Onewheel GT Dead on Arrival (DOA, Ghosting)

Oskar Fällman

Updated on:

Onewheel GT doa dead on arrival ghosting

The first Onewheel GT is starting to arrive to early customers. There are initial reports around the community that people are getting dead-on-arrival (DOA) boards in their hands. Still, there is no figure on the frequency of the according and in the coming months, we will have a better understanding when the dust settles. 

Another problem that seems a bit more frequent, yet not on every board, is the Onewheel GT ghosting away. This is coming from the front pad sensor getting activated even if the user has stepped/jumped off the board. Ghosting is a dangerous phenomenon as the board can hit a bystander/vehicle or other property. Read up on your insurance as you as a rider might be responsible for the damage done by your board. (insurance Onewheel what to think about)

Ghosting: The board rides away by itself like there is a ghost riding it.

Ghosting is the reason why modifying your front pad is a big risk and not something most riders, even experienced ones do. On the Onewheel XR, there is a third party concave footpad using the Onewheel Pint sensor. The Onewheel GT uses a new sensor, with a concave design which could be the reason for it being more sensitive than the previous versions on the GT/Pint.

How to fix the Onewheel GT front pad sensor

We don’t recommend anyone to fix the sensor by themself, it’s better to contact Future Motion Inc. as you still are under warranty. The following information comes from riders in the community and any fix is applied at your own risk.

Users have reported that the grip tape on the front pad of the Onewheel GT is too tight, falsely activating the sensor, especially in cold environments. The fix is to use a heat gun/hairdryer to heat up the grip tape making it a bit looser. This could be a permanent fix as much as just a temporary. That’s why we recommend you to contact FM and let them know about the problem and also let them fix it. If the community does not contact this issue will take longer to be resolved and more riders will get defective boards out there. (parallels can be taken to the metal power button nut in the Onewheel Pint bricking boards)

onewheel lightbar not turning on

Stop the board from Ghosting Backwards

The battery box makes the Onewheel GT drop on its tail when the board is dismounted. Enabling Simple Stop will make the board think the rider wants to dismount when the tail is dropped, turning off the motor and stopping the board. This is the only “safe” way to ensure the board is not running away.

DON’T do what some users are saying, attach a leash on your board like it’s a surfboard. The Onewheel GT has a 3HP motor, weighs 35lbs, you are risking your limbs if you are connected and the board can accelerate up to speed before the leash is caught.

Future Motion Inc has issued a recall of the footpads of the Onewheel GT. Check if your board needs the newly updated pad or if you already got them installed. If you are having the old design, stop riding the board. Many users have got injured and there are hundreds of reports of people having ghosting boards.

About Oskar Fällman

Oskar Fällman, founder of FallmanTech, is a seasoned Onewheel rider and a visionary system engineer with a master's in Industrial Management and Engineering from Lunds University. With thousands of miles under his belt, Oskar combines technical expertise with a passion for technology and innovation. As a leader in the Onewheel community, he not only rides Onewheel's but also prioritizes safety, new innovations and the growth of the sport. As a system engineer he also holds a multiple patents and innovations. LinkedIn, Academia profile, Contact, Twitter, Patents.