A mobility scooter can change a senior or disabled person’s life for the better. Rather than relying on walking aids to get from A to B, they can travel with confidence to work, a friend’s home, medical appointments, thegrocery store, or a restaurant.
For this reason, it’s bound to be concerning if you or a loved one suddenly find yourself without this helpful transportation. If you’re eager to get to the root cause, here are five possible reasons why your mobility scooter isn’t working.
1. You Need to Replace the Battery
The battery is the most common cause of a mobility scooter breakdown. After a lot of use and charging, a battery will gradually come to the end of its life and struggle to hold a charge. When this happens, you’ll need to research reliable replacement batteries for mobility scooters, which often vary from 12V 7Ah to 12V 110Ah. Once you’ve replaced the battery, you can get back on the street to restore your mobility and quality of life.
2. It’s Time to Change Your Tires
Mobility scooter tires are designed to withstand much wear and tear for hundreds of miles. If you’ve been using a mobility scooter for many years or you purchased a used model, it might be time to replace thetires. You have two options when replacing a mobility scooter’s tires: solid or pneumatic. Solid tires are more durable but less comfortable than pneumatic tires.
3. The Motor is Worn Out
If you’re confident the battery and tires aren’t to blame, turn your attention toward the mobility scooter’s motor. Despite being rather reliable, the motor can succumb to wear and tear following a lot of use. If you often bump along the road instead of gliding, a worn motor is a likely culprit. When this happens, you must contact a professional mobility scooter technician so that they can quickly repair the issue.
4. The Ignition is Faulty
Another possible cause is a faulty ignition switch. If the ignition key is sticking when you retrying to power your chosen model, or you can’t get the key out, it’s a clear sign that your ignition is faulty. The issue often occurs due to regular exposure to the elements, as the ignition is prone to corrosion, and the key may even break off in the end. If this happens, take the mobility scooter to a local technician to restore its function as soon as possible.
5. You Need to Fix the Potentiometer
If you struggle to maintain the same speed on a mobility scooter, the potentiometer is the most likely cause of the problem. This enables a user to put the scooter in a forward or backward motion when using the lever. Like the ignition, the potentiometer may corrode when exposed to extreme elements, resulting in a failing unit. The good news is that replacement potentiometers are affordable and easy to fit, which will allow you to quickly return to your normal daily routine on yourmobility scooter.
