If your electric golf cart won’t charge, the first thing we suggest is to check your batteries! Check how old your batteries are, usually they can go bad within 12-18 months. Second, check to make sure your electric charger is working properly. Double check that your charger’s display system shows that your charger is indeed operating.

 Note: Electric golf cart batteries need to be re-charged after every use and have water added on to them on a regular basis.

Battery age is usually shown on a sticker, or sometimes it can be identified on the negative/positive post. This is commonly indicated by a letter (month) followed by a number (year). For instance, batteries that were manufactured on December 2017 would be «L7» where L is the 12th letter of the alphabet, while 7 indicates the year the battery was manufactured in. 2020 batteries, of course, would have a zero after any such letter.

This can also be the case for 12 volt batteries on gas carts, though they usually have stickers on the sides. We suggest you look closely for those two indicators.

There are several factors for a golf cart not starting. 

For Electric Carts:

•  Always look to make sure all cables and terminals are in good condition and well tightened.
• Make sure that your batteries are fully charged. This can be checked by measuring the total volts of your batteries with a voltmeter. Simply place your voltmeter on the 200 v option, and place the red and black cables on the respective positive and negative MAIN posts. The reading should be around 48 volts for a 48 volt car, and 36 volts for a 36 volt car. Charge your batteries if the reading is below that threshold.
• Check that your solenoid is working properly. You should hear a click whenever you turn on the key and/or press the accelerator. If you don’t, your solenoid may be bad.

Contact us if you have any questions. 

If you hear a clicking sound but your golf car is not starting, then you could have an ignition issue.  What causes a bad ignition (key switch)?  The cause is almost certainly due to wear and tear of the cables. Wires can become loose, and the connections within the cables and between the switch & the battery pack can become weak overtime.  This applies to both electric and gas golf cars.

When you start up your golf cart, the solenoid is the reason for a clicking sound you hear when engaging the accelerator. The sound is a good thing! If you stop hearing that clicking sound, and your golf cart does not start, it’s likely the solenoids are to blame. If solenoids are the issue, you’ll want to bring your golf cart in for repairs.

If you still hear the clicking sound produced by the solenoid, but your golf cart  is not starting up, then the problem could be the starter or a harness issue.