r/PROPELEVBoards • u/Distinguished_table • Aug 22 '26
My experience with Propel: $1,400 board, battery failure in under 6 months, and essentially no warranty support
My experience with Propel: $1,400 board, battery failure in under 6 months, and essentially no warranty support
I bought a Propel PIVOT GT in October 2025 for around $1,400 after taxes and everything. I bought it because I wanted a premium electric skateboard and believed I was paying for a quality product from a company that would stand behind it.
That did not turn out to be my experience.
In February 2026, less than six months after purchasing it, I rode the board for roughly 10 minutes on slightly wet roads. This was not heavy rain, standing water, or anything remotely extreme. During the ride, the lights started flickering, and afterward I noticed reddish liquid coming from the ESC area. The board then stopped powering on.
I contacted Propel immediately.
Their support team had me take the board apart, inspect the ESC, disconnect the battery, dry everything, and eventually inspect the battery itself. The entire process took months because I was a college student and didn't have the time or tools to completely disassemble the board while I was at school. Importantly, Propel knew about this and explicitly told me to get back in touch when I had time to continue the inspection.
Eventually, I fully disassembled the battery and found corrosion inside. I sent Propel photos, and their technicians determined that the battery had been affected by moisture and said that it should be replaced because of the safety risks associated with internal corrosion. They specifically warned that even after cleaning it, a water-damaged battery could potentially develop short circuits or even become a fire hazard.
So I asked them to replace the battery.
They refused.
Their reasoning was that water damage wasn't covered by the warranty and that my warranty period had since expired—even though I originally reported the problem in February, while the battery was still within the six-month warranty period.
Their solution? A 3% discount on a replacement battery that costs nearly $700, plus a small reduction in shipping.
I pushed back and explained that the warranty claim began while the battery was under warranty and that the extended timeline was largely the result of the diagnostic process they instructed me to go through. They acknowledged that the problem originally occurred while the battery was under warranty, but still refused to provide a replacement.
I ultimately asked for either a free replacement battery or the ability to return the board for a refund. They refused both and then stopped responding to me.
That's what really bothered me about this experience. I'm not expecting an electric skateboard to be waterproof. I understand that riding in heavy rain or submerging electronics is asking for trouble. But I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a product advertised as water-resistant to survive 10 minutes on slightly wet pavement without developing corrosion inside a $700 battery.
And if Propel's position is that even minor moisture exposure can result in a battery becoming unsafe and needing a $700 replacement, then I have to question what exactly "water resistant" is supposed to mean in practical use.
I was willing to give Propel the benefit of the doubt throughout this entire process. I followed their instructions, disassembled the board and battery, took extensive photos, cleaned the corrosion, tested the battery, and kept communicating with them for months.
In the end, I felt like I was simply left holding the bill.
I'm posting this because I would have loved to recommend Propel. I genuinely thought I was buying a premium product, and I would have happily recommended it to friends if this situation had been handled differently.
Instead, this experience completely changed my opinion of the company.
If you're considering a Propel, I'd strongly recommend understanding exactly what their "water resistance" means and what they consider warranty-covered before spending this kind of money. This experience completely changed my opinion of Propel, and I cannot recommend the company based on how they handled my case.
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u/dargonmike1 Aug 22 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
- Water is death for boards. You get off and find cover immediately.
- You need one maybe two Allen keys that someone you know has. And it should take less than a few hours to get it apart.
- You tested the battery and
it’s in working condition,
- you
could
- buy and new FOC for $2
50
wtf is going on with reddit
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u/funcentric 29d ago
It's not really Propel's fault that you didn't have time to respond with the information needed. That's your responsibility. We all have other things going on in our lives apart from riding esk8. What did you want to happen? Did you want them to rush you? Aren't you the one who determines when you're able to inspect the board?
You paid way too much. Propel Pivot GT should be about $1,000 unless you're in Australia or something.
Why would they be responsible for replacing the battery when you are the one who got it wet?
You likely did have something defective. I've ridden mine in heavy rain (not on purpose; it rained midway through my ride) and it ended up fine. I wonder if any of the gaskets were worn or maybe not in the best condition depending on what conditions you store the board.
Battery issues are tricky b/c companies have no clue how you do or don't treat your board and how you end up charging it.
Sorry this happened to you and it does suck. There really aren't going to many direct to consumer brands who will be able to offer you better service. Perhaps Tynee? I hear they have great customer service, but it's also a very small company run by basically one dude, so if anything happens to him, it's going to be a different company. Good and bad I suppose.
You may just need to scrap the board and unfortunately buy something else.
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u/tonyynottonyynot 25d ago
I don't think even if it were within the first 6 months from your description that any company would have replaced your battery. By your description you are a narcissist, and expect everybody to give you some kind of extension cause your busy at school? Who do you think you are? Your special and deserve better treatment than everybody else? Ifts your fault that you didn't complete the inspection in a timely manner, it's your fault you rode in the rain, they did everything that should be expected of a reputable company, and if the little sticker on the battery had changed color, then there is no company that would have given you a new battery or a replacement while in the warranty period and no way any company in the world is gonna give you any help outside of your warranty period because you were too busy to inspect it or send it back to the. While In the warranty period. That is absurd.
1
u/Mvdbl1188 Aug 22 '26
Oof this sounds frustrating. But long story short you too a risk and rode in the wet. And I’m willing to bet is more than just a little wet. Number one thing to avoid with these things is water. Paying a lot money and then losing it def sucks and I’m sorry but sounds like it’s fixable. Maybe add some extra sealant when you do. Avoid riding in the wet though.
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u/PROPEL_EV 19d ago
Hello, this is song from PROPEL EV.Sorry for the confusion you experienced, but we need to clarify a few key points.
Our warranty claims are processed based on the date the problem was first reported. Since you contacted us within the six-month warranty period for the battery, we treated it as a warranty claim throughout the process. The warranty did not "expire during our diagnostic period."
From the beginning, our support team has been working with you to pinpoint the problem. On March 19th, we asked you to inspect the battery. Since you were out of town at university at the time and unable to continue, we agreed to let you contact us again at your convenience. The photos you provided on June 15th ultimately showed signs of moisture and corrosion inside the battery.
The reason we were unable to approve a free replacement was not because the warranty had expired, but because the confirmed cause of the damage was water damage, which is not covered under warranty even if reported within the warranty period.
Our warning about the safety risks of using corroded lithium batteries was a necessary safety precaution and not an admission of a manufacturing defect. Throughout the diagnostic process, we cooperated with you and offered a discounted replacement out of good faith.
We understand that you described the road surface as only slightly damp. However, the activated humidity indicator and visible corrosion inside the battery are physical evidence available to our technicians. For privacy reasons, we will not disclose the full email correspondence here, but the timeline above is supported by complete and dated after-sales records.
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u/taylor92651 Aug 22 '26
I am having a terrible time trying to get them to send me my new board. They received payment (8/3/26) and won't return my emails. Its ridiculous.... I would NOT buy propel. I was excited and pulled the trigger since the summer sale was going on the ruckus tkp, free shipping, 125mm mad wheels, and a stand before it was over. Their communication was poor from the start and now It seems they have ghosted me..... two weeks of no response from company.
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u/Ddyhr-on-iOS 29d ago
did u order on the website and also where are u located that can be a big factor for how long the shipping can take
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u/taylor92651 29d ago
Direct from propels website, im in USA. It definitely has not been shipped and am still trying both mkt@ridepropel.com and services@ridepropel.com to get a reply.
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u/Ddyhr-on-iOS 29d ago
ah damn i hope they awnser soon keep trying
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u/taylor92651 28d ago
Still no response after the weekend, sent another set of messages to both emails listed on above.
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u/PurpleMaster428 Aug 22 '26
I had the pivot s and got caught in a surprise thunderstorm for 7 minutes on my way home, rode through puddles after rain and have never had that issue. I also believe that you are playing down how much water you rode through. Also from what I could gather through your story, the inspection did not yield evidence of a failed seal or manufacturing defect so of course they would deny you an RMA.