Customer Education
Trouble-Shooting
check all battery terminal connections
make sure the water level is good
If the golf cart was left for an extended period not charging then it is likely below charging threshold. The cart will need to be boost-charged at our shop and then tested.
Prolonged periods of storage can have negative effects on battery performance and lifespan which is why it is necessary to completed a full test of battery performance after such a period of storage. In some cases, the batteries must be replaced even if they are relatively new.
Has the Golf Car had routine service preformed?
Do you use pump fuel, if so do you put a stabilizer in the fuel for storage?
If you are using regular pump fuel than it is possible it has gone bad and is causing the car to run poorly. Another common cause of these symptoms is a flooded crank case caused by either s sticking needle in the carburetor or fuel pump failure which raises the oil level to the point that it seeps into the exhaust causing smoke when operating the vehicle. You can check by seeing if your oil level is unusually high and if the oil smells like gasoline. This issue will require a trip to our shop for further diagnostics and repair.
Depending on the vehicle the remedies might differ for this issue but typically the culprits are the suspension bushings paired with a mis-alignment of the tires. In some instances, a hard strike can also warp suspension components causing steering to become an issue. There is always the possibility that the rack and pinion has worn out which would call for a replacement but this is generally not the cause.
In most case this is a simple fix. Either the main fuse is blown or the battery is dead. In some rare cases there could be a wiring issue. Circuit testing will determine what repairs are needed, inspect the fuse if the fuse is bad replace it with the same size fuse. Do not install a large fuse! Damage or fire could occur. Test the battery -if the battery drops below 10.5 volts, replace the battery. If these steps did not help, then the car would need to be returned to inspect the wiring.
What type of pavement do you drive on?
If you drive on the asphalt or concrete, your stock golf car tire is made for driving on grass. A DOT tire should be used and will last longer. Another issue could be the tire pressure, make sure the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. Low pressure will cause bad fuel economy on a gas golf car. Low pressure on an electric car will cause shorter run time and more battery usage.