Power side steps in snow

[Punteh]

Has anyone who lives in a place that gets snow figured out a way to get the power side steps to function properly once they get snowy?

Last winter I had them stowed anytime the roads had any snow on them. But that doesn’t really work well with young kids who aren’t big enough to step in without the steps or older parents who have a much easier time getting in with the steps. So this year I put Weathertech mud flaps on hoping they would help. They help keep snow off the rocker panel but that’s it. Snow still builds up on the hinges of the steps. They’ll go up when they’re supposed to but not enough to stay stowed. We’ve had snow for a little over a week and I’d throw them in the garbage already if I could. It’s frustrating as hell that these things that cost me $2000 aren’t designed to function in a market that they’re sold in.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[KMeloney]

Wait --even stowed, your steps get covered with snow? Or, they get covered with snow when they're out and then won't stow with snow on them?

I don't think you should expect the steps to stow completely if there's snow obstructing them. And if they gather snow while out, then I'd imagine you'd want to clear them anyway if you don't want to risk slipping while using the steps.

Maybe I'm missing something...

 

[Punteh]

Wait --even stowed, your steps get covered with snow? Or, they get covered with snow when they're out and then won't stow with snow on them?

I don't think you should expect the steps to stow completely if there's snow obstructing them. And if they gather snow while out, then I'd imagine you'd want to clear them anyway if you don't want to risk slipping while using the steps.

Maybe I'm missing something...

When the steps are stowed snow builds up on them so they won’t close after they’ve been deployed by a door opening. I know, it doesn’t make much sense to me either. You would think that if the snow builds up on the stowed steps that they would still be able to close after deploying. The problem seems to be the brackets/hinges for the steps getting snow in them and that somehow affecting them re-closing. There’s never been an issue with them deploying

 

[KMeloney]

I know, it doesn’t make much sense to me either. You would think that if the snow builds up on the stowed steps that they would still be able to close after deploying.

Sorry, but no, I do NOT think you should expect the steps to stow completely if snow builds up on them. I think you need to clear the snow, just like if snow had gotten packed into any of your door jambs or under your wiper blades. But maybe that’s just me.