No Go Situations

[ltjd3104]

My cart will sometimes fail to engage when I step on the gas pedal. It's a horrible feeling because it seems to happen when I have traffic behind me and/or when I need to cross traffic after having come to a stop. It doesn't happen all the time. If I hold the pedal down, it ends up engaging…sometimes quickly, sometimes not so quickly. It's dangerous. Anyone know what might be causing this? I've taken it to the shop, but issue never seems to play out for them and so, nothing changes.

[rhood]

If the engine stope just before the compression stroke, sometimes the battery doesn't have enough oomph to over come it. Maybe a new battery will help?

[jdulej]

If the engine stope just before the compression stroke, sometimes the battery doesn't have enough oomph to over come it. Maybe a new battery will help?

I agree with the above. I had this problem and, as usual for me, ignored it since the cart would go after a couple seconds. Then, one day, it didn't go! New battery fixed it.

[roscoguy]

You did say "gas pedal" so I'm assuming it's not an electric cart. I also agree that the battery is a very likely suspect. But, unless you just want to throw money at the problem, you may want to have your battery tested to see if it actually is beginning to fail. Unfortunately, the starter/generator (or it's v-belt) and at least a couple switches also could cause the problem you are having.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

That's one of the problems I have with my cart. It's overdue for a checkup. Brought it to the Villages Golf Cart shop to ask about something else and the service guy saw the corrosion on the battery, said yeah it's definitely time for a replacement. The seal is broken, I'm barely topping out at 9 volts after running it for a half hour, it's idling at 8.4 volts. Should be 11-15 volts. For the "Lifestyle" maintenance package, plus battery replacement, plus fixing the wiring on my digital meter thingie over the steering wheel (it shows voltage, gas level, oil level, time, outside temperature, odometer, speedometer, and a couple of other things I have no idea what they are) - everything will be under $300 total. It'd be under $200 if I didn't need the battery but, eh - better now than after it dies in the middle of a cart path somewhere on a rainy day.

[SIRE1]

I had the exact same problem. I had Willie's Golf Cart come out and he found that the switch at the gas pedal which activates the starter was defective. He replaced the switch and problem was fixed. Since the engine turns off when you come to a stop, the switch at the pedal starts the engine up again when you depress the pedal. Suggest you have someone check that switch. An easy fix.

[villagetinker]

I agree with the above, look at the battery first and the cables for corrosion, check the battery voltage, 12.4 nominal, and if you can leave the meter connected, 14+ while running. As for the switch, a loose mounting or loose electrical connection could be the cause.

[jebartle]

I had the exact same problem. I had Willie's Golf Cart come out and he found that the switch at the gas pedal which activates the starter was defective. He replaced the switch and problem was fixed. Since the engine turns off when you come to a stop, the switch at the pedal starts the engine up again when you depress the pedal. Suggest you have someone check that switch. An easy fix.

352-255-1369. Willie Wilcox, comes to house, best cart fixer

[NoMoSno]

Also had the same issue with a new cart. The switch at the pedal was defective.

[Northwoods]

I have one of the "newer" quieter gas carts. I have the same problem... but I've had this problem since I bought the cart. I took it to Villages Carts a number of times. I still have the problem.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I'll mention that to the tech when I bring the cart in. It's getting that full-service maintenance anyway, and yeah definitely a new battery.

[karostay]

Needs new battery

[Topspinmo]

Battery can easily be load tested to eliminate it. Switch at peddle can easily be tested with multi-meter.

I also think some are confusing starter/generator problem, (battery, switches, compression stroke, ect..) with delay In Centrifugal clutch. It has to spool up before it engages. The engine off, you push the pedal down, depending on how far it just turns the starter motor or fires the engine up and depending on how far down the pedal pushed will delay clutch or bring it in with bang.

Once the engine comes to complete stop three thing have to happen, push gas peddle to start the starter/generator motor, Ignition switch at peddle has to fire the engine, the engine rpm brings in the centrifugal clutch. The starter motor can bring in centrifugal clutch little but not enough to move cart at fast pace or enough torque to move it if on grade or something under wheel.

[Topspinmo]

That's one of the problems I have with my cart. It's overdue for a checkup. Brought it to the Villages Golf Cart shop to ask about something else and the service guy saw the corrosion on the battery, said yeah it's definitely time for a replacement. The seal is broken, I'm barely topping out at 9 volts after running it for a half hour, it's idling at 8.4 volts. Should be 11-15 volts. For the "Lifestyle" maintenance package, plus battery replacement, plus fixing the wiring on my digital meter thingie over the steering wheel (it shows voltage, gas level, oil level, time, outside temperature, odometer, speedometer, and a couple of other things I have no idea what they are) - everything will be under $300 total. It'd be under $200 if I didn't need the battery but, eh - better now than after it dies in the middle of a cart path somewhere on a rainy day.

Corrosion at battery terminals can cause low voltage condition.

[karostay]

Weak battery giving you a single time to change Fla heat is detrimental to batteries
Been down that road few times always the battery

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Update on my situation which might be helpful to OP's concern:

My battery was borked. The seal connecting the terminal to the cables was corroded to the point where it was corroding the battery itself, and the whole thing definitely needed to be replaced.

The cart guy checked the switch beneath the gas pedal, it was fine, no problems with it. Whatever thing that houses the governor needed a little tweak, because it was going slower than it was allowed to go, and this happened abruptly last year when it USED to go faster than it was allowed to go and just - stopped doing that - for no apparent reason. So now it's going as fast as it's allowed to go, which is fine by me.

Meanwhile, he said the starter generator is fairly worn out, which is the cause (in my situation) of the occasional hesitancy between depressing the gas pedal and acceleration. He says it could stay that way indefinitely, or I could have it replaced for $480. It could also some day fail, but he didn't seem too concerned about the possibility of that happening any time soon. So I'll just live with occasional hesitancy and be over-cautious at stop signs with a crossroad that doesn't have a stop sign.

[villagetinker]

Update on my situation which might be helpful to OP's concern:

My battery was borked. The seal connecting the terminal to the cables was corroded to the point where it was corroding the battery itself, and the whole thing definitely needed to be replaced.

The cart guy checked the switch beneath the gas pedal, it was fine, no problems with it. Whatever thing that houses the governor needed a little tweak, because it was going slower than it was allowed to go, and this happened abruptly last year when it USED to go faster than it was allowed to go and just - stopped doing that - for no apparent reason. So now it's going as fast as it's allowed to go, which is fine by me.

Meanwhile, he said the starter generator is fairly worn out, which is the cause (in my situation) of the occasional hesitancy between depressing the gas pedal and acceleration. He says it could stay that way indefinitely, or I could have it replaced for $480. It could also some day fail, but he didn't seem too concerned about the possibility of that happening any time soon. So I'll just live with occasional hesitancy and be over-cautious at stop signs with a crossroad that doesn't have a stop sign.

You do not mention the make/model of the cart, but some of the generator/starter have replaceable brushes, much lower cost than replacing the whole unit. Check with some other golf cart repair services that come to your house, you may be very surprised.

Also, back to the original thread, a friend just had exactly the same hesitation problem. I checked the ignition switch, the starter, and the solenoid and the battery. The battery showed a slightly low (2 volts) below normal, but did not come up the normal with the cart running. He took cart to store where purchased, they determined it was a bad cell in the battery, replaced under warranty.

[MrFlorida]

How old is the battery ? Check that first.