What to Know About Wheelchair and Power Scooter Repair

There are many people around the United States who rely on power wheelchairs and scooters to get around in their everyday lives. These devices are a great assistance and convenience in most cases, but when they develop problems it can be difficult for the average person to troubleshoot them without calling for the assistance of a professional repair technician.

While you can always call in for professional help, there are some circumstances in which you might be able to make some minor wheelchair repairs in Boca Raton, FL yourself, allowing you to avoid the big expenses associated with service calls. Here are just a few examples of situations in which you can try to make the adjustments on your own.

Diagnose beep codes

Power wheelchairs and scooters frequently have beep codes that are meant to help you diagnose the problem you’re dealing with. You should make sure to carefully read the section of the manual that tells you what these beeps mean. For example, a single beep might mean the battery charge is low, and you should charge the batteries as soon as possible. Three beeps, though, might mean the voltage of the battery is too high to operate the scooter, or that the battery is still connected to the charging port, so you should unplug the charger or turn the key off then back on again.

Some wheelchairs and scooters might have up to nine different beep codes, so you should count how many beeps there are and look in your manual to determine the correct diagnosis.

Locked joystick issues

Joysticks occasionally become locked when you inadvertently perform certain actions in sequence. For example, say you accidentally hit the power button twice—this is a common way people accidentally activate a “locked joystick” feature. Before calling for professional assistance with your wheelchair or scooter, you should read through your manual to determine what might have caused a locked joystick feature to trigger and what you can do to fix the problem. Otherwise you’ll end up paying a whole lot of money for someone to come and simply flip a switch or press a button a couple times.

Even if you haven’t had this issue happen yet, we recommend that you become familiar with the joystick locking feature and how to unlock it, because this is one of the most common issues that arises with power scooters.

Unlocked free-wheel lever issues

A free-wheel lever is a feature in most power wheelchairs and scooters, and it allows the user to disconnect the braking system manually. This is helpful if the battery runs out of power or if you wish to maneuver around manually with the scooter.

If you have a free-wheel lever with your power scooter, it’s important to leave it locked for the scooter to operate properly. Locking the free-wheel lever requires you to locate the lever on the back of the scooter and adjust it to the locked position—it’s that simple. If it’s unlocked, you won’t be able to use the motor.

For more information about power wheelchair repair in Boca Raton, FL, contact Bicycle Doctor House Calls today.

Categorised in: Wheelchair Repair

This post was written by Writer