If you manage a building with KONE elevators and escalators, this checklist is for you. It's not a guide to shower shoes, and it's not a 'how to repair leaky pipe' tutorial. But if you have a leaky pipe near an elevator controller, that's exactly the kind of detail you need to catch before calling KONE. Trust me on this one.
Quick background: I've handled elevator maintenance orders for eight years. I've personally made and documented 14 significant mistakes, totaling roughly $22,000 in wasted budget. The March 2023 escalator incident convinced me to stop working from memory. This is the checklist I keep on our team board now, and I update it every time a new error shows up.
When This Checklist Applies
Use this list at three moments: before you log a KONE maintenance service ticket, after an unexpected fault, and during a monthly building walkthrough. It covers standard KONE elevators and escalators. It does not cover a full modernization project, and it does not replace a certified technician.
I'm not a KONE field engineer. I can't tell you how to adjust a door operator belt or reprogram a drive. What I can tell you is what to check, what to document, and when to call KONE before a small issue becomes an expensive one.
1. Check the Machine Room Environment First
The machine room tells you a lot before you even look at the elevator. If it's hot, dusty, or full of storage, you will eventually have controller issues.
Check for three things: water leaks, temperature, and junk. A leaking pipe above the controller is not a later problem. It's a now problem. Why? Because water and elevator electronics do not mix. If your KONE unit is machine-room-less, check the pit for standing water too. Not a fun job. Better than a $5,000 controller replacement.
2. Ride the Elevator Before You Inspect It
Run the car from the top floor to the bottom floor, then back up. Watch the floor leveling from inside. When the doors open, the gap between the car floor and the hallway floor should be almost even. If the car stops even a quarter-inch off, write it down. That small detail can point to worn guide shoes or a load weighing issue.
Then watch the doors. Do they reopen for no reason? Does one side hesitate? A door that acts up three times in a week is not a random bug. It's a pattern. I used to blame the sensors. That was wrong.
Also listen for any grinding or squealing when the car moves. A steady whine from the machine room might be normal. A grinding sound is not.
3. Inspect the Landing Door System, Including the Door Handle
If your elevator has a manual car door, check the car door handle. A bent handle can shift the latch alignment and cause a shutdown. I learned that in September 2022, when a loose handle shifted the latch and the elevator locked up at 7:50 a.m. That call cost $890 in overtime plus a day of tenant complaints.
For automatic doors, check the tracks and door gaps. A landing door that doesn't close flush is a safety issue. Per ASME A17.1 / CSA B44, elevator doors are part of the safety system. If you're not sure whether a gap is acceptable, take a photo and send it to your KONE service rep. Don't try to adjust it yourself.
4. Listen to the Escalator Under Load
Escalators get ignored because they keep moving. That was my March 2023 lesson. The unit ran fine empty, but under load the step chain had a rhythmic knock. I didn't catch it because I never watched it with actual passengers. Now I stand at the bottom and listen during a busy period. If you hear a thump that repeats every few seconds, escalate it.
Check the combs and step gaps too. Missing comb teeth are easier to replace than a step that catches a shoe. And this is not the time for shower shoes. If you're doing this walkthrough, wear closed-toe safety shoes.
5. Pull the Fault Log Before You Call
KONE controllers record fault codes. If your unit is connected to KONE 24/7 Connected Services, the remote team may already be seeing the alarm. You still need to document what happened on site.
Why does this matter? Because a fault code that clears itself and never comes back is different from the same code showing up every Tuesday. The second one is a clue. In Q1 2024, I started pulling the fault log before every non-emergency ticket. It cut our no-trouble-found visits by about half. I don't have hard data for an industry-wide number, but that's what our logs show.
6. Take Video, Not Just Photos
If you're calling KONE service, give them evidence. A photo of an error code helps. A 20-second video of the door doing its weird thing helps more. I've sent technicians to a building where the elevator worked perfectly every time they tested it. That's embarrassing for everyone.
Write down the time of day, which elevator, and what was happening just before the fault. This is the boring part. It's also the part that saves you from a no-trouble-found invoice.
If the problem only happens intermittently, leave a log sheet at the lobby desk so people can note the time. A pattern of 8:15 a.m. faults is far more useful than a vague message in the service portal.
7. Know When to Stop and Call KONE
This is the honest part. I recommend KONE Original Service for KONE elevators and escalators if you want OEM parts, warranty protection, and technicians trained on the hardware. For standard maintenance, that's a clear yes.
But if you have an older unit, a non-KONE modernization, or a building with unusual traffic patterns, a licensed independent contractor might be the right fit. I'm not going to tell you there is one perfect answer. The right choice depends on your equipment, your budget, and your local code situation.
And if you ever find yourself searching for how to repair leaky pipe inside an elevator machine room, stop. That is a professional repair job. Call a plumber first, then call KONE. Trying to fix it yourself can void your warranty and create a much bigger problem.
One more thing: if your KONE unit is more than 20 years old and you're only calling for maintenance when something breaks, this checklist will keep you busy. It might be time to ask KONE about modernization options. The cost of modernization is real, but the cost of a complete failure in a busy building is usually higher.
Common Mistakes Worth Avoiding
If you skip everything else, keep these in mind:
- A clean machine room is not optional. I used to think it was cosmetic. Then a cardboard box blocked a vent, the drive ran hot, and the fault log filled up.
- Do not reset the same alarm forever. Three resets in a month means it's time to call someone.
- Do not use the car door or landing door as a handhold. Even a heavy-duty door handle is not a pull-up bar.
- If the escalator makes a noise that changes with traffic, don't wait for it to disappear. It won't.
Bottom line: KONE elevators and escalators run well when someone watches the details. I learned that after $22,000 of my own mistakes. Use this KONE elevator maintenance checklist, document what you see, and call a professional when you've got evidence that something is wrong. That's the whole trick.
