Three lights flashing on your chair indicate a left motor fault. Make sure that all of the connections inside the shroud are tight by physically testing them. If all of the connections are good, and the fuses are good, then it's time for a trip to an authorized repair facility. Here is a link to the M51 owners manual if you haven't one. Page 24 has the fault code guide.
http://www.invacare.com/doc_files/1125085.pdf
The controller monitors all of the functions on the chair, brakes, motors, joystick, charger etc. The three flash fault indicates an "open" circuit. Open, like a switch or blown fuse is open, or a wire is cut or burned in half, or a connector is unconnected, or partially connected. The latter is what you are hoping for. Wires burned in half is the usual cause for a motor fault, and with powerchairs, is usually the result of the chair getting stuck in or against something it can't get out of and the operator over-amping the motors. Motors do, just go bad sometimes, for no reason. Very rarerly, however.
You can also check the brushes on the motor too. There's two quarter-sized black plastic screw-plugs on the ends of the motor opposite each other. Unscrew them and examine the brushes. The springy coils should be springy. Overheating can cause them to be brittle, or even burned in two. Check the lench of the brush, the dark rectangular cube at the end of the springs. It should be curved and polished at the end, and a little over a half-inch long. If it is near a 1/4 inch, it needs replaced, or if there is any evidence of overheating, replace. Good luck.
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