If your RV toilet pedal sticks, this article will show you how to repair it.
An RV toilet foot pedal helps the toilet flush when needed and not overflow. If it gets stuck, it can lead to a flooded bathroom and other rather gross and unwanted situations that you will have to deal with.
Unfortunately, many RV toilet foot pedals get stuck after general use.
In order to prevent the bathroom from becoming flooded, you need to address the issue right away.
Depending on where you are at, you might not be able to fully fix the part, but there are things you can do to make it functional until you get back home.
This can help keep your RV bathroom functioning and in perfect condition.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
What Happens When The Toilet Pedal Gets Stuck?
To begin, let’s talk about the main reason you should want to fix an RV toilet foot pedal that gets stuck.
The point of the foot pedal is to flush the toilet and keep it functioning as it should. If it gets stuck, it can cause the toilet to leak and overflow.
Obviously, the last thing you want is a toilet to leak and overflow, especially in an RV. This will create a gross mess that you have to clean up.
Depending on how long the toilet leaks without your knowledge, it can also lead to a lot of water damage.
It’s important to address an RV pedal that is starting to get stuck sooner rather than later. The longer you let it go on, the worse it will begin to stick, leading to more issues down the line.
An RV pedal that is just beginning to get stuck is a sign of a much bigger issue.
Read also:
>> The 7 Best Composting Toilet for RVs // How To Use?
>> Best Portable Camping Toilets for Vans, Cars, and RVs (11 Facts)
>> Cassette Toilet – What Is it? Where Do You Dump It? How Do You Use it?
Why The RV Toilet Foot Pedal Sticks
If you notice that your RV toilet pedal is sticking, it’s important to find out why so that you can best address the issue.
There are quite a few reasons why the foot pedal can stick, but two reasons are more prevalent than others.
“The most common reason for an RV toilet foot pedal that sticks is gunk and other items simply making it difficult for it to spring back to its own position.”
Cleaning out around the foot pedal should do the trick for the time being.
It makes sense that age and debris are the number one cause for a stuck pedal. The bathrooms see a lot of moisture, dirt, and other gross items.
This can get stuck underneath the pedal, causing the pedal itself to stick.
This is especially true if you have not cleaned or replaced the pedal in some time because the debris will continue to build up over the years.
Another reason why an RV toilet foot pedal could stick is that it is winter and different parts are freezing because of water exposure and cold temperatures.
Dethawing and then applying antifreeze to the toilet should prevent the toilet pedal from sticking again.
How To Fix The RV Toilet Foot Pedal
How you fix a stuck RV toilet foot pedal depends on the issue.
If the foot pedal is stuck because of gunk and other items, you will want to temporarily clean out the part but replace it with a new one when you get home.
For a frozen pedal, you simply need to thaw it out, fix leaks if necessary, and apply antifreeze.
Temporary Fix For Gunk Around The Pedal
If you think that general gunk and age are to blame for your stuck RV toilet foot pedal, you will need to clean the pedal so that it is fixed temporarily.
Even when you clean the pedal, it is still best to replace it whenever you get home because it could continue getting dirty and eventually flood the bathroom.
What you will need to do is clean and lube the part. Most RV manufacturers recommend using a petroleum-based lube on the metal plunger.
Keep pumping the pedal and adding lubricant until the pedal comes loose. This should fix the immediate problem.
Some RV owners who found themselves in the same situation recommended cleaning under the seal and then lubricating it with vegetable oil.
They also recommended spraying dry silicone on the pedal mechanism. This is very similar to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and it should last for a couple of months.
Frozen Fix
If you notice that the foot pedal is stuck because it is frozen, there are multiple things you need to do. Firstly, try to detect where the water is coming from.
In the foot pedal, water should not be leaking out unless there is an issue. You might not be able to find where the leak is located without dethawing the pedal first.
You can easily dethaw the pedal using a hairdryer. Blow the hairdryer all over the pedal, but do not focus on one spot for too long.
Do this until it is completely thawed out. At this point, you should be able to determine if there is a leak. Fix the leak accordingly.
Sometimes, the water may have just come from a spill, meaning there is no leak. In that case, you don’t have much more to do.
Just make sure to add antifreeze to the toilet and winterize the entire RV if you have not already.
Read also: This Is Why Your RV Toilet Foot Pedal is Leaking – [How to Repair]
When Should You Replace A Stuck RV Toilet Foot Pedal?
If gunk and wear is to blame for your RV toilet pedal sticking, you should fix the immediate problem by cleaning it and lubricating it, as we mentioned above. However, this only provides a temporary fix.
You will need to replace the part whenever you get the chance.
Most RV owners who found themselves in the same situation said that cleaning and lubricating the seal is a good temporary fix.
This can last as much as six months. At the same time, once this happens to the RV toilet foot pedal, it will easily happen again.
If you are on the road when the RV foot pedal becomes stuck, simply clean and lubricate it. Whenever you get home, it’s best to replace the seal.
This will prevent the pedal from getting stuck in the future and breaking completely, leaving you with a mess.
RV Toilet Foot Pedal Repair
How to repair a broken foot pedal flusher on an RV toilet >> Check out the video below:
Dometic RV Toilet Foot Pedal Repair
RV toilet pedal Replacement >> Check out the video below:
RV Toilet Foot Pedal Spring
If your flushing pedal comes off of your RV toilet and the spring pops out this is the 2 dollar way to wind the spring back on.
We made many phones calls for help on this issue and were told there was no way to fix it and we would have to purchase a whole new base for the toilet…..wrong!
This took less than 5 minutes to fix. We hope it helps >> Thetford RV toilet spring repair – Check out the video below:
Final Thoughts
If you notice that your RV toilet foot pedal is getting stuck, you need to address the issue immediately. If you continue to let it get stuck, it can easily lead to an overflown and flooded bathroom, which no one wants.
Most likely, the pedal is getting stuck because of junk and other debris packing around the pedal. This causes the pedal to not move as it should.
Simply clean out and lubricate the pedal for the time being. However, we recommend completely replacing the part once this happens.
A stuck foot pedal can also be caused by freezing. This is less likely, but it is completely possible. Make sure there are no leaks and winterize your RV completely.
Just following these few steps, you should be able to address a stuck RV toilet foot pedal so that your bathroom works as it should.
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