To purchase a high-quality mobility scooter is to make a major investment in your independence and life-quality. Hence, it is an investment you will want to safeguard for as long as possible.
Long-term reliability is the most important hallmark of a good mobility scooter. But even with the most technologically sophisticated machines on the market, periodic maintenance remains essential.
Professional servicing is essential, but how often should you have your mobility scooter serviced? Is it not possible to handle your scooter’s maintenance requirements yourself, and to skip professional servicing entirely?
Much of what goes into a scooter’s maintenance and upkeep can be handled by its user. Even so, professional servicing is mandatory to ensure the ongoing safety and efficiency of any mobility scooter.
Contents
Professional Mobility Scooter Servicing
Depending on the make, model, age, and condition of your mobility scooter, it may need to be serviced every six months or 12 months. Annually servicing is the minimum recommended frequency, but scooters that are used continuously (or for regular long journeys) should be serviced more often.
During a professional servicing, a comprehensive diagnostic will be performed on all of your scooter’s key functions. This will ensure that it is operating as efficiently as possible and that it is safe for you to continue using. If there are any minor issues that could become severe if left unaddressed, they will be brought to your attention.
Along with keeping you safe while out and about, regular servicing will also help maximise the lifespan of your scooter.
Routine DIY Maintenance
For the most part, it is how you take care of your scooter on a daily basis that will determine its performance and lifespan. Showing any mobility scooter a little TLC on a regular basis can make all the difference – as can being on the lookout for potential problems to address.
The most important things you can do to keep your scooter running safely and efficiently indefinitely are as follows:
1. Regular Cleaning
Nothing takes a toll on the performance or safety of a mobility scooter quite like the gradual accumulation of dirt, grease, grime, and general debris. It is much easier to keep a scooter clean by wiping it down on a regular basis than attempting to tackle several weeks of accumulated dirt at a later date.
2. Weather Protection
All mobility scooters are designed to stand up to most everyday weather conditions. Even so, it is advisable to protect your mobility scooter from the worst of the weather, if you are able to do so. Keeping your scooter protected with a durable cover while not in use will keep it safe from the elements, while also serving as an effective dust and dirt barrier. When you arrive home on a saturated scooter following an unexpected downpour, remove as much residual moisture as possible with a towel.
3. Battery Maintenance
Effective battery maintenance holds the key to preserving the power, performance, range, speed and overall lifespan of your entire scooter. If you do not plan on using your mobility scooter for some time, ensure the battery is not left empty. Where possible, aim to charge your battery for a minimum of 8-10 hours at a time, rather than a scant 30 minutes here and there. In addition, be mindful of how cold weather and certain atmospheric conditions (like excess humidity) can affect its trip performance and lifespan.
4. Tyre Checks
Experts generally recommend checking the tyres on your mobility scooter before and/or after each journey. This is to ensure that there is no visible damage that could compromise the safety of the scooter as a whole. Scooters with pneumatic tyres call for tyre pressure checks on a regular basis. Where tyres (solid or pneumatic) are damaged, they must be repaired or replaced before taking your mobility scooter out again.
For more information on any of the above or to discuss any of our products in more detail, contact a member of the team at Mobility Smart today.
