Wheelchair users rely on their power chairs every day. They keep you moving and provide comfort during your day-to-day life. Much like anything with electrical components, you should ensure the unit is properly maintained, and an electric wheelchair is no exception. Power wheelchairs are similar to cars requiring regular maintenance and repairs. The costs of fixing a broken electric wheelchair can also be substantial. The last things you want are expensive repairs.

Sometimes wheelchair users postpone repairs or maintenance because their schedules are too busy. Unfortunately, postponing repairs only makes the situation worse.

The following steps to fix a broken power wheelchair will help you restore your chair back to its original glory, or at least close.

Understanding Beep Codes

This should go without saying but when it comes to any product you own, you should always read your user manual in its entirety. If you don’t you could end up wondering why your wheelchair is making unfamiliar beeps that in reality are codes to let the user know that something is wrong with your power wheelchair.
The first thing want to do if you’re experiencing unusual beeping patterns that render your power wheelchair disabled entirely or partially is to check your user manual for a beep code chart.

Controller/Control Modules

Moving on to what conducts message from the joystick to the various parts of your wheelchair, we land on the controller or control module. It regulates all of the necessary electronics to operate the motors and govern acceleration, deceleration, and braking.

Since this is such an important part of the electric wheelchair if damaged or broken you need to replace it immediately.
Avoiding inclement weather such as rain or snow will help ensure that the control module does not receive water damage.
Problems with the control module when using our wheelchairs?Call 213-933-4058 for more assistance.

Replacement parts

The longer you use your wheelchair, the more likely you’ll have to replace damaged or worn out parts. Wheels, caster forks and the joystick controller are all aspects of your wheelchair that can suffer damage or accelerated wear.

If you’re finding it harder to maintain control of your wheelchair, it could very well be due to damage sustained from a bump or collision. For instance, your caster forks can become loose, or your wheel may have bent slightly, and will need to be replaced or repaired. Less responsive control is not only frustrating, but also dangerous. As with a car, a broken wheelchair part which takes away control from the user will put you at risk the longer you use it.

If All Else Fails, We're Only One Call Away!
If a component of your power chair is broken and is in need of repair, please feel free to call us at 213-933-4058 or email a picture of the problem with a small description of the issue at service@asjmreye.com.

When to perform maintenance and what to look for

You’ll need tools to perform basic maintenance on your wheelchair. Helpful tools might include screwdrivers, Allen wrenches, combination wrenches, lubricant, a tire lever, a tire pump, a tire patch kit, a bucket with water, and a cloth. When transferring out of the wheelchair to do maintenance, always sit on a stable and protected surface.

Maintenance Tips

To keep your wheelchair in good working order we strongly recommend maintenance.

Steps for maintaining a power wheelchair:

1. Clean power wheelchairs often;
2. Inspect for wear & tear;
3. Tighten hardware such as on headrest and seating components;
4. Inspect the seating components such as cushions and back supports;
5. Adjust as needed;
6. Be proactive with replacement components including batteries.

Check on Electric Wheelchair Battery

If your battery isn’t working, your electric wheelchair will become a manual wheelchair. That’s not what you want if you paid for a power chair. You never want to put off inspecting your electric wheelchair battery, even if there’s a day you haven’t been using it. Always check to see that your battery has enough power and stay on top of keeping it charged. Providing proper care to your battery will keep it running smoothly.
Some things to consider when maintaining electric wheelchair batteries:

1. Keep the battery charged to full capacity, especially if it’s new;
2. Don’t let the charge level go below 70% during the first ten days of using the wheelchair battery;
3. Don’t drain batteries by more than 80%;
4. Always use the charger that comes with the battery or electric wheelchair.

FAQs

How Often does a Wheelchair Need to be Serviced?

How often your wheelchair will need to be serviced depends on the model, and how you use it. Check your user or service manual for specific guidance for your model. All wheelchairs need ongoing maintenance to continue working correctly.

What're Maintenance Tips To Keep Your Electric Wheelchair Running Smoothly?

You should:

1. Check the tire pressure each month;
2. Check the brakes weekly;
3. Clean the wheelchair regularly;
4. Tighten screws for headrests, armrests etc that may have loosened.

We hope you liked our article on fix and maintenance tips to keep your electric wheelchair running smoothly, and that it was helpful. Please let us know if you have any questions or if you would like to see more of these types of articles to our site.