Why does my hoverboard shake?

Buy a decent hoverboard and you can expect to enjoy hours of thrilling riding fun, but occasionally things do go wrong. If your hoverboard shakes, then dismount immediately, because there’s a problem.

No need to panic, because it might not be serious. There are several reasons for a hoverboard to shake. It could be one of the following issues:

• Underweight rider – all hoverboards specify a maximum load and you shouldn’t go over the limit, but equally, a rider who is too light can cause the hoverboard to shake. This is because the moment a rider mounts the deck, their feet put pressure on the sensors, which send signals to the motherboard, which is a bit like the hoverboard’s brain. If a rider is too light, then there isn’t enough pressure on the sensors to kick start the thing into running . If it is a child rider, the answer is to buy a smaller hoverboard, suitable for kids. Check the minimum rider weight in your hoverboard instructions.

• Your feet aren’t in the right place – the foot sensors on the deck are vital for the hoverboard’s performance and if you don’t stand on them with both feet, this can lead to problems. It might sound obvious, but some newbies do stand in the middle of the board resulting in the right signals failing to reach the motherboard. This again can cause vibrations.

• The sensors are dirty – we’re back to the sensors again. As the name suggests, they are highly sensitive and if they get covered in dirt or dislodged so that they aren’t in the right position, then they cannot detect the hoverboard’s motion or feedback information about the surface you’re riding. You’ve guessed it, the result can be that the hoverboard shakes. If you have an issue with the sensors it’s best to go to an expert, because they’ll need to be taken apart. You could unscrew the casing gently and see if they are dirty or out of place. You can clean them with a dry, soft cloth or gently reposition them. If in doubt, call an expert. If this doesn’t work, you can always try a recalibration.

• There’s a wire malfunction – hoverboards are made from a mass of tiny electronic components and sometimes there can be a problem with the wires. You can remove the casing and look at the wires to see if there is an obvious problem, but again, it’s best to leave this job to an expert.

• Battery or charger fault – if your battery is on the blink and it’s not giving out an adequate charge, this can cause the hoverboard to slow down and it might vibrate. Check your hoverboard battery with a meter and if you need to, replace the battery pack.