5 red flashes

Lippert Slide-Out: “5 red flashes”

warning RV slide-out error codes

Safety Keep hands, fingers, and clothing clear of the moving gear racks and pinch points while the room cycles. Use only the approved dry lube; petroleum products can damage seals.

What it means

Excessive motor current. One of the slide motors drew too much amperage, which the controller reads as binding or a stall. This is also what you see when one side of the room repeatedly stalls and stops short. The green LED shows whether motor 1 or motor 2 is affected.

Most likely causes

Mechanical binding: dirty, dry, or misaligned gear racks and the slide track most likely
Room out of sync so one side leads and jams common
Obstruction in the slide path or seals dragging hard common
Cold-stiffened mechanism or worn motor needing more amperage than the stall setting allows less common

Safe checks you can do yourself

Inspect the vertical gear racks and tracks for debris, dirt, or obstructions and clean them.
Apply the manufacturer-approved dry lubricant to the gear racks (do not use grease that traps grit).
Check for anything inside or outside blocking the room or seals dragging heavily.
Watch whether one side leads the other, which points to a sync problem (see resync steps).

How to reset / clear 5 red flashes

Clear any binding or obstruction first.
Energize the extend/retract switch once to reset the controller.
Energize the switch again to operate.
If the room is out of sync, perform the resync: hold the OUT switch until the room fully extends, then bring it IN 8 to 10 inches; repeat at least three times until both sides move together.
Tip to prevent recurrence: at the end of each full extend or retract, hold the switch about 3 to 5 seconds so the controller registers its zero point.

When to call a technician

If binding persists after cleaning and lubricating, if the room will not resync after several attempts, or if a motor/gear rack appears damaged.

Applies to

Schwintek In-Wall slide-out controller (Rev B and later) · Lippert OneControl-managed Schwintek slide systems

FAQ

What does Lippert Slide-Out code "5 red flashes" mean?

How do I reset Lippert Slide-Out 5 red flashes?

Clear any binding or obstruction first. Energize the extend/retract switch once to reset the controller. Energize the switch again to operate. If the room is out of sync, perform the resync: hold the OUT switch until the room fully extends, then bring it IN 8 to 10 inches; repeat at least three times until both sides move together. Tip to prevent recurrence: at the end of each full extend or retract, hold the switch about 3 to 5 seconds so the controller registers its zero point.

What is the most common cause of 5 red flashes on a Lippert Slide-Out?

The most likely cause is mechanical binding: dirty, dry, or misaligned gear racks and the slide track.

Related · Lippert slide-out

2 red flashes
Battery drop-out fault. During a slide cycle the system volt… 3 red flashes
Low battery at start of cycle. When you pressed the switch, … 4 red flashes
High battery / over-voltage fault. The controller saw supply… 6 red flashes
Motor short circuit. The controller detected that a motor or… 8 red flashes
Hall signal not present. The controller is not receiving the… 9 red flashes
Hall power short to ground. The power feed to a motor's enco…

Sources

Schwintek In-Wall Slideout System Operation and Service Manual — Error codes section, code 5: Excessive motor current, also indicated by 1 side of slide continually stalling (Lippert Components, Inc.)
Retiming Your Schwintek Slide-Out and Preventing Syncing Issues — Resync procedure: fully extend, retract 8-10 inches, repeat minimum three times; hold switch 3-5 sec at end of stroke (Lippert Components, Inc.)

Note: Code 5 is the classic stall/sync symptom; the resync steps come from Lippert's official retiming guidance and apply when one side leads the other.

● Last verified 2026-06-29 · compiled from manufacturer documentation. Codes can vary by model year — always cross-check your unit’s manual.