NordicTrack ellipticals fare one of the most popular choices for home exercise machines out there.
They have a simple incline mechanism which uses gravity to create resistance as opposed to more complex mechanisms which use air resistance or magnetic resistance.
If the incline ramp on your NordicTrack elliptical stops working, then let’s review the most proven troubleshooting steps you should follow if your NordicTrack elliptical incline not working before calling the manufacturer or a repair person.
Without further ado, let’s get right into it!
NordicTrack Elliptical Incline Not Working – Troubleshooting Guides
There are a different reasons why your NordicTrack elliptical incline may not be working. One of them is the incline lever might not be in the right position.
The incline lever should be in the “up” position when you want to go uphill and in the “down” position when you want to go downhill.
It is also possible that there is a problem with your console wiring or your controller board.
The following troubleshooting guides will help you identify and fix your NordicTrack elliptical incline problem.
1. Check The Power Source
If your NordicTrack elliptical incline ramp is not working, the first thing to do is to check the elliptical machine’s power source.
The elliptical power source is most likely the reason for the incline to stop working. It is what provides power to the incline motor to respond and operate. If it isn’t working, the incline motor won’t work either.
Check that your elliptical is plugged in properly and that there are no loose wires or other objects in contact with the power cord.
Make sure you are using the appropriate voltage your elliptical requires. If the cord has been damaged then you may need to replace it with a new one.
2. Reset the elliptical
The incline feature is one way to increase the difficulty of your workout on your NordicTrack elliptical. On occasion, the ramp may stop functioning properly. In this case, you will need to reset the machine.
NordicTrack manufacturers recommend taking this step to keep the machine working at its best.
Get on how to reset Nordictrack elliptical first to see whether this fixes your issue, if not, move to the next troubleshooting step.
Next, you will need to re-calibrate the incline ramp by following these steps:
- Locate the up incline button next to the controls on the console. Press and hold this button until it automatically releases at a higher incline level.
- Continue holding this button as you push your elliptical backwards to increase the incline level.
- Release the button when you reach the desired incline level.
3. Check The Power Board
If the power board is damaged, the signals running through the console to the ramp will not work. Therefore, you need to check the suitability of the circuit board and the connection to the power supply cord.
Use a multimeter to see if you are getting the correct voltage coming from the console to the motor control board and then from the board to the incline motor.
If you get 120VAC from the console and from the board with the motor not moving, the board is working fine, but the motor has a bit of a problem.
However, if you have voltage from the console but not from the board, replace the board.
You will need to test the voltage both when pressing the up key and the down key.
4. Check The Incline Motor
You want to use a multimeter to see if the console is actually sending power to the incline motor when you manually press the up and down key to adjust the incline level on the console.
If the incline motor receives no voltage from the console when you manually change the incline level, then your NordicTrack elliptical console not working and needs to be replaced.
However, if the incline motor gets power from the console but still doesn’t run, then the incline motor needs to be replaced.
Next, through the use of a multimeter, check the continuity of the wire harness connections between the console and the incline motor.
If any wires are no longer working, replace them immediately.
If nothing is found, you can switch the red and black wires on the incline motor terminal block and see if it goes down.
If it does you know you are only getting voltage to one side of the motor. There is a schematic under the motor hood that tells you what the voltage should be when you press the up or down keys.
5. Break Free The Incline Motor
Sometimes the incline motor will get frozen in position and need to be broken free.
If this is your case, then try the following:
Take the motor cover off, and take the screw out of the bottom of the incline motor that is attached to the screw assembly.
Once you remove the screw you should be able to break the incline motor free. run the incline up and down with the screw still off.
Once it goes up and down, reattach it then run the calibration described above.
6. Check The Console
If the NordicTrack incline problem still occurs so far, then there is a software issue on your display console. But first try the following:
Remove The screws securing the console to the upright assembly. Lift the console and confirm that the cable connections are secure.
Remove the cover from the console’s battery bay and install a fresh set of batteries.
Pack everything back together and turn on the machine and check if the incline is working now. If not, then the console is probably damaged and you need a NordicTrack elliptical console replacement.
Conclusion
If your NordicTrack elliptical Incline not working, there are a few things you can do to fix it.
First of all, make sure that the machine is properly plugged into a power source.
If it still doesn’t work after this, check the wire harness connections from the console to the power board and to the ramp motor.
You may need to replace the power board or incline ramp motor if one gets enough power but doesn’t work accordingly.
If you have tried all the steps but still the incline on your elliptical is not functioning, you should call NordicTrack customer service at 866-538-6117.
The customer service team will help you diagnose the problem and offer solutions.
