended (valves)

Warning: keep clear of the coach — it moves as soon as a valve opens.

1. Locate the solenoid valves on the power-unit manifold (front-jack and rear-jack valve/coil pairs, PN 177094/174184).
2. Turn the valve's manual-override set screw clockwise with a 5/32 in hex wrench to open it; the jacks can then be moved.
3. When done, back the override fully counter-clockwise until it stops so the valve closes — do not overtighten, the set screws strip the valve.
4. A jack that bleeds down after retracting is the classic sign someone left an override open.

Manual override — dead power unit (drill drive)

1. Remove the plastic cap on the end of the pump motor.
2. Disconnect or shield the motor power cables.
3. Fit a 1/2 in socket on a drill onto the coupler under the cap.
4. Run the drill in reverse (counter-clockwise) to retract the jacks. This gets a coach with a failed motor, controller or harness back on the road.

Fluid & preventative maintenance

Factory fill: PetroBlend (Mason City, IA) PHO 0022S, a group-3 base blend. Check the reservoir every 12 months, always with all jacks retracted, and keep the level 1/4–1/2 in below the fill spout. Healthy fluid is clear red — leave it alone; milky, pink or murky fluid means water intrusion, so drain and refill. Below about 10 °F the jacks slow down; a low-temperature fluid is available for cold climates. Annually, clean and inspect the power-unit electrical connections (treat corrosion with spray lubricant). Keep the jack rods clean of road debris; if jacks stay extended for weeks, mist the exposed rods with silicone spray every three months — every 4–6 weeks in salt-air environments.

Voltage and error behavior

The LCD reports faults with an alarm: EXCESS ANGLE (move the coach or recalibrate zero point), OUT OF STROKE (jack out of travel — reposition), EXTERNAL SENSOR (rear sensor PN 294287 shorted/unplugged), LOW VOLTAGE (run the engine; below 9.5 V everything stops), FUNCTION ABORTED (button pressed or movement mid-cycle — press ENTER and restart), COMM ERROR / CHECK WIRING (touch-pad harness), RETRACT TIMEOUT (retract pressure never seen — look for leaks), and "Return Levelers for Service". Ordinary errors clear with ENTER; return-for-service errors clear with ENTER + RETRACT together. The 2150 psi pressure switch (PN 142927) watches retract pressure: while driving, the controller may briefly run the pump ("JACKS UP VERIFICATION") to restore retract pressure — normal, no alarm. Wiring is 2-gauge battery power and ground (SAE J1127 SGX), a 125 A main fuse, switched logic power, and a park-brake signal that reads ground when the brake is set.