There Is Always Something Part Four

Shades. They provide relief from the sun, don’t they? In a motorcoach, they also provide relief from the heat and, at night, privacy.

Shades can also be shady. There are numerous synonyms for shady: suspect, questionable, dubious, doubtful, untrustworthy, tricky and irregular.

All of these synonyms apply to the current state of my MCD shades. They are definitely shady. They have never worked consistently since we first got the coach. They have become progressively worse and, during our trip from Florida to California, the MCD shades have become downright frustrating.

There was a technical service bulletin released by Newmar. TSB 486. This is what it says:

Newmar and MCD shade have determined that certain 2016 and 2017 Dutch Star coaches (all floorplans withremote-controlled power shades) and 2016 and 2017 Ventana coaches (4311 floorplan only) may experience remote-controlled power shade failures. MCD has created the attached troubleshooting instructions to diagnose the 14-channel remote and remote motors. If the original remote-controlled motor(s) have failed and currently need replacing, the motors and remote(s) will be replaced with a 15-channel remote, new remote control motors, and a two-channel bedroom remote. The driver side “Sway Shade” will also be replaced as a complete shade. Replace the bezel in the wall to ensure the proper fit of the new 15-channel remote.

When we took our coach into the dealer to attend to the long-running issue with the MCD shades they did, well, nothing about the shades, even though our coach is on the affected unit list.

I raised the issue with MCD directly at the recent RV show in Tampa. They agreed to help us out. We are now in the midst of trying to arrange for these shades to be replaced.

For now, the shades are shady. I never know if they are going to work.

Every day, at least one shade fails to retract.

Every day, I reprogram at least one shade.

There is some good to come out of all this.

I have become an MCD programming shade master.

People from around the world come to me seeking insight on how to get their automatic MCD shades to retract. I am only too happy to help them out. For a very generous fee.

I have every step in the the user-friendly process outlined below memorized.


Easy enough to follow right? I especially like the description of the beep cycle: beeep, beeep, beep-beep-beep.

I even wrote a song about the beeps.

Would you like to see the lyrics?

Of course you would.

MCD Shades Go Beep, Beep, Beep by the Cleaver dude.

Copyright under dispute (I’m innocent).

While riding in my Dutch Star coach, what, to my surprise,
All MCD shades would not retract, not even on either side.
The remote must have wanted to lead me on
As the shades kept refusing to move. Beep! Beep!
I’ll show them that the Cleaver dude is not a dude to scorn.

Refrain:
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
The shades went, beep, beep, beep. (Beep! Beep!).

I pushed my finger down on the remote to give the shades a shake,
But the MCD shades stayed stuck in place; as if they had a brake.
The shades must have thought they had far more sense
As I kept on pressing up, up. Beep! Beep!
I’ll show them that the Cleaver dude is not a dude to scorn.

Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
The shades went, beep, beep, beep. (Beep! Beep!).

My coach went into a long term site and we wanted to have some light.
And soon we were in a sunny place, but the coach inside wasn’t bright.
When I pulled the remote out from the wall, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The MCD shades would just not move, you’d think those shades would try.
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
Beep, beep. (Beep, beep.)
The shades went, beep, beep, beep. (Beep! Beep!)

Unfortunately I am currently embroiled in a copyright suit with some old song recorded by the Playmates. Heck, even their arrangement is the same as my song.

Beep, beep.

2 replies
  1. Ann Hodges
    Ann Hodges says:

    Richard, you crack me up!! Love the lyrics, hate the shady shade situation.
    Good luck getting that resolved.
    Missing you and Lorraine, and of course, Tabby! 😎

    Reply
    • Richard
      Richard says:

      First world problems for sure 🙂

      MCD came through and we will have all the motors replaced under warranty when we make our stop at the Newmar factory.

      Reply

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