By Paul Somerville
If you’ve got any brand of broken electric scooter, you’re probably asking yourself right now: “How do I even get this fixed? Is the repair going to cost more than the scooter? Can I just take it to a regular bike shop?”
If you’re thinking of calling a random bicycle repair shop, or dragging it out to the curb, read this first! I’m going to take you through your best options from quick DIY fixes to warranty claims, the best solutions for flat tires, and reveal a strange fact I discovered about the warranties of Kaabo, Inmotion, Kukirin and Hiboy scooters.
The Fast and Easy Fixes
Usually, when a scooter won’t turn on or won't go, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that it’s something big or expensive, like a dead battery or a fried controller. But more often than not, the scooter is just trying to protect itself (or you). That usually means an easy fix. Let's start with some of the most common newbie mistakes:
1. The Brake Switch Trap
You turn the scooter on, everything looks fine, but when you apply the throttle, it goes nowhere. One of the most common culprits is a stuck brake light switch. Scooters are designed so you can't throttle and brake at the same time. If the scooter thinks the brake lever is being pulled, the throttle won't work. Look at your tail light: is it stuck on bright? Is it blinking non-stop, or no response at all when you pull the lever? If so, try adjusting the brake light switch or unplugging the brake cable (as a diagnostic tool) to see if the throttle comes back to life. Not all scooters have accessible cables or adjustable switches, but this is always a good place to start.
2. "Zero-Start" is Switched Off
This one seems too simple to be true, but it catches people off guard constantly. If you're used to hitting the throttle from a standstill and the scooter just going, but suddenly it doesn't, your "Zero-Start" setting might have been turned off. This can happen after an app update or if a friend borrowed your scooter and changed your settings. Give the scooter a kick-start and hit the throttle. If it goes, you just need to go into your display or app and turn Zero-Start back on.
3. The Charger Check
Some newer models will put themselves into a deep sleep mode to protect the battery, and they won't wake up no matter how many times you press power. The fix? Plug the charger into the wall, plug it into the scooter, wait a few seconds, and unplug it. This often wakes the scooter right up.
(Pro-tip: Most scooters also won't turn on while actively plugged in, so if your scooter won’t power-up make sure it’s unplugged!)
4. The Factory Reset
If your scooter powers up, but won’t go see if you can re-set it! First try power-cycling it on and off a couple times. If that doesn't work, try a hard reset. Check your app or your scooter's display interface to see if you can restore it to factory settings. If things are completely frozen, you can sometimes reset the dash by unscrewing the display from the stem, unplugging the main cable, waiting 10 seconds, and plugging it back in. Or, if you want to go deeper, you can try opening the deck and disconnecting the battery for 10 seconds and re-connecting. This one is not my favorite though, because it’s a lot of work and is not that likely to fix anything if you’ve already tried the other re-sets first. But, while you’re in there it does give you a chance to look for a blown fuse. High-power electric scooters will sometimes have a fuse holder inside the deck. Check for a blown fuse or melted connector!
Tackling Flat Tires
Tire punctures aren't covered by warranty by any electric scooter company, just like they aren't on a brand-new car. If you catch a flat, you have a few options before paying a mechanic:
The Best Defense (Sealant)
For tubeless tires (like we use on all VMAX scooters), an aftermarket sealant like Armor-Dilloz works wonders. You don't even have to take the wheel off. Just remove the valve core, squeeze in about half a bottle, replace the core, spin the tire, and air it up. This solution has worked for me every time I’ve tried it.
The Quick Fix (Tire Plugs)
If you're in a pinch, and can’t find high-quality sealant, any automotive store (and some gas stations) will have basic tire plug kits in stock. They are easy to use on tubeless tires and can act as a near-permanent fix.
When to Get Help
If you have tubed tires, tire plugs absolutely won't work and sealant+tubed tires more often makes a mess than fixes the problem. With tubes, you’ll need to remove the wheel and replace the inner tube completely as you would on a bicycle. It can be surprisingly tricky to get the tire off and back onto the wheel. So if you aren't handy with wrenches, it's time to call a local repair partner. Just be sure to call ahead, not all bike shops are willing to work on electric scooters! If you need help finding a scooter shop check out the VMAX repair partner map for a list of repair shops that we’ve checked out for you. Always call ahead to see if they’re busy and to see if they’ll work on your brand of scooter if you don’t have a VMAX (yet).
Warranty Secrets You Need to Know
If you have a mechanical failure, a solid warranty is your best friend. But not all warranties are created equal.
If your scooter is under warranty, always reach out through the manufacturer's website first. Upload photos, videos, and a description of the problem. This puts a timestamp on your issue and logs a ticket in their system. Usually, the fastest resolution is for them to ship the replacement part directly to you so you can swap it out, avoiding the massive headache of trying to box up and ship a heavy scooter across the country. It may seem like extra work to install the parts yourself, but if you’ve ever re-boxed an electric scooter you know that it’s probably easier (and way way faster) to get out the wrenches and replace the part yourself. It’s usually straightforward and if the company is any good, they’ll have a written or video guide for you to replace the part.
The Transferability Trap
Something that surprises a lot of riders is that many popular scooter brands do not allow warranties to transfer to a second owner. If you buy a used scooter from certain brands; even if it's only two weeks old, you have absolutely zero warranty coverage. Always look for companies (like VMAX) that offer fully transferable warranties, as this heavily protects the resale value of your ride, especially if you sell before the two year warranty is up!
When Is It Time to Give Up?
How do you know when to just drag the scooter to the curb? It almost always comes down to parts availability.
If a company doesn't sell replacement parts (tires, controllers, batteries, dashboards) directly on their website, they probably don't have them available for warranty claims either. If you find yourself in this situation, you've essentially bought a disposable scooter. Gambling on random internet parts because “they look like they will fit” rarely pays off, and can be a safety hazard.
Friendly reminder: If you do retire a scooter, never throw it in the conventional trash. You must responsibly recycle the lithium-ion battery! On the other hand, I’ve had success re-homing un-repairable scooters by putting them on the curb describing their current condition and possible use as passive kick scooters!
3 Takeaways for Your Next Scooter Purchase
Take the "Parts Challenge"
Spend 10 minutes on the brand's website. If you can't easily buy replacement parts for the exact model you want, walk away.
Look for 2-Year Warranties
The best companies back their hardware. Look for a full 24-month warranty that covers the major components.
Check for Transferability
A transferable warranty means a higher resale value if you decide to upgrade in the future.
Even the highest quality hardware will experience wear and tear eventually. But when you buy from a reputable brand, getting back on the road should take days not months.
Ride safe!
