Has your summer fun come to a halt due to your electric golf cart suddenly not wanting to move? Well, the good news is you aren’t the first! This is a common issue golf cart owners run into. The first thing to do is basic troubleshooting to see if you can remedy this yourself or if you will need the help of an expert. Let’s talk about what would cause an electric golf cart not to move and how to solve the problem.
1. Check the Battery Connections
Out of all the possible culprits, loose wires or bad wires are at the top of the list. Start here by checking the wires to make sure they aren’t damaged. Next, inspect the battery terminals for signs of corrosion. Corrosion interferes with electrical connections and if bad enough, can block them completely. If you have a corroded terminal clean it with a wire brush and you should be good to go. Now look at the connections on the terminals from the wires. Are they secure? Tighten down the connections to ensure there is no power loss.
2. Inspect the Motor and Gears for Debris
Once the battery and wiring is confirmed to be in good shape, check the motor and gears for debris. Debris can prevent the motor from functioning properly. Look for any obstruction from sticks, leaves first, or grime. Be careful when clearing any lodged debris. Ensure your hands are clear from any moving parts that might be freed when the obstruction is cleared. Check on this regularly with your normal cleaning and maintenance schedule to prevent in the future.
3. Ensure the Key Switch is On and the Cart is Powered Up
If you know anyone who works in IT, they will understand this. Is it turned on? It sounds goofy but this happens all the time. Double-checking the basics can save you a lot of headaches and downtime. Electric golf carts have a switch on or around the main battery(or batteries) that allows the ignition to receive power. Check there first, then make sure the key is in properly and the ignition is turned on. Now, does the battery have any juice? Low power levels could cause the cart to remain stationary. This is the golfs carts’ way of asking for a fill-up. Plug in your charger to check the battery charge level.
4. Additional Troubleshooting Tips
If you have gone through the list above and there is still no luck, we could be looking at a more serious issue:
– Controller Issues: The controller is in charge of regulating the power flow between the batteries and the motor. With a faulty controller, the golf cart won’t budge. Research tests you can run on your model specifically to see if it can be fixed or needs replacement.
– Motor Failure: Crossing our fingers that if you are reading this, motor failure is not the issue. If it is, you will need to replace the motor, and that can cost enough to make buying a new golf cart a better alternative. An easy way to tell is by hearing unusual noises, crunches, or grinding when trying to move the golf cart.
– Solenoid Problems: The job of the solenoid is to connect the batter to the motor. With a malfunctioning solenoid, your golf cart wouldn’t move. Solenoids are usually easy to access and test. If it needs to be replaced this is not super expensive but it is more complicated than your average DIY project.
Conclusion: When to Seek Professional Help
Made it this far in the list and still have issues? It might be time to call a pro. Trained mechanics can get to the bottom of the issues quickly and ensure the right pieces are fixed without affecting the rest of the system. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you are in over your head. Trying to fix something you don’t fully understand can lead to more damage and therefore a larger mechanics bill. The other side of that coin is that you no longer have to spend your time or stress on it and that is always worth something.
By knowing what would cause an electric golf cart no to move, you are taking the first step in getting the cart back to working order. General troubleshooting and a bit of patience can save get you back on the road quickly for smaller issues and get your cart into the right hands sooner for larger issues. We hope this list is helpful in getting your golf cart back on the road or the course sooner rather than later. Enjoy your summer!
