How to Diagnose a Golf Cart Problem - AllCarIndex
There are a lot of golf carts currently, and it's projected that golf cart sales are going to significantly increase in the next couple of years. Knowing how to maintain a golf cart, whether you take it for a leisure drive in town or a round of 18, is essential for avoiding any technical hiccups that could ruin your fun. In an effort to keep your golf cart in tip-top shape, we've created a brief guide that should help you diagnose the most common golf cart problems.
Ignition/Motor Problems
If you're sure your battery is in tip-top shape, the next designated area you should be checking is the motor. Even though a lot of people think that a problem with the motor means a big deal, it may only need a simple reset to fix in many scenarios. Electric motors come with a reset button that's situated near the power supply. As simple as it may sound, pressing that reset button can do wonders so always try it before you take any drastic measures.
If things don't look promising, you may need to take out the motor and link it to a different charged battery to test it out. If it's not responding, you may have a burnt-out motor on your hands. Burnouts happen due to a variety of reasons, from poor traction to excessive weight load. You can have a quick look at the motor to check for any damaged bearings or coils to decide.
Battery Issues
Just like the majority of electric vehicles, the battery can be the culprit that's causing a problem more often than not. If you're looking for a good rule of thumb, a golf cart that doesn't start at all should have its battery checked first thing. The easiest way to determine the status of the battery is by using a voltmeter, which will indicate whether the battery is depleted or not. If the cart has been off for a while, the voltage required to be generated from the battery may not match the minimum voltage.
As batteries age, their efficiency goes down. If you had the cart for many years and you never changed the battery, it's probably a good idea to find a replacement for it. As mentioned by Carts and Parts, traditional batteries last 3-5 years and lithium ones can last up to 8. Low battery efficiency is also pretty common with used golf carts. Your battery needs water to be at a constant level, which means that it should cover the conductive plates without submerging it completely.
Speed Controller
Starting up the golf cart can go quite smoothly, but problems can start appearing after you begin accelerating. If your golf cart is too slow or it can't stay at a consistent speed, the culprit is most probably the speed controller. Speed controllers are not easy to diagnose and fix, so it's much safer to bring it to a mechanic or a service center to get it properly repaired.
Listening to the Solenoid
The solenoid is a coil that connects the battery to the motor, allowing a smooth flow of electricity from those two important points. The solenoid should be on your list if the battery is properly charged yet not smoothly sending electricity. The solenoid makes a clicking sound when you turn on the motor, and it's involved in the accelerator and brake mechanisms. Its diverse involvement makes it more prone than most other parts to wear out, so it's always wise to test it first, especially since it's easy to test.
The solenoid has 4 terminals; 2 small and 2 large ones. The battery is directly connected to the minor terminals and large terminals are more suitable to be connected to the motor. To begin testing it, remove the connections of the two large terminals, and make sure they aren't touching. Make sure that the cart's gear is on neutral and the ignition key is at the off position. Use a multimeter and connect it to each terminal, which should get a net reading of 0. Press on the accelerator after turning the ignition key on then check the multimeter's ohm reading. If it's above 0.4, the solenoid is probably defective.
When there is a problem with your car, the resolution process is quite systematic. Whether you know a lot about cars or not, golf cart problems aren't necessarily similar to conventional cars. The first difference that's quite noticeable is that most golf carts are electric, which involves a different course of action for repairs and maintenance. Having a go-to technical center should help you save some time if the problem is not easily diagnosable by you.