The assembly of a Drive Medical disability scooter is simple to complete when following the instructions of a guide. Should any problems arise, the troubleshooting guide provides step-by-step actions to have the product working optimally again.

The Drive Medical Phoenix HD 4 is designed for long-term usage after completing the assembly of the product. This article will also provide the most effective steps to troubleshoot the quality disability scooter.

Assembly Guide for the Drive Medical Phoenix HD 4

Congratulations on your purchase! You are on the way to increasing your independence for the long term. But, before you take the Phoenix HD 4 on a spin, here is the guide to assembly.

• First, open the top of the box. Please use caution as metal staples can be harmful.

 

• Next, remove the packing Styrofoam, along with the seat assembly.

 

• For this step, we recommend having two people lift the scooter out of the box to prevent dropping the product or injury.

 

• After taking out the parts, we recommend that you verify that all parts are present.

 

• After, verifying the parts, let us begin. Loosen the tiller adjustment knob. Then, move the tiller to an upright position.

 

• You should tighten the tiller adjustment knob. It will lock the tiller in place.

 

• The next step is to safely remove the battery box from the scooter.

 

• At the bottom of the battery well, there should be the plastic packing sheet.

 

• Next, remove the plastic sheeting and discard it.

 

• The next step is to place the battery box back into the battery well.  It is imperative to verify that the arrow on top of the battery box is pointing to the front of the scooter.

 

• Having done that, locate the seat plate protection cap. It is on the bottom of the seat assembly.

 

• You will then want to remove the protection cap. Proceed to discard it.

 

• Next, install the seat assembly onto the scooter. The most effective way is to slid the seat plate into the seat tube.

 

• Following that, lift up on the seat swivel lever. Then, turn the seat to properly set the seat on the seat post.

 

• After that, install the basket. To do so align the cutouts, which are in the rear of the basket, with the basket mounting bracket on the tiller.

 

• The next step is to push the basket down until it is set into basket mounting bracket.

 

• Having completed that step, adjust the seat height by loosening the seat tensioning knob.  You will then want to remove the seat pin from the seat post and adjust the seat post up or down as needed. Reinstall the seat pin and tighten the seat tensioning knob.

 

• To adjust the tiller angle, loosen the tiller adjustment knob. Then, set the tiller to the desired position and tighten the tiller adjustment knob.

 

• It is imperative that before the mobility scooter’s first use, it should be adequately charged.  Verify that the key of the disability scooter is in the off position.

 

• Next, slide the charge port cap down.

 

• After having done that, remove the sticker, which will expose the charger port.

 

• Plug the AC end of the charger into a wall outlet.  The light on the charger should be a green color.

 

• The next step is to plug the DC end of the charger into the charger port on the tiller. If done properly, the light on the charger will be red and when the batteries are fully charged the light will be green again. At that point, disconnect the charger from the chair and the wall outlet.

 

• The battery box lets the batteries be directly charged. There is a charger port in the rear of the battery box, which can be accessed by removing the battery box from the disability scooter. For best results, follow step 22.
• Then, plug the DC end of the charger into the battery box.  When returning the battery box to the scooter, verify that the arrow on the battery box is pointing towards the front of the Phoneix HD 4.

 

• Great job! The Phoneix HD 4 is now ready to use.  Verify that the free wheel lever is in.

 

• Now, set the speed dial between the rabbit and the turtle.  The speed can be adjusted as needed.  Turn the key to the on position.  The battery indicator lights will come on. It will show the state of charge of the battery.
• When the battery indicator goes into the yellow, it is time to charge it.  Don’t let the battery indicator go into the red; if it does, the life of the battery will be shortened.
• To propel the Phoneix HD 4 forward, pull the right side of the throttle towards the handlebar.  To do the opposite, pull the left side of the throttle lever towards the handlebar, which makes the disability scooter go in reverse.

 

How do I install a motor on a Phoenix scooter?

The process is easy. Let’s start from the beginning.

1.      First, remove the seat.

 

2.      Then, proceed to separate the front and rear sections.

 

3.      Now, remove the knob, which is on top of the free wheel lever.

 

4.      Having done that, remove the Phillips screws holding the two rear shroud decorations onto the rear shroud.

 

5.      Next, remove the two Phillips screws. These were concealed by the rear shroud decorations.

 

6.      Having done that, you will want to remove the two Phillips screws at the back end of the rear shroud.

 

7.      The next step is to remove the rear shroud.

 

8.      You are doing great so far. Now, remove the free wheel lever with a 8 mm wrench or socket and a Phillips screw driver.

 

9.      After that, locate the motor/electromagnetic brake connection.

 

10.  Having done that, disconnect the motor/electromagnetic brake connection from the main wire harness.

 

11.  Good job. Please proceed to remove the rear wheels using a 13 mm wrench of socket.

 

12.  It is imperative at this point to verify that the keyway is in the slot in the wheel. The key way must be in the wheel when the wheel is installed.

 

13.  Then, place a 6 mm Allen wrench into the Allen socket head bolt. You will next use a 13 mm metric wrench or socket to remove the nut from the motor bracket. After that, repeat the step for the three remaining bolts. Afterward, lift the gear box/motor assembly from the frame.

 

14.   Lastly, install the new gear box/motor/ assembly by reversing steps one to 13.

Phoenix Flash Codes

If the CTE controller senses a fault, a number battery indicator LED lights will flash. 

 

Flash Code	Meaning	Possible Reasons and Solutions
1	Low Battery	The battery voltage has dropped below a set value.
2	Low Battery	The battery voltage has dropped below a set value.
3	High Voltage	The batteries are overcharged. If driving downhill slow down and turn lights on, if so equipped. Test the charge to ensure that it cuts off when batteries are fully charged.
4	Motor Fault	The motor current has been at the maximum value too long.         The motor may not be strong enough for the terrain (terrain to steep). The wheels may be rubbing on the frame. The motor may be faulty. Test the motor. Check the motor brushes. The controller overheats. Turn the scooter off and let controller cool down.
5	Brake Fault	Brake is disengaged, engage the brake, turn the scooter off for 5 seconds. Check the brake connections and wiring. Test the brake.
6	Throttle Fault	The throttle is misadjusted. Test and adjust the throttle. Replace the throttle if it cannot be adjusted.
7	Throttle Fault	Throttle was engaged when unit was turned on. Turn unit off  for 5 seconds and turn on without engaging the throttle.
8	Motor Fault	Check the motor connections and wiring. Check the motor brushes. Test the motor.
9	Controller Fault	Check the controller connections and wiring. Replace the controller.

How to Troubleshoot a Drive Medical Phoenix

1,2,&3  Battery Voltage – Set the multimeter to the DC 50 volt scale. Insert the test leads into the charging port on the tiller.

The voltage should read between 22 and 28

If the reading is too low, we recommend that you either replace or recharge.

On the other hand, if the reading is too high, the charger is not shutting itself off and is overcharging the batteries.

5  Controller does not “see” the electromagnetic brake.- Locate and remove the two Philips head screws securing the floorboard. Then, lift it out of the way.

 

You will then want to locate the white brake/motor connector on the controller.

 

Then, set your multimeter to the Ohms function on the RX200 scale. After that, insert the test leads into the two lower contacts and read the resistance of the motor.

 

It should read between one and five.

Now, insert the test leads into the two upper contacts. Proceed to measure the electromagnetic brake resistance — the brake must be set in the “drive.”

 

It should read between 45 ohms and 60 ohms. But, if there is no reading, you will want to check the two front to rear contact blocks. Look to see if the contacts are misaligned, or that they might be dirty or melted.

 

On the one hand, if they are misaligned follow the procedure for realigning it. However, if they are correctly aligned, you will want to measure the brake and armature resistance at the motor, or at the rear contact block.

6 The throttle is not in the neutral

A. Then, remove the six screws that secure the tiller cover and lift it out.

 

B.   Locate the Forward-Reverse throttle assembly. Then, disconnect its connector from the main.

 

C. With your ohmmeter, set on the 20K scale measure the two outside terminals of the throttle potentiometer. You should measure approximately 5K ohms.

Now, measure from each outside terminal to the center terminal. Both readings should be equal , + or – 100 ohms. If there is no reading at all in any measurement, then the throttle assembly should be replaced. If there is an imbalance, then the neutral position can be adjusted by loosening the set screws and turning the potentiometer shaft to the “electrical” center point and tightening.

 

8 Flashes-  Indicates that the controller doesn’t “see” the motor armature. You will want to follow the procedure as outlined for a 5 flash code.

9 Flashes- Unfortunately, the controller is reporting that there is an internal problem with the controller. This is a non-serviceable component and must be replaced.

The Phoenix Scooter Contact Block

Sometimes the front/back contact blocks on the frames become misaligned. This will cause the controller to not make contact with the brake/motor in the rear section of the quality mobility scooter. It will cause a 5 blink fault code. This is because the controller “thinks” the brake is either faulty or
disengaged.

 

To correct the problem, take these easy steps: with the front and back sections assembled, and the seat removed;

1.      Remove the rear plastic shroud. It will give you access to the contact blocks.

 

 

2.  Next, loosen the two screws that hold the upper block.

 

3.  After that, you will want to slide the upper block so that the contacts align on the pads.

 

4.     Now, tighten the screws.

5.     Finally, test the scooter to ensure the scooter is now functioning properly.

Install the shroud and seat.

Nationwide Mobility Scooter Store Provides Solutions

The Phoenix HD 4 is a robust product that will last years from the date of purchase. For more information on the product, reach out to one of our skilled technicians.

They can be reached at (877) 721-7748.