SmartDriveMX2+ Faces Second Safety Recall

For the second time in less than two years, companies behind the Smartdrive MX2+ have withdrawn a critical component of the popular electrical assistance device due to security concerns. On January 14, Permobil and Max Mobility announced a national withdrawal of the SpeedControl dial used with Smartdrive MX2+ after identifying a problem with the printed circuit plate that controls the unit.

According The retirementProblems include smartdrive failure to stop completely, even when Dial SpeedControl is in the off position; involuntary activation of the Smartdrive unit; unexpected loss of power; And not start.

In the Retiro announcement, Max Mobility/Permobil reported 646 complaints and at least three serious injuries. The affected owners of the SpeedControl dial are eligible for a redesigned replacement unit at no cost.

The withdrawal is especially worrying because Max Mobility/Permobil presented the SpeedControl dial as one of the solutions to a previous security problem that led to a separate retirement only 19 months ago. New mobility He informed about software problems in the watches used to control the smartdrive through Bluetooth. Multiple users complained that Smartdrive could not disconnect or respond to Bluetooth controls. In May 2023, Max Mobility/Permobil recognized the problem and withdrew 6,196 units.

Max Mobility/Permobil suggested Dial SpeedControl, which is mounted in the wheelchair and does not depend on Bluetooth, as a safer alternative. Max Mobility/Permobil also stopped selling Pushtracker watches, although he continued admitting Bluetooth control in iOS and Android watches.

Audra Watt, Marketing Vice President of Permobil Americas, says that the problem with Dial Speedcontrol was related to the material on the circuit plate. «That’s why there is a lot of variability,» she says. “We have seen some people have had no problem, and then some people had a problem almost immediately. It is very dependent on wear. «

Max Mobility/Permobil stopped sending the units in December. Watt says the company is confident that it has solved the problem and began sending fixed models in mid -January. Watt could not provide an exact number of units withdrawn from the market, but said: «They are at least several thousand.» She says that anyone who received a SpeedControl dial between August 17, 2023 and November 21, 2024 should replace it, even if it is currently working.

If you have bought a SpeedControl dial, you can request a replacement through an online portal (https://hub.permobil.com/smartdrive-scd-voluntary-field-action) or by phone contacting the technical support team Max Mobility/Permobil at 800/736-0925 (MF, 8 am CT to 5 pm CT).