RV Awning Problems And Their Solutions

RV awning is located on the outside, and it is a piece of fabric with an aluminum arm to keep them in their place and allow their retraction.

RV awning problems include fabric issues, broken awning buttons, faulty center straps, separation of seaming, lack of power from RVs, faulty wind sensors, knocking and cracking sounds, motor issues, dirty tracks, and damage from birds and insects.

People open them during the sunny and rainy seasons while enjoying camping outside and preparing food.

Problems Solutions
Fabric issues Use acrylic and vinyl fabric
Broken awning button Add new button
Faulty center strap Add a new center strap for manual opening
Separation of awning seams Remove the dust from welded seams
Lack of power from RVs Connect your RVs to shore power
Faulty wind sensors Replace wind sensors batteries
Motor issues Replace the motor or use a hand crack for retraction
The issue with awning tracks Remove the dirt and lubricate the track
Damages from birds and inclined weather Close the awnings when these are not in use

RV Awning Fabric issues

RV awnings are made of different fabrics, including canvas, acrylic, vinyl, and polyester. These are more durable materials than cotton and linen and last longer.

The chances of degradation with their age are common, which can lead to wear and tear. Some of these fabrics can shrink when it comes to exposure to heat from the sun.

In addition, the sagging can also occur because of poor retraction. The sagging issue also comes when the fabric is not properly tightened with the control arm.

The canvas fabrics can rot easily when it comes to exposure to moisture for longer. Fungus starts to grow on them and trigger the rotting procedure.

The color of their fabrics also fades because of sunlight and UV ray exposure that comes to their direct contact. I prefer vinyl and polyester because these are at less risk of wear and tear and heat-related damage.

These are completely water-resistant, and fungus cannot grow on them.

Broken awning button

The RVs contain a small button to open and close the awnings according to your needs and outside weather. Many times, people also retract them to protect the sunlight and rainwater droplets from coming inside from their windows.

You can press these buttons to retract them during the rainy season and when parking your trailers on the roads. These buttons become faulty and do not engage the motor, which allows their opening and closing.

Buttons become faulty because of their age-related defects and incorrect handling. People often press them hard, which can lead to their broken springs.

In addition, frequent use can also produce malfunctioning in their internal components, and these do not engage the electric motors. Inspecting the buttons when awnings are not functioning rather than accessing the electric motors is necessary.

You can replace the buttons if they are broken and are not functioning properly.

Faulty center strap

Some RV awnings are operated manually, and you can use the stick with a looped end to open them. These contain a black rubber or plastic strap between their center to pull them.

You can pull them with your hands, but shorter people cannot access them with their hands. Use the stick with lopped ends and insert it into the black strap.

Sometimes these straps become faulty and come out from the fabric material. It becomes difficult to open them manually without these straps.

In addition, the issue also comes when these plastic or rubber straps break because of poor handling and use. It is better to install the new strap to use this component in the rainy season and enjoy the outside weather.

You can increase the longevity of the strap by pulling them softly.

Separation of awning seams 

The seams in the RV awning contain fabric of multiple colors and designs. These multiple-colored fabrics are joined together with welded materials.

People use this method because the colorful fabric looks attractive, and you do not have to match the thread with the fabric to sew them.

These welded seams start to separate after some time and cannot keep the fabric connected. The issue comes because of the accumulation of dust and dirt on their surface.

Dirt can cause the deterioration of welding material, and they lose their strength and bonding ability. Use the brushes and tie the clean cloth with a broom to remove dirt from their surface.

Lack of power from RVs

The awning motor takes power from the RVs batteries for their functioning. You cannot retract them when the power supply is not sufficient.

The weak batteries of your trailers lead to less voltage supply to electric components. In addition, the issue also comes when components that supply power from batteries to their motors become faulty.

RV batteries become weak when your ac, oven, and refrigerators are turned on longer. You can feel the crooked sound while retracting them because of an insufficient power supply.

It is better to retract them manually when batteries become weak and faulty. In addition, you can also connect your RVs with shore powers for recharging purposes.

Faulty wind sensors

RV awnings contain wind sensors to protect their fabric from wear and tear. These sensors are located on the inner and upper sides of the fabric.

Wind sensors detect the movement of the air and allow their retraction when wind pressure becomes high. Wear and tear of vinyl and acrylic fabrics are common because of high wind pressure.

These sensors contain small batteries for signaling and their proper functioning. They stop functioning when it comes to exposure to rainwater.

Water enters the electric sensors when you do not close them during rainy weather. Water can make their components faulty, and these do not identify the wind pressure, which can lead to their random functioning.

It is better to fold them during rainy weather when these are equipped with wind sensors. It is necessary to replace the batteries of these sensors when they are working randomly.

Motor issues

Electric RV awnings contain motors for their functioning and contain buttons for their retraction. These have less durability than the manual ones that use the crank handle for their opening.

The motor is the electric part that is more prone to becoming faulty. Sometimes the motor overheats when you press the button frequently.

Overheated motors stop functioning, and you can feel the jerky movement of fabric after pressing their button. In addition, you can also hear the crooking and knocking sound while opening them.

These can also get stuck on one side because of insufficient power supply from the motors. Electric motors do not function because of inadequate power from the RV. Avoid pressing their button frequently when these are not retracting.

Wait for a few minutes and allow the motors to become cool.

The issue with awning tracks

RV awnings contain an aluminum arm to hold the fabric in its place and allow their movement when you press the button or pull the black strap.

Sometimes the dust and dirt accumulate in their tracks and do not allow their smooth retraction. These can get stuck and cannot extend fully because of dirt and debris in their tacking area.

The issue comes when you do not clean them longer and park on unpaved roads. High wind pressure also collects the dust from their surroundings, allowing these particles to build there.

The retraction issue also comes when you do not lubricate their tracks properly. I always clean them after the trip to avoid future problems.

Use the bristled brush to remove the dust from the hidden spaces. Spray the lubricant for smooth retraction of fabric.

Damages from birds and inclined weather

Birds and insects can nest on your RV awnings when you park them near the trees. The bird poop can make the fabric dirty, and you can also feel the smell of your surroundings.

In addition, the chances of wear and tear of fabric increase when birds make their nest there. Fabric is more vulnerable to damage because of rainy and snowy weather.

Vinyl and acrylic are waterproof materials, and water accumulates on their upper side, which can lead to sagging issues. Furthermore, snowy weather leads to poor alignment and warping of control arms.

It is better to close the awning during rainy seasons so water cannot accumulate on them, leading to their sagging. You can use the tape to secure small gaps and holes in their fabric.

Fabric replacement is a better option if these holes are larger and more in number.

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Categories RVs