My front control will not function. I have lost my remote. I have serviced, cleaned the unit several times but the unit always comes bak on and tell me it need normal cleaning . I cannot clear the display. I have just given the unit a thorough cleaning but the display still say perform cleaning. Nothing on the front control responds.

Larry, since this unit is electrostatic, you may or may not hear little crackles of sparks when it is operational. You should, however, smell a very faint odor of ozone when it is running properly. If you do not hear any sounds from the electrical plates and the air coming out of the unit does not have a little different smell than the air in the rest of the room, then the unit is not functioning properly. In my research of these units, I did see references to replacing the metal fins being required as some claimed they were an consumable element to the purifier and needed periodic replacement to function properly. However, nothing in the owner's manual says they are. It simply says to carefully clean them to avoid damaging the fins or plastic insulation on them.

Other factors to check include:
Making sure the unit has at least 12" of open space behind it.
Making sure there is 36" of open space in front of it.
Give time for dust to accumulate. The manual states that you should check the collection fins after a couple of days to see how much dust has accumulated since cleaning schedules will vary greatly depending on how dusty your home is. Dust collection may take days to start to appear.
Make sure the DRYING CYCLE light is not on when the unit is operating. This protection system is designed to remove electrical power from the fins if humidity is detected (which can easily be the case since you are advised to wash the fins in water to clean them).

If the DRYING CYCLE light is not on, you have plenty of air space around the unit, and after days you still do not see anything on the fins, then chances are the issue is internal and will require repair or replacement of parts. Be advised that this unit is no longer made and has no manufacturer supported service or parts availability. Further diagnosis and repair could quickly get costly and in most cases, you are probably better off replacing the unit.

Could be a problem with the power cable or a fuse issue. Or it could be a burnt wire, or motor problem. It is difficult to say without actually taking it apart. Best get it serviced.

Oops. It's possible that the incorrectly inserted plate caused the machine to malfunction. It may need to be sent to the factory so the computerized controls can be recalibrated. Call Vollara (new name for EcoQuest) Customer Service 800-989-2299.

You probably have a loose connection or component somewhere in the machine, or possibly the motherboard/computer system is non-functioning.
First, check all connections and components!
1) Make sure the plug in the back is inserted firmly and the wall socket is live.
2) The little switch by the plug should have the "I" end depressed and the "0" end up.
3) Check to make sure the back screen is inserted firmly, depressing the interior safety switch. (It will click when positioned correctly).
4) Try both the manual and remote controls. If the manual control work, but the remote ones do not, check to see if the little plastic battery shield is still in the remote. Remove it by pulling on the little tab. If that's not the issue, also try a new battery in the remote.
5) Remove the plug in back, and pull out the fuse to see if it is blown. If so, replace it with the EXACT same size fuse, available at an auto parts store.
If none of these troubleshooting steps works, then it would appear that the problem is in the computerization. Unfortunately, Vollara (new name for EcoQuest) is no longer servicing nor selling the Breeze. Your only option to get it fixed would be to find a dealer who still has some, along with extra parts, in stock. If you call Customer Service, they will give you some trade-up options. 800-989-2299. Use #16618 if you need a referral number.

10/6/10 I work for the Ionic Pro company. The unit is designed in such a way that it cannot blow out air continuously... it blows the air for sometime then it takes the air into the back and applies the purification process. Once inside the air is cleaned then it is blown out the front. This why some customers feel that it is not working... but in reality it still functions. As long as you have a power light and the air in cycling through the unit, it is working fine. If the unit still has an issue, you can call customer service at 800-875-8577. Thank you.

Unfortunately Sharper Image has discontinued support on the product line.  There was a recall going on with the product but since the company is chapter 11 right now, I don't think it is being honored right now.  
What happened was Consumer Reports ran a test on ionizers, Sharper Image received a bad score and filed a lawsuit.  They lost the suit and had to pay all legal bills. 
EPA has reported that using ionizers in a house or business may be harmful to your health.  You can read an article about it on their website.  
The Consumer Products Safety Commission is going to release a final report on all ionizers by the end of the year.  Their decision may discontinue all sales of any ionizers in the United States.  This industry should have been regulated years ago just by the EPA data alone and for some reason it has been ignored.

I have the same problem. I totally took the unit apart and cleaned it out. After I reasembled it, the same thing. Just that little cleaning overdue light on. I can tell that it is not working as well as there is no breeze coming from the front. That is what I get for buying a serviced unit.

I have a sharper image ionic breeze hybrid gp that ran fine for years unitl it recently started sparking / arcing at the base of the grid blades and always in the same spot. I cleaned it several times but the sparking always came back and the unit went into either "drying grid" or "attention required" mode. The solution I found was to stand the removable grid in 2 inches of Pine-Sol cleaner 50/50 diluted with water for 24 hours then brush again with the cleaning brush and hot water. Presto! No more sparking.

I do apologize for the inconvenience, the best way that i can tell you to fix the light is that there is a tiny pin hole on top of the unit. that's a reset button. you need a small needle or something that will fit in there. hold it down for about 3 seconds. your unit should reset. the light sometimes comes on with new filters cause it hasn't recognized that they are new yet. if that reset doens't work please let me know

"A blinking light indicates when the blades should be wiped clean with a damp cloth." I actually had a "handyman" contract last year to visit an elderly gentleman once a month and clean all 9 of his Ionic Breeze GP air purifiers. Before I did that for him, they would make hissing noises and he really didn't like that. Here's how to clean the operative compnents of these machines: First, unplug the machine and place on a work surface, such as a table or kitchen counter. Second, remove the metal blade insert from the top by gripping the release tab and lifting it up and out. Also remove the front and back grilles by pressing on the plastic tab at the bottom and lifting up on them. Third, use a damp rag or paper towel to wipe the three metal blades clean. Do not immerse this assembly in water, because it has to be completely dry when re-installing it in the machine. Fourth, use a small piece of damp paper towel to VERY GENTLY wipe clean the two thin wires inside the unit. These are located behind the two rubbery flat blades just inside the unit and can be accessed from the front side. You won't damage these rubbery flat blades by pushing your hand gently between them, but be VERY CAREFUL when wiping the wires clean. (This step is important, as the wires must be clean.) Fifth, using another bit of damp paper towel, carefully clean the wire attached to the inside of the front grille. Dry this off with a dry bit of paper towel, then clean any accumulated dirt off the front & back grilles. Check the metal contact near the bottom of the front grille (attached to the wire) to verify that it's clean and will make good electrical contact. Sixth, pick the unit up and turn it upside-down & right-side up about 6 to 8 times. The two wires inside have plastic beads on them that slide up and down the wires. This brushes any bits of leftover dust or lint off of the wires. (Again, these wires must be VERY clean.) Seventh, replace the front and back plastic grilles by placing them in their slots and sliding them down to snap into place. Verify that the assembly with the three metal blades is COMPLETELY dry, using a hair dryer if necessary to dry off damp areas, then slide it back into place from the top of the machine. Now the cleaning process is done, so plug the unit in and turn it on to test operation. If it makes ANY noise, then some component is not completely cleaned off, or still has a presence of moisture, which must be completely dried off before the machine is ready for operation. Hope this helps! ;)