Along with wheel damage, there may be gearbox damage or a loose part in the gearbox, by the way.

Mine has the same exact problem, but is much more damaged. Perhaps the ribbon cables are damaged, broken, or are not properly connected? Mine are broken, which would be an obvious cause. Only the red wire remains intact. If there are other wires that are broken or disconnected, that would be the cause.

@tronicsfix,

I really did not want to attempt to get ahold of you this way, but due to the server blocking every other option, I have no choice. This may be marked as spam, and I may lose reputation for this, but I don’t have any other option I can viably use. You may or may not have seen a question I entered into the Answers Forum (Do you have any tips on repairing this device? (3DS))) that gives you a summed-up diagnosis of the problems with this 3DS, hence why I chose here specifically to post this comment, since it is the most relative spot on the site for this. I do want to send it to you, but I live in Kentucky and cannot really afford cross-country shipping fees. Since I hear you specialize in 3DS repair, you’re the one I want to see about this. You do still repair 3DS consoles? If you do, I would like to somehow get it to you for repair. Thank you in advance!

Sorry about taking WAY too long to give a reply. From what I hear, the CHiP thinks you are trying to get it to do a command that is invalid because not all of the necessary accessories are connected. I don’t know what would be wrong with the SmartBall, but telling me where the issue began could help, and by “rebooting the CHiP“, I meant restarting it using the power switch. Try removing the wheels by twisting the front grey cover left, which displays a red color on the lock, and the wheel falls off. You can then remove dust or debris as necessary, and secure it by turning the cover to the right, making it display a green color. It does sound like the wheel’s propulsive parts are weak and struggle to turn the wheel on surfaces. You would need to open the wheel after removing it to replace the gear. I also heard from others that the app’s calibration function does not work most of the time when there is a problem.

My WowWee CHiP has been SMASHED. The front and hind legs are floppy to the point that gravity can rotate them. The right rubber ear has been severed from the plastic base. The left eye sometimes dims quite a bit. A part of the right eye also dims occasionally, but much less frequently. The rear motors make an unpleasant grinding sound when they move. When CHiP attempts to rise, the hind legs buckle with a loud *click*. CHiP can only find the SmartBall when placed directly on the magnet, and nothing else. And last, the speaker has dramatically decreased in volume without adjusting the volume control. Repairing the device would be next to impossible and incredibly costly.

My best guess is that the batteries are dead since two watches have the same problem. Try plugging them in. If the light flashes red, then this is the case. If you wait a minute or two, it should begin flashing purple to indicate charging. When done, it should remain purple without flashing.

It sounds like the legs jammed up. You could try this guide I made in an attempt to help.

Using a CHiP SmartBall or SmartBand with a CHiP connected can confuse MiPosaur and activate a TrackBall mode.

If an LED goes out or malfunctions on your CHiP, try getting it to change eye color, and see if it reverts. Then, try tapping and/or smacking the LED which is not working right. If this doesn’t work, you may have to open the head and replace the damaged/ malfunctioning LED board.

This does sound similar to what it is supposed to do, but the barking and sitting there do not. It likely did not fall over like it was supposed to. Running the front two wheels is done to get it back up. The legs move to simulate yoga. It seems to have skipped the first part.