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A powerchair that stops dead and flashes at you feels like the end of the world. Most of the time it is not the controller at all. It is a lever, a plug, or a battery, and it costs nothing to check.
The trick is knowing which controller you are looking at, because the code lists differ between makes. Get that right and the flashing lights turn from a mystery into a shopping list.
Which controller have you got?
Which controller have you got?
Manufacturers rarely print the controller name on the joystick pod, but the display gives it away. Five or six LED bars beside the joystick usually means a PG Drives VR2 or VSI, the most common setup on UK powerchairs.
A small screen with numbers is usually a PG Drives R-net or a Quantum Q-Logic. A single flashing service indicator with a picture on the pod is a Dynamic controller, seen on older Jazzy and Shoprider models. Invacare chairs use their own remote with numbered blink codes, and Permobil uses ICS with codes like 20AA on screen.
If in doubt, the user manual for your exact chair always wins, and we will happily check it for you.
Three faults to rule out
Three faults to rule out
Before you read any code, rule these out. They account for a large share of "dead" powerchairs.
The freewheel lever is out. Motor release levers on each side must be in drive mode, which usually means one lever up and one down. With them out, the chair powers up, the display looks normal, and nothing happens. This catches people out after a car journey, when whoever loaded the chair put it in push mode.
The charger is still connected. Onboard chargers inhibit drive while plugged in. Some chairs will not drive if the charger plug is in the socket even with the mains switched off, and a blown charger fuse can trigger the same inhibit.
The joystick was not centred at switch-on. Called out-of-neutral-at-power-up, this locks the chair until you let go and restart. R-net screens ask you to release the joystick within five seconds, and VR2 gives you a five-second window before it logs a fault.
Other makes, other numbers
Other makes, other numbers
Invacare remotes blink a different set:
1 blink: a module fault
2 blinks: an accessory fault, often the seat or lifter not at driving height
3 and 4 blinks: the left and right motor
5 and 6 blinks: the motor or brake on each side
7 blinks: a deeply discharged battery
8 blinks: battery voltage too high
9 and 10 blinks: the wiring between modules
11 or 12 blinks: motors overloaded or overheated
Dynamic and Shark controllers flash between one and eleven times:
1 flash: a stall or user fault
2 flashes: battery
3 and 4: the motors
5 and 6: the park brakes
7 to 10: something inside the control unit or its wiring
11: the wrong remote is connected to the power module
On a Quantum Q-Logic screen you will see numbers instead. Codes 35 and 37 mean a joystick or connection fault, and 36 and 110 mean the joystick was not centred. Codes 49 to 53 and 74 to 75 point at a motor connection, 81 to 90 at a motor or brake, and 107 simply means the charger is still plugged in.
What you can safely check
What you can safely check
Start with the simple things, in this order.
Charge the chair overnight and try again, especially after a 1 bar code
Look at the battery terminals for white or green furring, and clean them
Push every connector home until it clicks, including the joystick cable at both ends
Run a hand along the loom looking for chafing, splits or a broken retaining clip, which is a known cause of a chair that stops and starts at random
Check the rubber gaiter at the base of the joystick for splits, since water gets in through a torn one
Press the circuit breaker reset if the chair will not power up at all
Clean road salt off the frame and plugs after winter, because it corrodes connectors
Let a hot chair cool down if it cut out climbing a hill, as controllers reduce power when they overheat and recover once the temperature drops
If the chair veers hard to one side, stop. That is one motor not driving, either through a plug or a freewheel lever left out on one side, and driving it further can damage the gearbox.
Dealer-only jobs
Dealer-only jobs
Controllers, joysticks and motors are not kitchen table jobs. The manufacturer's own rules state that a joystick can only be replaced by a person authorised by the wheelchair manufacturer, and that is not just paperwork: the replacement has to be matched and programmed to the chair.
That programming also matters legally. Speed and acceleration are set to the class the chair is sold as, so a controller swapped or adjusted outside those limits can leave you with a chair that no longer matches its class.
Dealers have the fault code reader, the software and the parts to test by substitution, which is how intermittent faults actually get found. Worn motor brushes and brake faults also need the chair on a bench.
One more thing: never switch the chair off while the freewheel levers are out, and never drive in freewheel on a slope. The brakes are disengaged in that mode.
Bottom line
Bottom line
Before you ring anyone, check the freewheel levers, the charger plug and the joystick centre position. If the chair is still flashing, count the bars and look up your controller family, because a 1 bar on a VR2 is a battery question while a 3 bar is a stop-driving-now warning.
If it points at a motor, a brake or the control unit itself, leave it switched off and give us a ring. We can tell you over the phone whether it sounds like a plug, a battery or a bench job, and a dealer visit is cheaper than a burnt-out controller.
Common questions
Common questions
What do the flashing lights on my powerchair joystick mean?
On a PG Drives VR2 or VSI, count the flashing bars. One is the battery, two and four are motor connections, three and five are motor shorts, and six is an inhibit such as the charger being plugged in. Seven is the joystick, eight the control system, nine the parking brake and ten excessive voltage. Other makes use different lists, so identify the controller first.
Why will my powerchair not move when the lights are on?
Check the freewheel levers first, then whether the charger is still connected, then whether the joystick was centred when you switched on. Those three account for most chairs that power up normally and refuse to drive.
Can I replace the powerchair joystick myself?
On almost all chairs, no. Manufacturers specify that joysticks are replaced only by authorised personnel, and the new unit has to be programmed to match the chair. Fitting a second-hand pod from an auction site often produces a chair that will not drive at all.
Why does my powerchair cut out going uphill but work again later?
That is usually the controller's thermal cutback working as designed. It reduces power, or stops the chair, when the controller or motors get too hot and restores it once things cool. If it happens on gentle slopes or with a fully charged battery, get the batteries and motor tested.
Do powerchair error codes clear themselves?
Some do. Most controllers will clear an out-of-neutral or low battery trip once the cause is removed and you switch off and on. Codes pointing at motors, brakes, the joystick or the control unit usually stay until the fault is fixed or reset with dealer software, and some controllers power down after logging them.
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