Troubleshooting Retrax RTX-90232  

Question:

Expert Reply:

Hey Mike!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this, but there are a few troubleshooting steps you can check before assuming the entire cover needs to be replaced.

First, I would stop operating the motor for now. Since the motor is running but the cover isn't moving, there's a good chance something in the drive mechanism has become disconnected or the gears have been damaged. Continuing to run the motor could make that worse.

Next, take a look down both side rails and make sure nothing is crooked, binding, or out of alignment. The rails need to stay parallel and level so the cover can track correctly. I would also check that the bearings and rollers on the cover are still properly seated in both rail channels.

From there, inspect where the rails attach to the canister and make sure neither rail has pulled loose or shifted. If everything there looks good, the next step would be opening up the canister and inspecting the motor drive and gears.

The fact that the cover moves freely by hand and won't lock in place is a strong clue that the motor is no longer mechanically holding the cover. If you can hear the drive mechanism turning when you move the cover by hand, that would point even more toward stripped gears or another failed component inside the canister.

If everything looks normal and you still can't pinpoint the issue, I would recommend getting Retrax or an installer involved before running the motor any further.

Did the cover suddenly stop working one day, or had you noticed any clicking, grinding, slipping, or slower movement leading up to this?

expert reply by: Jerry B

0

Mike R.

9/10/2026

Thanks for advice, I fixed it. The pin on the motor shaft fell out or broke so the square piece that connects to the bar was just spinning. I made a pin to put on shaft of motor and so far so good. Very poor design for the money I paid. Screws fell out and were laying inside compartment where cover rolls I into. But it’s all fixed for now

Jerry B.

9/10/2026

@MikeR Glad to hear you were able to track it down and get it working again! That makes a lot of sense with the symptoms you were seeing if the pin on the motor shaft had failed and the drive piece was just spinning. I definitely understand your frustration, especially finding loose screws inside the canister on a cover at this price point. I’d keep an eye on that replacement pin and the surrounding hardware for a little while just to make sure nothing else starts working loose. Thanks for following up with what you found, too. That information is really helpful for anyone else who runs into the same issue.