Can You Push an Electric Wheelchair?

While having a motorized wheelchair means that you can control it electronically, you may need to move the power chair in order to transport it. In order to ensure that your power chair is in the best shape for you to use, and in order to prevent possible damage, it is important that you implement some good habits and treat your unit with care, if you are looking to push it manually. Your electric wheelchair is equipped with a manual freewheel lever mounted on each motor. They are easily identifiable by their bright yellow tip. These levers allow you to disengage the drive motors so that you can push the chair manually.

Using the freewheel levers requires bending down, as well as pushing and pulling. You may need assistance disengaging and reengaging the freewheel levers. You might also need to ask a caregiver or loved one to operate the freewheel levers and push the chair for you.

Operating the Manual Freewheel Levers

Before disengaging the drive motors, it is imperative that you turn the electric wheelchair’s power off, or else you may get an error message on your controller. If this error code appears, you can clear it off by turning off the controller and placing the power wheelchair in drive mode. Once you turn the controller on again, the error code should be gone. If it isn’t gone after turning on the controller again, there may be an issue with your power wheelchair and you should contact your Quantum Rehab provider for service. Click the link to learn how to get your electric wheelchair repaired.

After identifying the yellow freewheel levers and making sure that the chair’s power is off, you can now push down both levers to put your chair in freewheel mode. This means that the drive motor is now disengaged and at this point, you can manually push or move the chair. When you are done pushing the power chair and want to reengage the drive motors, simply pull up both manual freewheel levers to put the power chair back in drive mode.

Using the freewheel levers requires bending down, as well as pushing and pulling. You may need assistance disengaging and reengaging the freewheel levers. You might also need to ask a caregiver or loved one to operate the freewheel levers and push the chair for you.

Things to Remember

When you disengage the motors on your power wheelchair, be sure to avoid doing so on an incline. If you do not disengage the motors on a level surface, this may result in your motorized wheelchair rolling on its own.

It’s important to understand that when your power wheelchair is in freewheel mode, the braking system on the chair is disengaged. For safety, when disengaging or reengaging your freewheel levers, be sure to stand on one side of the power chair and not directly in front or behind it.

Please be gentle with your freewheel levers, as applying excessive force could be harmful for your power chair’s freewheel levers, motors and brakes. This means not using your feet to move the freewheel levers into your desired position, nor standing on top of the freewheel levers.

We do not recommend using the freewheel lever handles as tie-down points to secure this product, as this can also damage your freewheel levers, or your chair’s brakes or motors.

For more information on using your electric wheelchair’s freewheel levers, and pushing your wheelchair, please consult the “Your Power Chair” section of your unit’s owner’s manual.

As a rule of thumb, electric wheelchairs should not get wet. But at Quantum Rehab, we know that life happens. Sometimes it rains unexpectedly. Maybe the only path you can take requires you to drive your motorized wheelchair through a puddle.

Even though Quantum Power Chairs have all passed necessary testing for ingress of liquids, it is advisable to avoid prolonged exposure of your motorized wheelchair to extreme conditions, including moisture. Direct or prolonged exposure to water or dampness could cause the power wheelchair to malfunction electronically and mechanically. Water can cause electrical components to corrode and the power chair’s frame to rust. Power wheelchairs should be examined periodically for signs of corrosion caused by water exposure, bodily fluid exposure, or incontinence. Damaged components should be replaced or treated immediately.

Should your mobility chair come in contact with water, follow these steps:

When it comes to cleaning and disinfecting your electric wheelchair, use a damp cloth and mild, non-abrasive cleanser to clean the plastic and metal parts of your motorized wheelchair. Your power wheelchair has a painted, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic body shroud that allows it to be easily wiped clean with a damp cloth. If necessary, clean your electric wheelchair with an approved disinfectant. Make sure the disinfectant is safe for use on your mobility chair before application. Never use any chemicals to clean a vinyl seat as they may cause the seat to become slippery or dry out and crack. Use soapy water and dry the seat thoroughly. Never hose off your electric wheelchair or place it in direct contact with water.