Common Electric Scooter Issues and How to Fix Them

Most common problems in electric scooters

The problems of electric scooters can be truly many. We explain the most common ones below.

Electric scooter does not charge

Battery failure is one of the most common problems. Next to the motor, the battery is the most important part of an electric scooter, so it must be well handled. 

Overcharging and deep discharging lithium-ion batteries harms them significantly and shortens their lifespan. In order to maximise battery life, the charge level should be maintained in the 20-80% range. 

If the battery failure is critical, you can replace it with a better option. The City Lion internal battery is a high quality replacement for the original battery in your scooter. Its installation is recommended when the factory-installed battery shows signs of wear or has suffered a fault.

Flooded electric scooter

We do not recommend riding an electric scooter in the rain. Electric vehicles are sensitive to water and most scooters are not waterproof. Leaving them outside (for example, on a balcony) in a heavy rainstorm can cause a serious malfunction. 

You will then need to drain the equipment and have it examined. It may happen that a flooded electric scooter makes strange noises or breaks after some time. Then you will need the help of an expert.

Driving range is decreasing

When the driving range on a single charge decreases, there can be many causes – a wrongly charged battery, low tyre pressure, low temperatures.

However, the most common problem is battery aging (an increase in the internal resistance of the cells), which naturally occurs after years of use. In the case of cheaper and less popular brands of scooters, ageing can occur more quickly and is often due to poor quality of cell manufacture or the components used to build the battery pack. 

In this situation, it is a good idea to replace the original battery with a new internal battery. If you want to get even more range out of your scooter, you can boost it further with an external battery. This additional battery will increase the range of your e-scooter by up to 4 times.

Problem with the motor controller

A fault in the motor controller immobilises out scooter – sometimes it can be misdiagnosed as a battery problem. It occurs due to overheating (prolonged use of the vehicle’s fullest power) or flooding. Damage can also be caused by vibration on rough surfaces. 

The controller should be repaired by a qualified electronics servicer. You can handle the replacement yourself, but it is important to purchase a replacement part with the correct part code.

Problem with loose steering column

The electric scooter has a critical point due to its design – the steering column. It is exposed to a lot of stress during use. Over time, looseness can occur and the folding system tends to wear out. When this kind of problem occurs, we recommend contacting the retailer or your local electric vehicle servicing centre immediately. 

Ignoring play in the steering column can affect driving safety. Most accidents caused by the front wheel, fork or column itself breaking off are due to user negligence. 

To prevent this, it is important to pay attention to your driving technique – avoid leaning on the steering wheel and clinging to it. Try to lean all of your weight on the feet (platform), similar to the way you ride a skateboard. Avoid jumping up and over kerbstones. The handlebars are used for steerage and not as a point on which we can rest our weight.

Electric scooter shuts down or fails to start

Sometime an electric scooter will fail to start. If the scooter beeps (the LED blinks), pay attention to whether an error is displayed on the screen, for example error e1, e7 or e16. 

This is how the scooter tells you that something is wrong and the error codes allow you to decipher what the problem is – motor, brake, battery voltage or other fault. The codes are not identical for every model or brand of electric vehicle. 

You can locate them in the vehicle’s operating manual. However, if the manual does not explain the codes, we recommend contacting the retailer’s customer service where you made your purchase.

How to fix an electric scooter?

If the battery in your electric scooter is no longer working, there is a simple solution. City Lion batteries are better replacements for the original battery. They provide a safe ride and extend the range of your e-scooter.

You reach much further on a single charge, and the battery pack itself will last longer than the one original installed in the scooter you bought.

Where can I get my electric scooter repaired?

Are you confused what to do if your electric scooter no longer works? The simplest way is to ask the technical support of the retailer where you bought your scooter. Alternatively, if you don’t have a warranty, you can choose any electric scooter repair service – luckily there are more and more of them popping up.

Summary

Despite the fact of electric scooters getting broken, repairing them is fairly uncomplicated. Obviously it all depends on the type of fault, but a repair is practically always possible.

When the battery is the problem, you don’t need to buy a new scooter. Simply replace the pre-installed accumulator with a better City Lion battery. 

The electric scooter batteries manufactured by City Lion are covered by a manufacturer’s warranty, so you can use them without any risk.

Check out our batteries for electric scooters:

• Xiaomi – increase the range of your electric scooter by up to 4 times.
• Ducati – an electric scooter for adults requires a capacious battery.
• Ninebot – be always on time with a new battery for your Segway Ninebot G30 MAX scooter.
• Nanrobot – a boost to get around town quickly without constant charging.
• And more!