What should I do if my stairlift stops midway on the track?

If your stairlift stops midway, stay seated with the seat belt fastened, keep your hands and feet clear of the stairs, and try the control once in the direction of travel. If it does not move, do not force the control, attempt to climb off, or try to push the stairlift along the rail. Switch the lift off only if you can do so safely, then contact Independent Stairlifts for advice.

A stairlift that stops during travel may have detected a safety issue or lost power. Common causes include an obstruction touching a safety edge, a seat or armrest not being fully in its operating position, a swivel seat that has not returned correctly, a tripped power supply, low batteries, or a fault in the lift or track system.

While remaining seated, check the following points without leaning towards the stairs or reaching beneath the lift:

• Make sure the seat belt remains fastened and the armrests are lowered correctly.
• Check that the seat is facing the stairs and, where applicable, has returned fully from the swivel position.
• Look for an obvious object on or immediately beside the track that could be touching the stairlift’s safety sensors. Do not reach under the carriage or attempt to remove anything from a hazardous position.
• Check whether the stairlift has power. If the display, indicator or usual operating light is off, there may be an interruption to the electrical supply or the lift may not be charging correctly.
• If you use a remote control, make sure nobody is pressing the other control at the same time. Do not repeatedly send commands from both controls.

If the controls still respond, try the direction button once more, using steady pressure rather than repeated short presses. Stop immediately if the lift makes an unusual noise, moves erratically, smells of burning, or shows an error indication. Do not continue operating it to see whether the problem clears.

You may be able to carry out a basic reset if your stairlift’s instructions specifically allow it. Release the control, wait for the lift to stop completely, and use the normal on/off switch or isolator as described in the manufacturer’s instructions. Restore the power only when it is safe to do so, then check whether the lift operates normally. Do not remove covers, disconnect batteries, bypass a safety switch, or alter wiring. A reset may clear a temporary interruption, but it will not correct a mechanical, electrical or charging fault.

Do not attempt to leave the stairlift halfway up the stairs unless there is no safer alternative and you have been advised how to do so. The safest option is normally to remain seated and wait for assistance. If you need to get off because of an immediate danger, tell anyone assisting you not to move the stairlift and make sure the stairs and landing are secure before transferring. Anyone who helps should follow the instructions provided for your particular model and avoid lifting or dragging you.

Contact Independent Stairlifts if the lift remains stopped, will not reset, stops again, or displays a warning or fault code. Tell us the stairlift model if known, where it stopped, whether it has power, what the indicators or display show, and whether there was an unusual sound or obstruction. This information can help identify the likely cause and determine what assistance is required.

If there is smoke, a burning smell, exposed wiring, damage to the rail or carriage, or any immediate risk of injury, keep clear, switch off the power only if this can be done without approaching the hazard, and seek urgent assistance. Never use a stairlift that has stopped midway until the fault has been checked and it is confirmed safe to operate.