You love your hoverboard and take it everywhere you go. But lately, you’ve noticed it’s not performing the way it used to. The most common problem people run into is balancing issues. If you’re having trouble with your board balancing, whether it’s just one side or both sides, we’ve included some great tips and tricks that will have your board working like new in no time.
Most hoverboards are fairly easy to work on, although more basic models will be the easiest to troubleshoot.
Learning how to repair and maintain your board is essential, in order to get the most out of your board and ensure it lasts for several years to come.
Here, we’ll go over some of the basic issues you’re likely to run into at some point, how you can fix your board’s issues and what you can do to keep your board running in top form.
What is a Hoverboard Reset and How Can it Help?
There’s a lot of talk online about the hoverboard reset. The issue with resetting a hoverboard is that it tends to only work if the gyroscopes need to be calibrated. The simplest way to determine if they need to be calibrated is to switch the board on, place your foot on the pad and twist and turn the board forward, then backward. If the hoverboard doesn’t balance or catch at all, then there’s something more serious going on and a recalibration won’t solve it.
When a reset won’t work to fix what’s ailing your board, there are some other things you can try that can easily fix your board’s balancing issues.
Hoverboard Diagnostics
First off, when trying to determine what’s going on with your board, look for the following:
- Loose wires
- Flashing red lights
- Do the board’s headlights stay on?
- Is Bluetooth working?
- When pressing the foot pads do they make any sound?
Next, you’ll want to switch on your board and look for any blinking red lights. If you find a blinking red light, make sure you count how many times it blinks. Then, check the user’s manual to look up the error code based on the number of flashes.
It’s All About Balance
If your board won’t balance, but there is no flashing red lights when you switch on the board, the next step is to check for the following symptoms:
If all of the board’s red lights remain on, including the LED lights located on the wheel wells and the headlights, then you’ll need to replace the board’s gyroscopes. Most manufacturers have designed to board’s lights to remain on as an indicator that the gyroscopes have gone bad.
You can purchase new gyroscopes straight from the manufacturer, or from online stores that deal in electric scooter parts.
To learn more about scooters and how they work, click here to visit our buyer’s guide.
Keep in mind, some hoverboards are easier to work on than others. Models such as the SWAGTRON T1 Electric Self-Balancing Scooter, is simple to maintain and repair and it comes with a great warranty.
Lights Remain On
If the red lights remain on just on one side and not all of the lights stay on, then this can indicate that only one of the gyroscopes needs to be replaced.
No Lights
If there are no lights on, then try pressing your foot on each of the foot pads. Do you hear a sound when doing so? If your answer is yes, then the gyroscopes are still good. This will indicate that the issues you’re having with your board aren’t related to the gyroscopes and may be due to a bad motherboard.
Motherboard Issues
Typically, problems with the motherboard are caused by circuit errors. Often, the motherboard will need to be totally replaced. Considering there are so many hoverboard manufacturers these days, matching the parts can be very difficult. You’ll need to ensure the new motherboard you buy is the same make and model, and year. It should also have the correct wiring, clips, and voltage.
If you purchase a hoverboard repair kit from your manufacturer, it should come with everything you need to fix this issue.
No Sound
When you pressed the foot pads, if you didn’t hear a sound, you may need to have the gyroscopes replaced, or it can be an even bigger problem. Rarely, you’ll run into problems with the rubber tips that are found in the sensors located under the gyroscope.
Other Issues
If you know how to ride a hoverboard, then you should notice even the slightest change in your board’s performance. As we mentioned, balancing issues are the most common, and there can be several reasons why your board is struggling with balance issues.
If you’ve followed the steps we’ve discussed, then there are a few other things you can try.
Loose Wires
Loose wires can cause balancing issues as well. Wires that can cause this issue include the motherboard wires, gyroscope wires, and motor wires. Other wires such as the LED light wire or the Bluetooth wire won’t cause any issues with performance.
Bluetooth Woes
When your Bluetooth suddenly stops working this can be a major indicator that your motherboard needs to be replaced. You’ll know for sure if you switch the board on and can no longer hear noise from the Bluetooth module. If you’ve suddenly lost Bluetooth capability, then you’ll need to fork over some extra cash to have the motherboard swapped out.
How to fix a hoverboard usually involves simple solutions that you can do yourself, without having to deal with the high cost of parts and repairs. If your board has a great warranty, that’s even better. Make sure you go through our list of troubleshooting advice before you decide to take your board in for repairs. These tips will help you narrow down your board’s issues, so you can easily estimate how much repairs will cost, or you can even do the repairs on your own.
