Lippert's Ground Control system levels your trailer with electric jacks, a level-sensing controller and a touchpad. When something goes wrong, the touchpad message usually tells you where to look. Here's how to read those messages using Lippert's own manuals, which part fixes what, and when to call a tech.
Which Ground Control system do you have?
Lippert's identification guide (QR-059) starts with the touchpad. If it says LCI or Lippert, it's a Lippert system. From there:
- Fifth wheel, electric, with round rear jack legs: Ground Control 3.0.
- Fifth wheel, electric, with all square jack legs: Ground Control 2.0.
- Travel trailer, electric: Ground Control TT, which uses front and rear jacks plus a power tongue jack.
Ground Control 3.0 and TT systems run from either a dedicated LCD touchpad or a OneControl touch panel. This guide covers the touchpad versions. Lippert's current fifth-wheel manual shows a gray touchpad and notes that units built before January 2018 used a black one. Fifth wheels with a GVWR of 15,500 lb or more, or with 20 feet or more between the landing gear and rear jack feet, get the 6-point system with middle jacks.
What the touchpad does
- Power turns the system on and off.
- Auto Level levels the trailer back to its stored "zero point."
- Front, Rear, Left and Right run the jacks. Press Front or Rear together with Left or Right to move one jack at a time. The rear jacks only extend in manual mode, and on the TT system the Front button runs the tongue jack in standard mode.
- Retract puts the system in retract mode, and an orange light confirms it.
- The arrows and Enter select menu items such as Drop Front Jacks and Auto Reconnect.
A successful run ends with AUTO LEVEL SUCCESS on the screen and a green light in the middle of the jack buttons. One thing that looks like a fault but isn't: if the rear jacks won't move one at a time but work fine during Auto Level, Lippert's Twist Prevention Protection has locked them out to protect the frame.
Check the battery first
Lippert says the system needs full battery current and voltage, and the battery should test at 12+ volts DC under load. Lippert's battery spec (QR-141) calls for at least 500 CCA, 625 MCA and/or 60 amp-hours, and warns that a weaker battery can cause unnecessary errors that require recalibration. The Low Voltage error shows up below 10.8V on fifth wheels and below 9.5V on the TT. Lippert also recommends cleaning and checking the connections at the battery, controller and jacks every 12 months.
Common messages and what fixes them
| Message | What Lippert says it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Comm Error | The controller and touchpad have lost communication. | Check the touchpad harness for loose connections or damage, and replace it if needed. If the harness is good and the touchpad itself is damaged or dead, replace the touchpad. |
| LF, RF, LM, RM, LR, RR or Tongue Jack | A Hall signal problem at that jack, or an open or short circuit between the controller and its motor. | Check the harness at both ends and the fuses at the controller, then home the jacks (below). If the error keeps returning on the same jack, suspect that jack's motor or the jack itself. |
| Out of Stroke | The jack hit full stroke, or there was an unexpected high-amp stall. | Relocate the trailer. Check the jack in manual mode or by manual override, and look for a bent or damaged jack. |
| Hall Effect Short / Hall Power Short | A short in a Hall-effect circuit. | Find the short, then repair or replace. |
| External Sensor | Bad wiring or connection to the leveling sensor. | Repair or replace the sensor connection. |
| Bad Calibration / Internal Sensor | A controller sensor problem. | Lippert says to replace the controller. |
| Auto Level Fail, Jack Time Out, Excess Angle | Ground too uneven, a time limit exceeded, the zero point set wrong, or (for Excess Angle) a loose controller. | Relocate the trailer, reset the zero point or secure the controller. No parts needed. |
| Feature Disabled | Hitch recognition can't run, the zero point isn't set, or the touchpad wasn't power-cycled between runs. | Start Auto Level with the front above level, set the zero point, or turn the touchpad off and on. |
After fixing the cause, press Enter to clear the message. If the problem is still there, the message comes back.
How to "home" the jacks
Jack-specific errors clear once the jacks are homed. Each jack needs at least 6 inches of room to retract.
- Extend the jacks enough to give each one 6 inches of retract travel: Front for the front jacks, Rear for the rear jacks, and Left and Right together for the middle jacks on 6-point systems.
- Press and hold Retract until all the jacks start retracting. They'll stop at their hard current limit, and the error should clear.
- If they won't retract, Lippert says the cause is typically a wiring interruption.
Resetting the zero point
If Auto Level keeps finishing out of level, reset the zero point. Level the trailer in manual mode, checking with a level in the center of the trailer front to back and side to side. Turn the touchpad off, press and release Front five times, then Rear five times. When the screen shows ZERO POINT CALIBRATION, press Enter and wait for "Zero point set successfully."
Manual override: moving a jack by hand
Lippert says to support the trailer front and rear with jack stands before any troubleshooting or service. Unplug the motor's power harness first to make the override easier. A 12–18 volt cordless or pneumatic screw gun is fine. Never use an impact driver, because it can damage the motor.
- Top of motor: pull the rubber plug from the port on top of the jack motor, insert a 3/8" drive ratchet and extension (no socket), and turn.
- Bottom of motor: pull the rubber plug from the bottom port and turn it with a 5/16" socket.
- Ground Control TT front jacks also have a manual override nut that takes a 3/4" socket.
If a jack won't move even under manual override, check it for bends or damage. Lippert's tables say to repair or replace a damaged jack.
Which part fixes what
- Lippert Ground Control Leveling System Touchpad (421484): Lippert's replacement touchpad for Ground Control TT and other Lippert leveling systems, with an Auto Level button. It supersedes Lippert 234802 and cross-references to Grand Design 160019, Keystone 528894 and Winnebago 332731-01-000.
- Lippert Ground Control Hall Effect Front Jack, Left or Right (305340): the 5,000-lb fifth-wheel front jack, with one jack, footpad and mounting brackets. The inner leg extends 17" and the jack retracts to 38". The pull pin (119113) and snapper pin (225598) are sold separately.
- Lippert Ground Control 3.0 5th Wheel Leveling Rear Jack Leg, Right (344792): the right rear Hall-effect jack, with motor and footpad, rated 5,000 lb with 12-1/2" of total lift. The snapper pin is sold separately. Lippert's installation manual bolts each rear jack on with 6 bolts torqued to 90 ft-lb.
- Lippert Ground Control Hall Effect Leveling Jack Motor (343758): the replacement Hall-effect motor for Ground Control 3.0, 6.69" x 7.25" with a 7.5" wiring harness. Consider it when the jack moves smoothly by manual override but its error keeps returning after the wiring and fuses check out.
Each carries a 1-year Lippert warranty and ships free to the lower 48. You'll find more leveling parts in our Lippert collection.
When to call a tech
- Bad Calibration or Internal Sensor errors, since the fix is a new controller.
- Bent jacks or damaged mounting brackets. On fifth wheels, the rear jack brackets are welded to the frame.
- Jack errors that come right back after homing, even with good wiring and fuses.
- Any job that puts you under the trailer without proper jack stands. Lippert says the system is for leveling only, never for holding the trailer up during a tire change or other service.
FAQ
Will the 421484 touchpad fit my trailer?
Lippert lists it for Ground Control TT and other Lippert leveling systems. Compare your old touchpad or your RV maker's parts list with the numbers above. If your system runs from a OneControl touch panel instead, ask us before you order.
Do I need the whole jack or just the motor?
If the jack is bent, binds, or won't move under manual override, replace the jack. If it moves freely but keeps throwing a jack error after the wiring checks out, start with the motor.
How do I keep the jacks healthy?
Clean dirt and road debris off the jacks as needed. If they stay down for long stretches, Lippert recommends a dry silicone lubricant on the exposed rods every 3 months, or every 4–6 weeks in salty environments. On very soft ground, put load-distribution pads under each jack, and never lift the wheels off the ground.