Updated at: 12-07-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

One of the worst feelings is bringing something new into your home, putting it up, and being ready to use it, only to find that it doesn’t function. When a major purchase breaks, like a motorized recliner, the frustration is amplified. Nobody wants to shell out several hundred dollars for a high-end recliner only to have it break down within a year.

You may be in this situation if you are reading this post, but there’s no need to freak out just yet. You can try a few things to discover if your power recliner is truly broken or if you only need to connect some loose wires before returning it or calling the service personnel that repaired it when you bought it.

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The staff at Furniture Fair has sold and repaired countless electric recliners throughout the years. We hope that by illuminating the possible breakdown point in your recliner, we may save you a lot of time and effort.

If your reclining power chair isn’t functioning, this article will walk you through several troubleshooting techniques that you can try to solve the problem on your own.

Find Out What Your Furniture Is Plugged Into

To begin, you should establish that your electrically operated furniture is not functioning. The first thing to do after you realize something is wrong is to double-check the connection between your furniture’s power cord and the socket. It’s possible that the recliner is just disconnected.

Make sure the plug is in the right outlet and the cord is connected properly. If your furniture is still inoperable, try plugging in something else to the outlet to make sure it is functioning properly.

If the power is still off, check the circuit breakers to make sure you didn’t blow one when you plugged in the new recliner. Higher powered devices or many appliances may overload circuit breakers in older homes.

Power outages in electric recliners are unusual, however, breaker overloads do occur. To prevent this from happening, you should only plug in one appliance at a time into a single breaker.

Assess Your Power Reclining Furniture

Now that we’ve ruled out the possibility of a power outage or a tripped breaker, we can begin looking into other possible causes of the power recliner’s malfunction. Power reclining chairs, sofas, and sectionals all have their own unique wiring configurations.

Before you start troubleshooting, make sure all of the furniture is unplugged. To access the electrical outlets, you must turn your furniture over. Sofas and power reclining sectionals are heavy, so be sure you have help moving them. Call your sales rep for further information.

It’s possible that the furniture’s power switch is located in an unexpected place. Although it is less common, recliners with power switches on the back can be convenient. If there is a switch, make sure it is in the “on” position. A power indicator light will light up on several controls to let you know they are getting juice.

The recliner’s rear is the next area to inspect. If your couch’s back has a Velcro part that can be detached, do so. Do not risk ruining your furniture by trying to remove a sewn-on back.

It’s important to remember that different furniture models will have different layouts and parts, so it’s always a good idea to check the back of your furniture for wires, batteries, electrical parts, and recliner motors. Reconnect any power cords that may have become disconnected during the inspection process.

To make sure all of your cords are properly connected, it doesn’t harm to unplug and reattach them. Even motorized recliners might benefit from a simple power cycle. If you need to unplug a set of headphones that are firmly linked, all you need is a flat head screwdriver or, failing that, your keys.

Be careful not to overstretch any zip ties. It may be possible to reattach disconnected cables in a reclining chair by removing the zip ties provided by the manufacturer.

Verify that you have properly connected the battery. Even though it may seem obvious, a poor connection will result in no power being delivered from the battery pack. Verify that the power cord is connected to the battery pack on the opposite end.

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After the power reclining unit’s back has been inspected, the base can be examined. It is preferable if the recliner arm buttons had a zippered compartment where the power cords could be stored. However, not all power recliners will offer such features. When the cord is within reach, check to be that it is securely fastened.

Most recliner connection problems can be traced to the back of the base. To keep the recliner’s moving parts from getting bent out of shape, the wires should be kept taut. The wires near the motor are especially prone to damage and breakage, therefore it’s important to inspect them often.

Complete Your Assessment & Test Your Power Recliner Functions

After you’ve done the aforementioned, you may test your recliner’s features and functionality by turning it over. Congratulation if your reclining chair is now operational! You have resolved whatever power or connection problems existed.

There’s no need to worry if your recliner still isn’t functioning. If your recliner isn’t functioning properly, call customer service and let them know. Most warranties will protect your investment in a brand-new power recliner from the moment you bring it home. If you get a 5-year protection plan, you won’t have to worry about most types of damage or malfunctioning components.

A two-year protection plan is available for purchase alongside discount power reclining furniture. Coverage under the plan extends to accidental recliner collapse as well. If you didn’t purchase one of these plans, Furniture Fair will still send a service specialist to your home for an extra cost to determine if any of your pieces will need repairs.

Don’t Be Afraid To Find Out What’s Wrong With Your Power Reclining Furniture

Now that you have some notion of what to do to try and get your power chair working again, you can perhaps reclaim your living room and put an end to your power recliner woes once and for all.

You should always double-check an electrical outlet before using it, and switch-off surge protectors altogether. Make sure you double-check the wiring in your motor and the connections where the cords enter it. Last but not least, check for a solid connection by unplugging and reconnecting all wires and connectors.

Please contact our Customer Care Department or visit one of our 11 convenient stores in Cincinnati, Dayton, or Louisville if you continue to experience issues with your power recliner after reading this article.

Check out our article comparing manual and power recliners, or read more on the benefits of electric lift chairs.

Tips On How To Use Manual Override for a Power Recliner

1. Find Screw Jack

For a power recliner with a manual override, look for the screw jack.

This is a manual mode that can be accessed by the user of the power recliner.

As this is an important security feature, it will be easily accessible on the power recliner.

Explore this workaround and see how it functions by experimenting with it right now. If your power recliner isn’t functioning properly, this document will explain your options.

This quick-and-easy fix is suitable for any home power recliner and just takes a few seconds to implement.

2. Begin Twisting the Screw Jack

To answer the question “Do power recliners have a manual override? ” There’s also the matter of how to utilize the screw jack, which will leave you scratching your head.

Each situation is going to call for a different twist or adjustment of the screw jack.

It’s easy to override the automatic power setting by making little adjustments as needed.

It is common practice for businesses to install an easily-adjustable screw jack that may be used as a manual override at any moment.

When the power recliner stops functioning properly, this is the best solution.

Eventually, the power chair may reach this state, but plugging it into an outlet will do wonders for getting it to function again.

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3. Test Manual Override in Advance

In response to the question “Do power recliners have a manual override? ” And of course, you should put the manual override through its paces as well.

The point is to get familiar with this function before problems emerge and you’re trapped with a non-functioning power chair.

If you are like the many homeowners who have experienced the frustration of a power recliner that refuses to function, you are not alone.

Avoid potential safety issues with a new power recliner by always testing the manual override feature first.

The best way to prevent problems with a power recliner is to make sure the manual override works.

Also, using a power recliner in this manner is a great way to get used to and familiar with the chair’s safety features. Learning the ins and outs of the manual controls is essential.

1. Can Power Recliners Be Operated Manually?

In the event that the power recliner’s drive motor stops working, the chair may be easily and quickly reclined by hand. The process often involves a power jack on the power recliner that can be twisted or adjusted.

2. How Do You Reset a Power Recliner?

It is advisable to unplug a power recliner and turn it on its side in order to reset it. After a few minutes, the recliner will automatically return to its upright position.

Final Thoughts

Is there a way to manually override the power on a recliner?

Each power recliner constructed to meet current safety regulations will include a manual override. This is done so that when the drive motor fails or needs to be reset, the user isn’t left with a worthless seat.