Can you fix your electric wheelchair?

Coloradans have the Right to Repair their electric wheelchairs

From replacing power buttons to adjusting the speed and torque, Coloradans have the right to access the parts, tools, schematics and diagnostic and digital tools to fix their electric wheelchairs or take it to someone they trust to fix it. 

We sat down with two of the advocates who worked with us to win Right to Repair for electric-powered wheelchairs to talk about why this is so important and what changes they have noticed since the wheelchair Right to Repair law went into effect.

Why is fixing an electric wheelchair important?

Meet Robin and Bruce.

They have been together for over 30 years. They met at a rally for disability rights. Robin has a daughter with Down syndrome and was bringing the protesters food to show her support. 

Bruce is a retired engineer with multiple sclerosis and has been in a wheelchair for 35 years.  

They have three big, sweet, adorable dogs that they not only love to take on walks, they need to. But that can’t happen if Bruce’s wheelchair doesn’t work. 

Like so many other devices that we use, wheelchairs have gotten more and more sophisticated. Software has significantly improved the abilities and activities they can support. That in turn has improved the quality of life of those who depend on them. 

But with software comes the power for manufacturers to undermine your capability to fix your stuff, whether it’s a wheelchair, a cell phone or a blender. 

For example, if a part breaks, even if you have a perfectly good replacement part and the tools to pop it in, often the device requires a digital code or password to recognize the new part. Without that code, the device won’t work. 

Increasingly manufacturers have only provided these digital and diagnostic tools to a small set of repairers that they “authorize.” This requires customers to go through a limited number of repair companies, which can result in higher costs, fewer repair options and long wait times. 

For something like a cell phone, that may result in a consumer tossing an otherwise perfectly functional cell phone and buying a new one. That costs money and is a waste of resources that has big environmental consequences.

But for wheelchairs, it’s a completely different story. No one is simply tossing away a wheelchair and buying a new one.

Bruce and Robin experienced first hand the challenges with repair before Colorado passed its wheelchair Right to Repair law. 

For example, Bruce had a chair that required 20 repairs over the course of six months. 

Each repair required a request to the “authorized” repairer. Repair technicians can take weeks to respond to requests. And sometimes they only come to “assess” the problem. You may need to wait more time for them to come back and actually fix it.

For 6 months Bruce and Robin were unable to go about their lives as normal, such as taking their dogs on their walks. But a nonfunctioning chair is also a serious health concern, leading to sores and injuries, and even being bed bound.

In this case the chair was a lemon and they eventually got a new one. 

But simple adjustments and repairs are needed even for the best made devices – especially if you are using it for hours a day to perform actions that require sensitive calibration. 

Need to adjust the speed and torque of the wheelchair?  Call the technician. 

Replace the power button, tires, and sensors? Call the technician. 

It wasn’t easy to get parts either. Robin described scouring the internet for 3rd party parts like buttons and tires – things manufacturers could make available more easily. She and others would strip old chairs and trade with each other – hoping the chair’s software would accept the used parts without the “magical” repair code.  

These are all relatively straightforward repairs. Accessing the tools, parts, diagnostics and digital repair tools is all they need to be able to make these repairs themselves

How does the Right to Repair help?

Wheelchair users in Colorado have the right to access any tools, parts, diagnostics and repair codes that a manufacturer has so they can repair their wheelchairs or take it to a trusted repairer. 

More repair options saves Coloradans time, reduces hassle and can cut costs. 

And when it comes to people in wheelchairs, it can make a huge impact on their physical and mental wellbeing to avoid days bedridden or house bound, or using a chair that causes sores and pain.  

When the law went into effect, Robin dove in. 

Some companies refused to give Robin what she needed. But Robin was able to point to the law. 

One breakthrough came when she got access to the app that technicians use to run diagnostics and adjust system settings like speed and torque. Now those adjustments take a few minutes and don’t require a visit from a technician. 

It’s not just common sense that wheelchair users should have access to what they need to make these adjustments. It is now the law. 

And that means they no longer have to wait weeks, jump through hoops and scour the internet for hand me down parts to keep his chair functioning. 

Problems wheelchair users may still encounter

Colorado’s Right to Repair wheelchair law is the first of its kind in the country. Too many wheelchair users are unaware of the law. And there have been instances where companies are still refusing to give access to repair when requests are made. 

For example, Robin and Bruce mentioned a friend of theirs who is currently requesting access to the same app, but is being told no. 

Wheelchair users do have one challenge unique to their devices. Many get their devices through Medicaid and Medicare. There are rules and processes to get chairs fixed and get reimbursed for the repair via Medicaid and Medicare. That can limit a user’s ability to shop around for repair services. 

But if they choose to repair outside of the Medicaid or Medicare programs, they can with Right to Repair. 

Right to Repair is Colorado law, so how do you report violations? 

If a company is refusing to follow the law by not giving you access to parts, tools, digital tools, or schematics, please file a complaint with the Colorado AG. The Colorado Attorney General has the authority to enforce Colorado’s Right to Repair electric wheelchair law and can take legal action against companies for refusing to comply.  

Repair.org also has provided a helpful guide to filing a claim with step-by-step instructions. 

Coloradans have the broadest repair rights

Getting the right to repair electric wheelchairs in Colorado was just the beginning. Coloradans have the right to repair agricultural equipment. And on January of 2026, every Coloradan will have the right to repair our electronics. 

These rights are the broadest in the country. For more information check out our  State of Right to Repair report.