Proform Treadmill Troubleshooting
Following a strict physical regimen is something every person has become quite conscious about. It is not about the figure consciousness factor alone, but people are also becoming aware of the 'healthy living' factor. For people who do not have much time to walk or jog for long, they resort to these exercise equipment, like walking on treadmills at home, which could be termed as an alternative to the natural physical exercises. And Proform is the largest seller of this product, treadmills! But machines are after all machines and can give problems at the most unexpected times.
How to Troubleshoot Proform Treadmill?
If your treadmill has started functioning bad, the first step to be taken is to troubleshoot the problem yourself. Many a time, even for small problems, one ends up calling the repairman or the customer services, and ends up paying a bomb for a condition which could have been easily solved by oneself. Thus, it is a good idea to learn about Proform treadmill troubleshooting.
General Troubleshooting
- First unplug your treadmill. Wait for a few minutes and then plug it back again in its single outlet surge suppressor (which should be connected to a grounded outlet).
- Check for the circuit connection thoroughly. Many a time, there is a chance that the circuit breaker has tripped. This can be checked for by looking at the tabbed end of the circuit breaker (located near the power cord). If it is protruding, wait for about 5 minutes and reset the circuit breaker by pushing the tabbed end back in.
- Now, try to remove the treadmill key from its slot and try sliding it back into the slot. Check if the key is properly seated.
- Remove the treadmill key from the slot in console. Unplug the treadmill.
- Remove the three screws that are holding the hood cover (in front of the walking belt) of the treadmill in place.
- If you carefully observe the left side of the treadmill belt, there is a small magnet on the outer side of the pulley (which is located on the left side of the belt). This magnet should ideally line up with a small cylinder (placed in the treadmill frame, which is also called Reed Switch). So when you turn the pulley, the magnet lines up with the Reed switch. Check the length of the gap between the switch and the magnet. It should be about 1/8 inch wide. If it is not, remove the screw that is holding the Reed switch, and try moving it away or towards the magnet to correct the gap until the distance is 1/8 inch wide.
- Again unplug the treadmill and remove the key from the console slot. Keep your hands below the treadmill belt and try to lift it. If the belt is centered and properly tightened, one can lift both the edges of the belt about 2-3 inches.
- Carefully observe the back side of the treadmill frame. You will find two rear roller belts to either side of the treadmill belt. If the belt is held too tightly, rotate each bolt counterclockwise (take a one quarter turn), to loosen up the belt a bit. If the belt was loose, when you had lifted it, then turn the rear bolt clockwise (by 1 quarter turn).
- Now rotate the left roller belt counterclockwise (by turn), in case the belt is not exactly in center and has moved towards the right. Similarly, if the belt has moved more towards left, rotate the roller bolt in clockwise direction (by turn).
After working on Proform treadmill troubleshooting and having identified the nooks, the next step is to repair the treadmill. So before starting with steps to repair, make sure you have the warranty card, treadmill manual and the model number.
- When attempting repairs, make sure that your treadmill is unplugged. There is a troubleshooting section in the treadmill manual which will guide you through the above mentioned steps for troubleshooting and fixing up minor issues.
- Sometimes, when walking on treadmill, the device suddenly stops midway. In such a case, there could be a problem with the speed sensor of the treadmill, which may not be getting proper signals. The speed sensor has to be replaced. For that, remove the existing motor assembly first, in order to remove the speed sensor.
- Sometimes, the belt may not glide smoothly, which indicates wear and tear. This indicates that the belt needs lubrication. Steps to apply the treadmill belt lubricant are specified in the manual.
- If the motor itself is not working properly or is creating too much of noise when the machine is on, then one needs to call up the company to replace the motor assembly altogether. Before one opts for this step, it is better to take a second opinion from a professional mechanic.
However, one has to take extra care when it comes to such expensive machines. Proper maintenance techniques should be adopted to keep your machine running! So if your treadmill requires repair, better to call the customer service of the company to solve your issues with the treadmill. Good luck!!
