Hi Gerald,
I work in the industry and have extreme difficulty obtaining parts for these machines, as they are made in the far east and there is little or no service information. it sounds as though the paper detect sensors are dirty, you may be able to clean them with a brush/blower brush, remember to unplug the shredder first.
also make sure you keep the cutting heads well oiled to prolong life.
At least you can still use it manually.
hope that helps.
David.
David
May 2008