Are you having trouble with your mobility scooter or powered wheelchair and unsure what is causing the problem?
We have prepared this list of basic troubleshooting tips to help you resolve the most common issues with mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs and get your equipment working again:
The mobility scooter does not work:
There are several reasons why a mobility scooter may stop working, but the first thing to check is the battery. Make sure that the charger is correctly connected to the scooter, then plug the charger lead into a standard mains socket. Continue charging the battery until the indicator shows that it is fully charged.
The mobility scooter is fully charged but does not work:
There are several reasons why a mobility scooter may not work even when the battery is fully charged:
- The key is not in the scooter: insert the scooter key into the ignition and turn it to the ON position.
- The key has not been inserted correctly: insert the scooter key fully into the ignition and turn it to the ON position.
- Manual freewheel switch or lever: make sure that the manual freewheel switch or lever is in the OFF position. This switch or lever allows you to disengage the motor and braking system if you need to push the scooter manually.
- Power-saving mode has been activated: remove the key from the scooter and wait at least 30 seconds, then insert the key again.
- The power-saving function prevents the battery from discharging while the scooter is stationary and the key remains in the vehicle. The activation time for this function varies according to the type of scooter, but it is generally between 3 and 5 minutes.
- The circuit breaker needs to be reset: press the button on the main switch to restart the motor. On some scooters, this button is marked RESET.
If you have a folding mobility scooter, you can also check the following possible issues:
- The batteries are not seated or connected correctly: make sure that both batteries are correctly positioned in the base of the scooter.
- For batteries with clip connections: make sure that both clips are fully connected to their respective battery terminals.
- The front-to-rear wiring harness is not connected: make sure that the wiring harness connecting the rear of the scooter to the front of the vehicle is correctly connected. This harness may become detached during normal use if it was not connected properly during assembly.
The battery gauge drops very low when I press the accelerator:
The scooter batteries may have a very low charge. You must fully charge the batteries before continuing to use the scooter. It may be possible to operate the vehicle with a low charge, but this is not advisable because the scooter could stop with little or no warning.
If you have been using your current battery for a long time, it may be approaching the end of its useful life. In this case, it would be advisable to carry out a load test to check its endurance.
The scooter hesitates or moves slowly even when I press the accelerator fully:
There are several reasons why this may happen:
- Low battery charge: the scooter batteries may have a very low charge. You must fully charge them before continuing to use the scooter.
- Travelling uphill: the scooter may hesitate when used on an inclined surface. Most scooters will perform well on a gentle slope, although at a slower speed, or may not move at all if the slope is too steep.
- The scooter is operating close to its maximum weight capacity: if the user's weight is close to the maximum permitted load, the vehicle may travel slightly more slowly than normal or may not move on an uphill slope.
The circuit breaker trips repeatedly:
This normally indicates a problem with the scooter batteries. You may need to charge them more frequently if they are getting old or have been in use for a long time. In this case, it would be advisable to carry out a load test to check their endurance.
If you have a troubleshooting question that has not been answered here, please email us at [email protected] and we will try to help.
