Permobil
Medical & mobility · Last assessed Jun 9, 2026
Read the scope and sources before applying this finding.
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The letter is the published assessment. Missing factor evidence is labeled; it does not become a zero.
Why this grade
Permobil restricts parts to authorized vendors only, arguing its power wheelchairs are medical devices requiring trained dealers. PIRG's 'Stranded' report documents that Permobil will not sell controllers to clients (only to dealers) and will void the warranty if it finds a customer obtained a controller; programming/configuration software is dealer-restricted. In Colorado testimony on HB22-1031 (the first U.S. non-vehicular right-to-repair law, signed 2022) Permobil opposed owner/independent repair access. PIRG's survey found 62% of wheelchair users wait 4+ weeks and 40% wait 7+ weeks for repairs, with parts/service waits the top complaint (channel dominated by Numotion/NSM). Mild offsets: some Permobil service manuals are publicly available (e.g., F3 Corpus PDF), and Colorado (2022) and California (2023) now legally mandate parts/tools/manual access, so the legal floor is rising.
Sources
- Colorado HB22-1031 Consumer Right To Repair Powered Wheelchairs (signed law)
- CPR: Permobil 'only provides parts to authorized vendors' (HB22-1031 coverage)
- U.S. PIRG Education Fund — 'Stranded' (Permobil controller/warranty + wait-time
- CALPIRG: California grants powered wheelchair owners the Right to Repair
- STAT News: wheelchair repair delays under Numotion/NSM
Methodology & scope
Five dimensions are scored 0–100 and weighted equally: parts availability, schematic access, repairability, OEM pricing and software freedom. The letter scale is A (90–100), B (80–89), C (70–79), D (60–69), F (below 60).
This assessment was last assessed Jun 9, 2026. Its assessment scope is Medical & mobility and is not a claim about every device the maker ships.
The record does not supply a methodology version identifier. Read the published method, limitations and version history ↗
Manufacturer response
No manufacturer response is recorded for this assessment.
What makes up the grade
- Parts Availability
- 25 / 100
- Schematic Access
- 45 / 100
- Repairability
- 30 / 100
- OEM Pricing
- 35 / 100
- Software Freedom
- 30 / 100
Grade history
No grade changes are recorded.
Corrections
Spotted an error, or have evidence we should weigh? Corrections are reviewed on the record.
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