Recently, I did an audit of all the links on my website and noticed the Omeo User Manual link was broken. I checked the Omeo website and saw the manual had been updated. After running the manuals through some PDF diffing tools, I found some just…baffling changes between the 2023 and 2025 versions, as well as some extreme requirements in the limited warranty.

The US Warranty is Extremely Strict and Hard to Find

I stumbled on the Limited Warranty documentation by pure luck. I was digging through the list of authorized Omeo dealers and found one that just happened to link to the document. This document is found nowhere on the US Omeo site and the warranty information on the New Zealand site is vastly different.

It’s fucking asinine that the warranty information is nowhere to be found on the US site. As expensive as the Omeo is, I’m stunned at how far out of the way Omeo seems to go to hide real, meaningful information from potential customers.

As for what’s actually in the warranty, it puts a huge burden on the consumer if anything goes wrong:

4.2.1. Delivery of the Omeo to Omeo Mobility, LLC.: Omeo Mobility, LLC. will provide the Purchaser with an RMA# and approved shipping container after the warranty claim/service request has been approved by Omeo Mobility, LLC. The Purchaser shall then promptly ship, within 30 days of receiving the RMA#, the Omeo, defective component, or Accessory to Omeo Mobility, LLC. or another Service Provider (as instructed by Omeo Mobility, LLC.), properly packaged to prevent damage during shipment, and with the RMA# written on the outside of the provided packaging.

If Omeo can’t resolve the issue through an authorized retailer, you’ll be expected to ship the Omeo back to them to determine if the repair falls under warranty? Who pays for the shipping to Omeo? Who knows! The warranty document doesn’t say. However, if the Omeo is found to not be under warranty, it’s extremely clear who’s on the hook for shipping it back to you:

4.2.3. Non-Warranty Service: If the Limited Warranty does not apply to the Omeo, component part or Accessory, which shall be determined by Omeo Mobility, LLC. in accordance with this Limited Warranty, Omeo Mobility, LLC., or other Service Provider, will notify the customer. The Purchaser then may elect to carry out the repair at the Purchaser’s sole cost and arrange re-delivery of the repaired Omeo, or repaired or new or reconditioned component, in accordance with clause 4.2.4 (Return to Purchaser) below.

If the Purchaser chooses not to have the item repaired or replaced by Omeo Mobility, LLC., the Purchaser shall promptly arrange for the re-delivery of the Omeo, component, or Accessory at the Purchaser’s own cost, and acknowledges that risk in such item always remains with the Purchaser from delivery under clause 4.2.1 and shall not, at any time, transfer to Omeo Mobility, LLC. Should the purchaser not make arrangements to have the Omeo shipped back to their location within 6 months from the date of notification, the Omeo, part or accessory will be considered abandoned property and will be disposed of accordingly.

Section 4.2.4 reads:

Return to Purchaser: Following repair or replacement of an Omeo, defective component, or Accessory under clause 4.2.2. or 4.2.3., the Purchaser shall then either:

(a) Pick up: if 4.2.2. or 4.2.3. applies, pick up at Purchasers own cost, the repaired Omeo, or repaired or new or reconditioned component, or Accessory from Omeo Mobility, LLC. or other Service Provider (as relevant); or

(b) Re-delivery:

(i) if IN WARRANTY request Omeo Mobility, LLC. to promptly arrange for re-delivery of the repaired Omeo, or repaired or new or reconditioned component, or Accessory, where, subject to clause 4.2.6., Omeo Mobility, LLC. shall be responsible for paying the reasonable costs of such re- delivery to the Service Provider or Purchaser.

(ii) if OUT OF WARRANTY applies, promptly arrange for and pay the cost of re-delivery of the repaired Omeo, or repaired or new or reconditioned component, or Accessory to and from Omeo Mobility, LLC. or other Service Provider.

TL;DR: If the necessary repairs to your Omeo are considered out of warranty, you’ll be paying for the repairs and the cost of shipping the Omeo back to you. If you fail to arrange shipment of the device within six months, it’s considered abandoned property and Omeo gets to do whatever they want with it.

The Maintenance Schedule is Now Weekly

Page 107 of the 2023 manual lists the following tasks as needing to be done monthly:

  • Inspect Wheel Guards for cracks, obstructions, debris
  • Check Tyre pressure and wear
  • Check Operational
    • Power on
    • Ride briefly checking all controls
    • Document usage hours / km / mi each month
    • Check torque on screws
    • Check torque on wheel nuts
    • InfoKey™ Controller
      • Battery level
      • Functions
    • Seat seal
      • Inspect around dust cover for cracks, debris, wear and tear
    • Seat mounting bolts
      • Check for tightness
    • Batteries if not used
      • Check the level on the InfoKey™ Controller or the Display Panel

In the 2025 User Manual, all these tasks are now required to be done weekly.

In addition to the now-weekly checks, there’s also a new recommended weekly checklist. From page 105 of the 2025 User Manual:

  • Check that the Omeo is charging when not in use
  • Successfully powers on
  • Check all the battery levels
  • Ride briefly testing all control functions
  • For the latest Omeo models, connect to the Omeo Online Portal (as set up during your training) to download any event logs and perform any firmware updates

Batteries Must be Charged for at Least 12 Hours Once a Week

The battery charging requirements have significantly increased—from 12 hours once a month in the 2023 User Manual:

To maintain best performance of both Battery systems, ensure the Batteries are fully charged for at least 12 hours once a month, or once every 12 hours of operation, whichever comes first.

– Page 67 of the 2023 User Manual

To 12 hours once a week in the 2025 User Manual (emphasis mine):

To maintain best performance of both Battery Systems while your Omeo is in regular use, ensure that the Batteries are kept on charge for at least 12 hours once a week, or once every 12 hours of operation, whichever comes first.

– Page 67 of the 2025 User Manual

Both documents contain the same caution and warning messages about battery drainage and the need for constant charging:

CAUTION

Failure to charge the Batteries could result in damage to the Batteries. Left unplugged, the Batteries could fully discharge over time, causing permanent damage. Use only charging devices approved by Omeo Technology / Segway.

And:

WARNING

Both of the Omeo’s charging systems automatically prevent overcharging. It is critical that you leave your Omeo plugged into AC power when it is not in use to avoid damaging both battery systems.

They want you to always keep the device plugged in and charging when not in use. If you don’t do that, you should be charging the batteries once a week at minimum.

This new charging schedule directly contradicts the one in the Segway PT User Manual (the device the Omeo is built on). From page 87:

In order to maintain the best performance from your Segway PT Batteries, fully charge the Batteries for at least 12 hours once a month, or once every 12 hours of operation—whichever comes first.

Increased Emphasis on Regular Repairs

From page 110 of the 2023 User Manual:

NOTICE

Annual servicing by a Certified Omeo Service Technician at the recommended intervals is designed to make sure that you get the best out of your Omeo and is a requirement to keep your Warranty valid.

From the 2025 version:

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Owner’s checks and servicing and repairs by a Certified Omeo Service Technician at the recommended intervals is designed to make sure that you get the best out of your Omeo and is a requirement to keep your Warranty valid.

The main problem is subject-verb agreement confusion. The sentence appears to have a compound subject: “Owner’s checks” and “servicing and repairs”—but then it uses the singular verb “is designed.” This creates two possible interpretations:

  1. Only the servicing/repairs by a Certified Omeo Service Technician are required to keep the warranty valid.
  2. Both owner’s checks and service by a Certified Omeo Service Technician are required to keep the warranty valid.

It seems nitpicky, but we’re talking about whether or not your thirty-thousand-dollar machine stays in warranty—this level of ambiguity is unacceptable. The warranty booklet states that battery damage due to improper charging is not covered by the warranty (emphasis mine):

3.1. Exclusions: This Limited Warranty does not cover damage to the Omeo or Omeo parts due to any of the following circumstances:

3.1.1. Battery damage to either the Auxiliary batteries or Lithium Ion batteries due [sic] improper charging or improper battery maintenance of the Omeo; or leaving it unplugged when not in use (see Section 8 in the Omeo User Manual);

So, if you don’t charge your Omeo for 12 hours once a week and the device stops working, you may be on the hook for some very expensive repairs—a pair of Segway batteries can retail for over two grand.

They Still Show People Using It Without a Helmet

I know, I know. I’ve covered this before. But the Omeo User Manual recommends wearing a helmet no less than six times, going so far as to state that:

…(All Omeo Technology media presented without the use of a helmet is conducted under controlled conditions by Omeo professionals and is not to be considered as standard practise.)

– Omeo User Manual, Page 3

And in absolutely none of the promo materials do you see anyone wearing a helmet. It drives me fucking nuts! It’s a repeated safety recommendation and they never fucking wear one! Not even in their promo videos!

And before you go saying, “Well, maybe all of these people were Omeo professionals,” take a look at this Omeo review by an actual wheelchair user:

As someone trying out an Omeo during a supervised trial, she is, by definition, not an Omeo professional. Not a helmet in sight! Why even have the recommendation if you’re never going to follow it?! Side note: watch the whole video—she gives some great insight into how difficult and overwhelming operating an Omeo can be.

It’s a small thing, but it highlights how deeply unserious this product is as a mobility aid.

The Underlying Technology is No Longer Being Manufactured

As I mentioned in my previous article, the 2023 User Manual references the Segway PT over 170 times. That’s because the Omeo is based on the Segway PT:

Your Omeo Evolution (Omeo) is operated by Omeo’s patented Active Seat Control system (ASC) and is powered by the safest and most reliable self-balancing technology available, the Segway PT.

– Omeo User Manual, Page 2

The Segway PT ceased production in 2020. What does this mean for the Omeo going forward? I have no idea, but the fact that they are willing to take any used Segway PT I2/X2SE and convert it into an Omeo should tell you something about their business model.

They Raised the Fucking Price Again

I’ve really kicked the whole cost thing to death, so I’ll just tell you that it went from $29,950 in 2023 to $32,500 in 2025. But don’t worry! They’ve got financing now—a 13% fixed-rate loan through what appears to be The Conrad Companies, a place with a controversial reputation.

What I Think This All Means

I think the Omeo is more expensive to maintain than originally anticipated by the company. I think the (presumably aging) Segway PT batteries are draining faster than originally promised in the Segway PT owner manual. And I think people who buy an Omeo end up using it way less than they thought they would.

Just take a look at what they added to page 105 of the User Manual (emphasis mine):

We recommend that you perform basic operational tests on your omeo [sic] on a weekly basis (especially if unused)

I think people are buying an Omeo, using it a few times, and then letting it sit unused (and unplugged) for extended periods of time, causing the batteries to discharge so low that they get damaged. I think they’re leaving their devices unplugged because they’re just too large to be kept indoors (the batteries can’t charge if they get too cold) and plugged in.

I’m pretty sure that’s why both versions of the User Manual are so adamant about you always leaving the Omeo plugged in when not using it, and why the new version of the User Manual switched to a weekly maintenance and charging schedule. The devices are going unused, causing a flood of warranty claims and maintenance costs for the company. They’re forcing Omeo owners to take more frequent care of their device or risk voiding their warranty.

Why All of This Matters

I’ve been going after Omeo since 2018. I’m sure you (and the Omeo sales agent reading this) think I should give it a rest. I can’t. I can’t stand it when companies go on and on about how much they want to make things more accessible for everyone and then turn around and try to sell an accessibility product that’s affordable to no one. If Omeo really believes that “[a]ccessibility is only accessible when it’s available for all” (whatever that means), they can start by taking a good, hard look at their product.