CPAP Troubleshoot: “Motor Life Exceeded”

If you’ve been using your CPAP or BiPAP a while, you may have encountered a warning message that says “Motor Life Exceeded”.

Sounds concerning, especially if you’re someone who depends on your device every night.

The good news is that a “Motor Life Exceeded” warning doesn’t necessarily mean you need to immediately buy a new CPAP device or get yours repaired. It’s a message that automatically appears once the device has been used for a certain number of hours – the exact number varies by model – regardless of whether there’s an actual problem with your unit.

Think of it as a heads-up that your road will be closed in six weeks – you still have some time to travel safely before it’s time to take a detour.

So what should you do? If you wish, you can continue to use your CPAP device safely until you experience problems with it. Usually the first problem you’ll encounter with an motor that’s past its useful life is excessive noise, keeping you and your bed partner awake at night.

If you’d rather play it safe, or if your CPAP machine is already becoming noisy, send it in to CPAP Medic for a repair. We’ll replace the blower, put it through a full diagnostic and give it a good cleaning with fresh filters and seals.

Depending on the age of your CPAP machine, you may decide it’s time to get a new one.

Check first with your insurance company – many insurers will cover a new unit after 5 years as long as you have a valid prescription. If you take that route, still consider getting a repair on your existing CPAP device so you can keep it as a backup. Many sleep apnea patients keep a backup unit just in case there’s a problem with their new one, or to have for use when traveling or snowbirding.

Ready to start a repair order? Click here to get started. We offer flat rates, turnaround times as quick as a few days and free return ground shipping. Have questions? Feel free to call us at 888.828.1872 or email info@cpapmedic.com.

“Think of it as a heads-up that your road will be closed in six weeks – you still have some time to travel safely before it’s time to take a detour. ”