Lazy Boy Electric Recliner Troubleshooting- Quick Solution for DIYers

Everyone loves comfort.  And it’s one of the things you will get when you buy a lazy boy electric recliner. Talk about its customization and the patented features- a sight to behold.

But the comfort you seek will become a dream when those common spoiler surfaces and you don’t know some lazy Boy electric recliner troubleshooting tips.

From broken springs to footrest issues- a lazy boy electric recliner can be such a pain in the ass. As if that’s not enough, it will end up where you don’t want it to be- your garage.

If you are like me who’s willing to do anything down to any problems with power recliners to put it in check, keep reading.

Everything You Should Know About Lazy Boy Electric Recliner

lazy boy electric recliner troubleshooting

Launched in 1928, the Lazy boy electric recliner gives lots of comfort and styles to those who love mobility assistance. From traditional designs to legendary, there’s something perfect for your home.

Above all, the company makes sure these power recliners are tested multiple times to guarantee a good performance.

Care to know how your lazy boy electric recliner works to make you comfortable? It uses a four patented four-sided frame construction that is gotten from kiln-dried hardwood and a metal mechanism.

The power components embedded is secured by the four-sided frame. You can trust its construction to last longer than a three-sided grand most electric recliners possess. But that’s another story.

Common Lazy Boy Electric Recliner Problems And The Solution

I understand that you want to enjoy all your lazy boy electric recliner features, the back and leg support, the luxurious cover, and the cushy padding. But here’s the rub. Your lazy boy electric recliner is subject to troubleshooting problems, and you are not alone in this.

Here are some troubleshooting problems your lazy boy electric recliner can come up with. We’ve also provided you the solutions to fix these issues. Make sure to read them. But for manual recliner repair check this post.

  • No Longer Comfortable

Your lazy boy electric recliner may no longer be comfortable the way it used to be. It’s not you the paddling can be the problem. When your sit on it, your body will sink into the recliner and make you uncomfortable.

Your lazy boy electric recliner has become too weak- it no longer supports your body weight. The solution? Get a new paddling replacement from any authorized dealer or from online stores.

  • Broken Spring

If your lazy boy electric recliner springs get worn out or broken, the recliner will not stay up, and that can be a serious issue. But don’t panic. A new spring will do the magic.

  • Footrest Issues

If you’re having this issue, your lazy boy electric recliner movable joints are probably stiff and need lubrication. Get a good lubricant like the WD40 and flip over your recliner for application. If done the right way, that solves the footrest issues. But that’s not all.

Loosed or damaged footrest screws can also cause your lazy electric recliner to battle with the footrest.  To put this under control, re-tighten loosed screws and replace broken springs.

Grab a Philip screwdriver for this operation.

  • Electric Recliner Not Moving

Got a not moving lazy boy electric recliner? It’s one of those common issues with these things. A loose in-line plug is the most prevailing factor behind a not moving recliner. What’s the way out?

Get enough light to see through your lazy boy electric recliner base and check for loose wires. Reconnect the loose wires you sighted and go further to wrap the wires with black electrical tape to prevent future occurrences of loose wires.

  • Hand Control Stopped Working

This is more prevalent when you are closing your electric recliner with the hand control. The troubleshooting for this problem is similar to troubleshooting for a not moving recliner. The hand control wire is loosed and needs some reconnections.

Go to the base of your lazy boy electric recliner and figure out the loose wire. Reconnect and secured it with black electrical tape.

  • Too Much Tilts And Recline

When your electric recliner reclines or tilts too much, it’s a problem that needs a little fix here and there.

Increase the mechanical tension of your power recliner. The new tension should offer you maximum support when you sit on it.

  • Feet Not Touching The Floor

You don’t want to sit on a chair with your feet hanging in the air. As funny as this sounds, it’s a common issue with a lazy boy electric recliner. But there’s a solution.

Adjust the porch of your power recliner downwards to breach the gap between your feet and the floor. It sounds easy. And it is.

  • Tilts When Not In Recline Position

This can be pretty embarrassing when you’ve got a visitor in your house, and a broken recliner mechanism is responsible for that.

So what do you do? Check for any broken mechanisms and get them replaced immediately.

  • Fabric Damage

Sadly, a torn or stained electric recliner leather calls for attention faster than anything in the room. But here’s the thing. A power recliner fabric replacement is your solution.

  • Missing Parts

When you inspect your lazy boy electric recliner, there are chances that you will find a need for spare parts like a new mechanism handle. Here’s how you’d do the troubleshooting for this problem.

Visit the Amazon website and input the right keyword. And boom! Get your replacement on a platter of gold.

  • Motor Shuts Down

Now hang on. Dumping your lovely lazy boy electric recliner when the motor shuts down is not the next thing to do. Honestly, you can bring it back to life without calling technicians.

You can use the electric recliner reset button to get past this problem.

Get this: some models will display the reset button for you in the remote control, while you have to look for it yourself in other models. But bear this in mind.

You will find the reset button in a small hole that needs you to click open with a sharp item. Do this with care not to damage the button while opening the hole.

  • Lazy Boy Wireless Remote Not Working

lazy boy wireless remote

Just like everything else, your electric recliner remote button puts you in control of your electric recliner. It’s one of the determining factors of your comfort when you sit on your power recliner. Sadly, the remote can break down even for no reason.

When this happens, replace the remote control with a new one. Yes, a complete remote control replacement works like magic.

Getting Your Lazy Boy Electric Recliner To Work

Now we’ve shown you the common problems of a lazy boy electric recliner. But remember this. Don’t dump your electric recliner when you have any problems with power recliners. So what can you do about it? Check this out.

How To Fix A Lazy Boy Electric Recliner Pull Handle?

With a screwdriver and a new handle replacement, you’d raise your lazy boy electric recliner from the dead. Yes, you heard that.

You don’t need to call a technician. Thin I’m exaggerating? Follow these steps and give your lazy boy luxury-lift power recliner troubleshoot.

  1. Open the footrest and press it into a closed position.
  2. Turn over your power recliner and allow its armrest and headrest to touch the ground.
  3. Locate the screws holding the handle in place and disengage it with a screwdriver.
  4. Remove the old handle alongside the protective cover.
  5. Fasten the new pull handle with the retaining screws.

How To Fix Lazy Boy Electric Recliner Springs?

  1. Flip over the electric recliner to locate the four bolts holding the springs in place.
  2. Disengage the bolt with a screwdriver or a wrench.
  3. Remove the spring and keep it facing up on the floor.
  4. Remove the bolts connecting the footrest to the spring and tighten the new springs with a wrench.
  5. Fix the new spring replacement to the electric recliner frame and tighten all bolts.

How To Fix Lazy Boy Electric Recliner Levers?

  1. Turn over the power recliner to get at the lever.
  2. Remove the bracket fasteners and re-tight to secure the back.
  3. Flip the power recliner downwards and let it lock into the metal post.

How To Repair A Lazy Boy Electric Recliner Mechanism?

  1. Remove the cushion to see which cable is broken or loose.
  2. Replace broken cables and tighten the loose ones.
  3. Tighten the bolts and nuts holding the lever in position.
  4. Replace stripped lever and adjust bent parts.
  5. Return the electric recliner to its standing position.

How To Fix A Lazy Boy Electric Recliner Pitch?

  1. Locate your power recliner mechanisms underneath.
  2. Lose the back screws on both sides of the mechanism.
  3. Slide the frame forward to lower the base and pitch it forward
  4. Check the base settings and adjust them.
  5. Tight the back and front screws, then return your power recliner to its standing position.

How To Fix A Lazy Boy Power Recliner Footrest?

  1. Flip over your lazy boy electric recliner to access its underside. Flipping it over gives you easy to the footrest screws.
  2. Locate the brackets connecting the footrest to the recliner and check for damaged or loose screws.
  3. Tighten the loosed footrest screws with a screwdriver and replace the damaged ones.
  4. Fasten the bracket back to the recliner with a new set of screws.
  5. Return your lazy boy electric recliner to its standing position and drink a beer.

Here is a nice video for you explaining every step I just mentioned!

Easy Steps To Maintain Your Power Recliner To Make It Last Longer

A lazy boy electric recliner will last up to ten years if maintained and protected from the horny chaos of pets and kids. But we’re not going to leave you halfway.

Here’s how to maintain your lazy boy electric recliner to make it serve you for years.

  • Lubricate The Springs

Stiff springs are not uncommon in lazy boy electric recliner. They will disrupt your power recliner mechanisms and make you think your lazy boy electric recliner is spoilt.

The truck is to lubricate the springs regularly to prevent squeaking. But if the springs are overused and not firm, you should get a new spring replacement.

  • The Moderate Use Of The Mechanism

No doubts, you have a power recliner because you want to enjoy the lowering and the raising features. But here’s the thing. Overusing your lazy boy electric recliner mechanisms will cause it not to last longer.

And boom! You will find yourself battling with mechanisms issues. In essence, do not use the mechanism too often.

  • Use A Power Surge-Protector

Power surges can make your lazy boy electric recliner to malfunction and even break down completely. Get a power surge protector and plug your power recliner into it. You’ll be saving your power recliner from a significant amount of surge that can disrupt its functionality.

  • Hydrate The Leather

You do not want your lazy boy electric recliner looking all shabby and uncared for. You will find lots of leather hydrating products in the market. Buy one and make your lazy boy electric recliner stands out even in the dark.

See this: Use a slipcover to protect your lazy boy electric recliner fabric from spills. Make no mistake. Hydrating products will not be effective for your lazy boy electric recliner if it’s made with fabrics. It will do more harm than good to your power recliner.

Conclusion

You don’t have to panic when your favorite chair- lazy boy electric recliner, develops a fault. Oh! Yes! You don’t have to call an authorized dealer either.

Save your hard-earned money and become a power recliner troubleshooter. You deserve all the relaxation your Lazy Boy electric recliner will offer you.

So don’t sleep on those issues. We’d love to hear from you how our Lazy Boy electric recliner troubleshooting guide has helped you fix the issues.

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22 thoughts on “Lazy Boy Electric Recliner Troubleshooting- Quick Solution for DIYers”

  1. Enjoyed your very informative article. My wife’s Lazy boy electric recliner appears to be less powerful- functions do not happen as quick as they used to. Could it be the battery needs replacing? Can I buy a replacement Battery? Thank you.

  2. i have a lazy boy wingback recliner. one of the wings is real loose. i have had this chair for about 3 years. can it be repaired?

  3. If I had it to do over, lazy boy would NOT be in my house. They’re junk. Not the company they used to be. I write that on the wall of every restroom I go onto all across this land.

  4. not happy lazy boy chairs used to be terrific had nothing but problems and not even 5 years old my chair still makes a loud noise when eletrics operate had someone out just after we brought it and he did not fix problem

  5. I would not reccomend the purchase of a Lazyboy recliner. I purchased mine in July 2021 and the chair is not functionng with the remote. The product they are selling is pure garbage had I come to this site prior to making the purchase I would not be on this site writing my complaints. The delivery people are inept and know nothing about their products. I guess hire the handicap they are more fun to watch

  6. We bought a Lazyboy loveseat recliner -junk and 2 power rocker recliners – junk. I waited 8 months for my chair and when they delivered it, it wasn’t the power recliner. Had to wait another 8 months for the right chair to be made.I was credited a whopping $100. Finally after almost a year and a half I got my chair. My chair is one month old. It won’t recline. It rocks no matter what setting you put it on. The padding is flat after one month.
    I’am calling customer service first thing in the morning.
    My husband’s chair had a tear on the corner of the right side and the whole right side had to be replace and that was within 2 months of it being delivered.
    The loveseat which I waited 8 months for was cut into the seat with a box cutter when the delivery guys were preparing it for delivery. I had to wait 3 months for that to be repaired and the leather doesn’t match.
    My chair alone costs $2600 and it’s junk. Have I said enough???

  7. I have a 2008 Massage and Heated Lazy boy. The massage and heat no longer work. It is not the remote connection. I changed that with another Lazy boy and it worked on the other chair. How do I replace the electronic part of the chair?

  8. I have a new electric power recliner. My problem was not mentioned. Every day I move my recliner a few feet forward. By the next day, it has moved back again… I mean the whole recliner moves. I am an 80-year-old woman and cannot be moving it every day. Please help if you have heard of anything like this.

  9. ann bucaro steinhardt

    THE HEAT WILL NOT TURN OFF, I HAVE TO GET THE RECLINER INTO POSITION THEN UNPLUG IT, CAN THE REMOTE BE REPAIRED

  10. I bought a lazboy power lift recliner paid for extended warranty my recliner will not lift its only 1,5 years old used seldomly, I made 10 calls to the warranty people before I got an answer when the lady answered finally she could care less about my problem and said it would be 4 mos before they could send any one out, why did I pay extra for an extended warranty if the company thus not come to repair the recliner I will never buy a lazboy product again

  11. Sherry VanNorstrand

    My remote controlled recliner has worked fine until one day the lumbar support got engaged to extend the support and now will not retract the support which leaves a big lump pushing out in the middle of your back. The rest of the remote works fine, just the lumbar support button will not although it is clearly making contact. Any idea what can be done to fix this?

    1. Please keep in mind that attempting to repair it yourself might void your warranty, so if your recliner is still under warranty, it’s best to contact Lazy Boy’s customer support for assistance.

      However, if you’d like to try troubleshooting the issue yourself, here are some steps you can follow:

      Check the connections: Ensure that all cables and connectors between the remote, control box, and the motor are properly connected and not damaged. A loose or damaged cable might be causing the issue.

      Reset the recliner: Unplug the recliner from the power source, wait for 30 seconds, and then plug it back in. This may help to reset the system and resolve the issue with the lumbar support.

      Inspect the remote: As you mentioned the lumbar support button is making contact, it’s still worth opening the remote and checking for any damaged components or loose connections. If you find any issues, you may need to repair or replace the remote.

      Test the motor: If the issue persists, it might be a problem with the motor responsible for controlling the lumbar support. To test this, you can try swapping the motor’s connection with another motor in the recliner (e.g., the one responsible for footrest extension). If the lumbar support starts working, it indicates a faulty motor that needs to be replaced.

      Contact a professional: If you’re unable to resolve the issue with the steps above, it’s best to consult a professional technician or contact Lazy Boy’s customer support for further assistance. They may be able to provide more specific guidance based on your recliner’s model and the issue at hand.

      Remember to always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and safety precautions when attempting to troubleshoot or repair any electronic device.

  12. I was trying to lift up the footrest and did not realize the corner of footrest was hung under the corner of another chair and it broke something plastic under chair. the part fell out into floor. The footrest will not lift up. Tried calling service dept several times and could not get an answer. Please tell me what I can do to fix chair.

  13. I just bought an $1,150 (half price?) La-Z-Boy (back ordered 7 weeks) arrived in box 10/4/23.
    Problem is: it’s NOT comfortable on my butt or lower back, (Maybe I didn’t sit in floor model long enough to make informed decision?) HATED first two I tried!

    I’ve owed two recliners in my life. A $550 2008 custom order Berkline swivel rocker that was always comfortable and lasted 14 years.
    Then it’s 7/2022 replacement, a $400 Signature Ashley rocking recliner. Also comfortable. (Slept on it for 5 weeks after 7/6/23 rotator surgery.)

    The only reason I bought electric was possible Right Shoulder rotator surgery in Jan 2024. Without an electric chair, I won’t be able to have the surgery (ok, just might choose to live w/o the surgery), but fir sure, I can’t imagine having this chair that long.

    Stupidly I didn’t read my purchase paperwork, thus I missed the “5day return to get full reimbursement” clause, naturally they DONT mention it cuz I was ready to return it on day 7!
    I WAS TOLD IT “NEEDS 2b BROKEN IN”.
    So, I have 30 days from delivery
    to see if it gets “broken in” or decide to return it (myself) and get credit towards other purchases (must 1st pay $100 fee).

    My question: SHOULD an $1,150 CHAIR NEED 2B BROKEN IN?

    Feel free to respond through my email address so I can receive your comment

    1. The concept of “breaking in” furniture, including chairs and recliners, is indeed a common one. Like a new pair of shoes, some furniture may initially feel stiff and could take some time to adjust to the contours of your body, resulting in a more comfortable experience over time. This can be particularly true for materials like leather or high-density foam which can soften and become more pliable with use.

      However, the need to break in a chair and the degree to which it becomes more comfortable can vary widely depending on the materials, construction, and personal preference. An $1,150 chair is a significant investment, and while one might expect a certain level of comfort right off the bat, it’s not unreasonable for there to be an adjustment period.

      Here are a few points to consider:

      Quality and Comfort Expectations: Higher-priced chairs are often associated with better quality materials and craftsmanship, which can mean different things to different people. Some may equate quality with sturdiness and durability, which might initially come off as less comfortable, while others might expect immediate plushness and comfort due to the price.

      Personal Comfort and Ergonomics: Comfort is highly subjective, and what feels comfortable for one person might not for another. Ergonomics also play a critical role, and the chair might not be the right fit for your particular body shape or health needs, regardless of its price or quality.

      Return Policies and Customer Satisfaction: A generous return policy is often indicative of a company’s confidence in their product and their commitment to customer satisfaction. It’s unfortunate that the return window was missed, but it’s still a good sign that you have the option to return the chair for credit, albeit with a fee.

      Usage and Adjustment: As you use the chair, pay attention to whether the discomfort is lessening. If the chair has adjustable settings, experiment with them to find the most comfortable position for your body.

      Additional Support: Sometimes adding a cushion or lumbar support can make a big difference. You might want to try this as a temporary solution to see if it improves your comfort level.

      Given your circumstances, especially with the potential surgery in mind, it’s important to have a chair that you feel comfortable in and one that supports your recovery. If after a few weeks of regular use the chair does not become more comfortable, it may be wise to consider returning it and finding one that suits your needs better, even if that means incurring the $100 fee.

      Ultimately, while some degree of breaking in can be expected, you should not have to compromise on comfort, particularly when it comes to something as important as supporting your body during a recovery period. It’s better to have a chair you’re happy with in the long term than to settle for one that may not ever meet your needs.

  14. My Lazy Boy Love Seat recliner is only three weeks since being delivered. Today my grandson sat on the side I never use and extended the leg/foot rest and it will not retract. Plugs are all in, no apparent loose wires. If there is a reset button, how can I find it or do I need a repairman in so soon.

  15. My Finley lazy boy recliners’ lumber clicks when I push the button but nothing happens. All other buttons operate fine. I think it may be stuck in the full setting…what do I do to be sure of the problem?

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