Trouble Shooting Your Wheelchair Van Ramp

Posted On: 03/21/2023

How to Override Wheelchair Van Ramps 

Overriding your wheelchair ramp allows access in or out of your wheelchair van if it stops working.  This can be done on both fold out ramps or in floor ramps.  Some might have a release needing to be disengaged while others can be manually operated at any time.  Confirm the conversion brand you have (BraunAbility, Rollx, VMI, AMS) and follow these steps below to override your wheelchair van's ramp. If you find yourself having to override your ramp, be sure to contact your local mobility dealer to speak with a technician and schedule a service appointment. 

How To Override BraunAbility Ramp

To find the override button location, unfold your third-row footrest and locate the black rocker switches in the center of the seat.  The switch on the right side will be labeled Ramp. Press this switch up to override the ramp in and press it down to manually override the wheelchair ramp out.  If you press this switch and you have no ramp operation you should confirm you are pressing the ramp override and not the kneel override.  If you confirm you are pressing the correct switch and you have no ramp operation read below on how to operate the wheelchair ramp manually.

BraunAbility Ramp Manual Override

 At any moment you can manually stow your BraunAbility in-floor ramp.  Locate the handle cut out in the ramp at the end.  Lift the ramp up parallel to the ground and begin to push the ramp towards the van.  You will feel some resistance from the ramp motor, but it should not be locked up.  If the ramp motor is locked up, allow the system to release power and attempt to stow the ramp again after a few minutes.  Do not FORCE the ramp in as forcing the ramp in against power can cause major damage to the ramp motor.  When the ramp begins to stow in, keep even pressure on the wheelchair ramp until you stow it completely inside the cassette.

How To Override VMI Ramp

To operate the override feature on your VMI accessible conversion, begin on the driver side wall panel just in front of the third-row bench seat.  You will see two buttons; one is labeled Sure Deploy and the other shows in/out.  To begin you need to press and hold the Sure Deploy button until you hear a beep.  Once it beeps it is now in override mode.  Press the button to the “In” to stow the ramp in and “Out” to deploy the ramp out.  NOTE: Sure Deploy Mode is powered from its own battery.  If you hear multiple beeps when starting the vehicle, it has detected the Sure Deploy battery is low or dead.  If you put the system in Sure Deploy Mode and you are not able to Stow or Deploy the ramp you will need to replace the battery.  Read below on how to manual override VMI wheelchair conversion.

How To Manual Override Ramp VMI 

Locate the VMI manual override crank that is placed in the drive door pocket at the time of the conversion process.  In the mid-section of the vehicle on the floor near the driver side sliding door will be a cover,  lift or remove the cover and insert the manual crank into the hole aligning the tabs.  Turn the handle counterclockwise to stow the ramp in and clockwise to deploy the ramp out.  The resistance or effort needed at the beginning of the stowing process is greater as you first raise the in floor ramp parallel to the ground.

How To Override Rollx Ramp

Rollx Vans have installed an override button that is located in either the driver or passenger door jam.  Simply press this button to stow the ramp in or deploy the ramp out.  If you press the override button and do not get the ramp to stow or deploy you will need to manually override your Rollx conversion.  Read below to learn more on How to manual override your Rollx conversion.

How To Manual Override Rollx Ramp

Locate the manual override handle that is placed in the glove box at the time of the conversion process.  Locate the floor cover in the midsection of the vehicle.  Lift or remove the cover and align the bottom of the crank with the top of the motor. Turn the handle 1/2 turn to disengage the ramp motor, when released you can manually push your ramp back under the floor. When turning the handle 1/2 turn you are simply separating the drive chain from the ramp motor allowing the ramp to come in and out with little effort.

How To Override AMS Ramp

Open the front passenger door and follow down to the floor of the passenger front seat belt.  Locate at the bottom of the seat belt a silver/chrome switch.  Flip the switch in the opposite direction it's currently located in.  This will turn the power ramp to a manual ramp mode.  Now you can manually override your AMS folding ramp in or out.  

Author Information

Katie Cummings
Mobility Blogger

My professional background stems from non-profit marketing and fundraising for a large children’s cancer hospital. Every day I was able to make connections and relationships for kids and their families going through devastating times. From securing small donations to large corporate support, it was all about providing hope that one day doctors and researchers would find a cure. It was truly an honor to be a part of something so important.

Just this past year, I came to work alongside my family for BLVD.com, a website dedicated to offering the latest information and resources for people needing mobility products. This was a dream come true for me as I have always wanted to combine more time with my family while still helping others. Our family has been in the mobility industry for over 35 years with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for people with mobility issues. This is the spirit behind BLVD and what I am most excited about sharing in my blog.

I love meeting new people and have found that volunteering is the best way to learn more about others and myself. Coffee keeps me going as do walks my pup "Kirby" and most of all being with family and friends. I invite you to check out my blog to learn more about how "together we can move through life better!"

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