Common Electric Scooter Problems and How to Fix Them

If you experience that your scooter shuts off or cuts out while riding, it most likely means that your circuit breaker has been tripped. Check your circuit breaker and see if it is very warm or has loose wires. Make sure the wires are secured properly. Overloading or steep inclines can cause the breaker to trip. Wait for a few seconds after stopping and try starting it again.

To prevent it from happening again, go to a repair shop and have a professional check it.

This could be simple or something that needs more attention.

Make sure the power switch is on and that it works properly. I.e it is not loose or feels it is not connecting properly.

If the battery is charged and operates as it should, then a fuse is probably the culprit. It might have flipped or it has blown. Check to see if it has flipped. If so, switch back to the "on" position. If it is blown, you need to replace it.

Is it a "kick to start to start" scooter? Some scooters need to be pushed before the throttle engages.

Check the battery and recharge it if needed. If possible, see if the battery pack works on another electric scooter.

The brake lever switch is another possibility. Most electric scooters have normally open brake switches but some have normally closed brake switches. The brake switches inform the speed controller to turn the motor off when the brakes are applied.

To test for a faulty normally open brake switch, you have to disconnect the brake lever wire connector from the speed controller and then see if the scooter runs. If it does, it is a normally open type that is faulty.

Testing for a faulty normally closed brake lever switch, you must disconnect the brake lever wire connector from the speed controller, bridge the two terminals together in the controller's connector that the brake switch is unplugged from. If the scooter runs when the controller's brake switch connector terminals are bridged together, then the brake switch is a normally closed type which is faulty.

Check the battery charger port for damages, as well as the battery charger.

Check the speed controller for any burned or melted wires. If any wires are burned or melted then the speed controller may be defective.

The motor might have overheated. Melted or burned wires and connectors indicate overheating which might cause damage to the motors copper wire windings.

Look for any burned or melted wires or wire connectors attached to the motor. Burned or melted wires or wire connectors indicate overheating of the motor which may cause the plastic insulation to melt off the motor's copper wire windings.

Some electric scooters have a kill switch. It allows riders to turn the scooter on or off without using the key and is also helping to save energy after using the scooter. The recommendation is many times to turn the kill switch on when the e-scooter is charging or not in use.

Check to see if the kill switch is on before checking for a low or dead battery. If it's on, turn it off and you should be able to restart your electric scooter unless there is a problem with the battery or the motor.

If your scooter is sluggish or runs slowly, the most common cause is an old worn-out or faulty battery pack. The only remedy is to replace your electric scooter battery.

A less common issue could be a faulty motor. This is more difficult to diagnose than a battery pack as there are no similar tests easily performed to see if the motor is at fault. But 99% of the time, it will be a lack of battery power that is the reason.

Speed controller issues are not uncommon on electric scooters. The speed controller manages your speed and keeps it within a certain range. It is an important part of your e scooter that is prone to damage if you don't take care of your scooter.

The first step is to dismantle the speed controller. If any wires are burned or melted then the speed controller may be defective. Tighten or replace loose or damaged wires. Reassemble and test to see if it accelerates as it should.

This is similar to the previous issues. Check your speed controller and/or the fuse. Always check all wires to see they are attached properly and if they are in good condition.

When the motor runs constantly, it will most likely be a defective speed controller issue. See above for faulty speed controller.

On occasion, it can be a faulty throttle or short circuit in the throttle cable. To test whether this is the problem, disconnect the throttle from the speed controller. If the motor stops running, then the throttle is defective. If the motor still runs constantly, then the speed controller is defective.

The reason for this happening is that most electric scooters use a so-called MOSFET transistor, (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) for speed control. When this transistor burns out, it locks the power into the on position, causing the motor to run at full speed continuously.

This issue is usually a faulty or old worn-out battery pack. The electric scooter speed controller which is wired in between the battery and motor has a low voltage cutoff function. It turns the motor off when the voltage of the battery or battery pack drops to a 0 % charge state.

This cutoff function prevents the battery pack from being over-discharged which is crucial as if this happens, it may damage the battery in such a way that it can never be charged again.

If the battery is faulty or just old and worn out, it can drop down to zero percent when in use, and that causes the speed controller to shut the motor down. But when the motor is turned off, the voltage will rise again above zero. This then causes the motor to cycle on and off.

See above as it is most likely the same issue, a faulty or worn-out battery pack. The cutoff function preventing the battery pack from being discharged completely causes the speed controller to shut down. The voltage rises again as soon as the motor is turned off and this then results in partial throttle response.

If your electric scooter does not accept a rider on it, it is most likely due to a battery pack that is dropping power under load. The battery pack might need replacing or it can't be recharged properly.

Test the voltage of the battery pack. Perform a deep charge. Charge the battery for 48 to 72 hours. Sometimes lead-acid batteries need a deep charge to regain capacity. Doing this a couple of times per year is a good practice.

If the battery has been left uncharged for more than six months, it may not be able to charge anymore. An electric scooter battery doesn't like to be completely discharged.

Electric scooter troubleshooting will always start with checking the battery pack. This issue is also mostly due to a low or at the end of life battery. See above for info on speed controller as this also plays a part.

This is the same as when the scooter doesn't accept a rider on it. The battery pack is dropping power under load. Often caused by an old, worn out, or faulty battery pack. It might also be the charging system. Check battery charger and charger port to make sure those work properly.

This can happen if the battery pack is being discharged down to a voltage that will not run the motor. It might also be a problem with a circuit breaker, wiring, connectors, or a fuse.

Test the battery charging port, and try to deep charge the battery for 48-72 hours.

When this happens it can be caused by the following.

1. A faulty battery charger doesn't allow the battery to be charged 100%. There might be damaged, loose, or corroded wire connections or a faulty charger port.

2. The battery has been over-discharged and its voltage level is detecting this which prevents it from being charged. This can happen if the key or power switch is left in the on position for more than a couple of days. Or if the battery pack was left in storage without being fully charged or if the battery pack hasn't been charged for a long time.

Quite a few things can be going on here.

- A faulty charger port
- Faulty wiring
- Faulty connectors
- Faulty fuse between the charger port and controller
- Faulty wiring harness or connectors on the battery pack
- Faulty battery pack
- Faulty battery charger plug
- Faulty battery charger

Chargers for most electric vehicles are "smart chargers" that automatically detect the condition of the battery pack. For safety reasons, it will not recharge a battery that is over-discharged, has an internal short circuit, an abnormal voltage, an open circuit, is wired in reverse polarity, has plate vulcanization, or some other fault.

Under these conditions, the light will stay green.

First thing is to make sure that the wall outlet is functioning. Check with another appliance and also check another outlet.

If the wall outlet is working the charger should indicate red when charging.

Always plug the charger into the vehicle first and the wall second. If the charger doesn't charge and the light stays green while the battery is still empty, it means the charger port is not receiving voltage. To be sure, you can use a voltmeter to check your charger's output. You might need to get another charger. Always make sure it is of the exact same specifications as required by the manufacturer for your e scooter and also that it is compatible with your home.

If you need to get another charger it is extremely important it has the exact same Ah rating and voltage as per the instructions for your electric scooter battery. To be safe, get one from the same manufacturer.

If the wire insulation or wire connectors to the motor have melted, it was caused by overloading the controller or motor beyond its designed capacity. This can happen to electric scooters and other similar PEV:s if the vehicle is driven up an incline too steep for it, or if it's being overloaded in another way, like running through sand or mud.

Overloading an electric scooter by using it in a way it was never designed for can cause the fuse to burn out or the circuit breaker to trip. Going up steep hills, driving through mud or sand can all result in an overload.

Rubbing brake pads due to brake components not being maintained or having the proper cable tension can also cause these problems. In short, any unnecessary resistance should be avoided.

If you lose your key and don't have a spare one, usually it's best to change the entire key switch if possible. Or see if a locksmith can do a new key for you.

Fuse holder caps can unthread and pop off while riding. This is one of the most common reasons when glass fuses go missing. The spring that holds the fuse in place ejects and goes missing together with the fuse holder cap when the cap unthreads the whole way.

Check the brake pads and shoes for excessive wear and replace them if needed. If they are in good condition, try tightening the brake cable adjuster on the brake lever or on the brake itself to see if they respond better.

The best way to fix any of the above issues is to maintain your electric scooter properly and avoid these problems in the first place.

An electric scooter is a relatively low-maintenance vehicle, but it does require maintenance. You can't just ignore it. Regular check-ups and cleanings are good practice. Before and after riding.