Top 7 Electric Golf Cart Maintenance Tips

Golf carts need proper care and maintenance to keep running as they should for a long time. Read this article to learn about 7 electric golf cart maintenance tips.

Keyword(s): electric golf cart

You finally did it – you upgraded from the neighborhood rental golf carts and bought your very own! There’s nothing better than going for a cruise in your golf cart or, of course, taking it out on the course.

But, you have to know how to maintain it properly if you want it to last. There’s no sense in buying an electric golf cart if you let it get run-down and torn up in less than a year. In fact, most golf carts can last for a handful of years if they’re taken care of correctly.

Here are 7 golf cart maintenance tips to keep your new golf cart running smoothly.

1. Charge the Batteries Often

Like any other electric device, an electric club car needs batteries to function. As such, make a habit of plugging it in whenever you’re not using it.

That way, you can hop in your golf cart whenever you want without having to worry about the battery level. More so, you can trust it won’t give out on you mid-course.

2. Check the Batteries’ Water Levels

It’s simple to put the golf cart in park and plug it in. Once this becomes a habit, you can trust it will always be ready for you to hop in and go for a cruise. That is, unless the battery’s water levels have dropped.

An electric golf cart’s batteries come with lead plates on top. To work correctly, these plates need to be fully submerged in water. There is a chance your golf cart will run when the plates aren’t fully underwater, but not for long. Operating like this strains the batteries and can make one of them shut down completely.

Should this ever happen, you’ll have to wait to replace the entire battery until you can drive the golf cart again. Save yourself this kind of stress and do the proper maintenance on it now.

3. Check the Tires

Just as you can’t drive an electric golf cart with a faulty battery, you won’t get very far if one of the tires isn’t in good shape. Make a habit of checking each tire’s air pressure on a regular basis. The tire should have a bit of give to it when you press down, but it shouldn’t be flat.

Thankfully, putting more air in a tire is a simple fix. But, if one of them becomes torn or the steering gets off-balanced, you have a bigger problem. You’ll either have to replace the tire before you can drive again or at least get an adjustment (like you would for your car’s tires).

Pay attention to subtle differences in how the golf cart drives. This can help you catch a problem with the tire pressure before it becomes an even bigger issue.

4. Notice Anything That Doesn’t Look Right

Keep in mind it’s possible for the batteries and the tires to be in top condition but still have something feel off when you drive. There could be an oil leak on your golf cart or a problem with one of the seats.

Whatever it is, take the time to find a solution sooner rather than later. Maybe even talk to the whole family about driving habits and responsibilities. If your son/daughter puts all their friends on the golf cart, it could be too much weight for it to bear. It’s also not good to drive the golf cart on terrain that the tires aren’t made for.

Children don’t always notice the consequences of these actions, but they can be serious. Sit down and talk to them about safe, responsible driving so that the whole family can enjoy the golf cart for a long time.

5. Lubricate the Joints

A golf cart may seem like a small motor vehicle, but it has many intricate parts to it. These parts need to be professionally lubricated from time to time.

Lubricating the joints of the golf cart helps it run better day in and day out. The areas that need this most are the suspension pieces underneath the golf cart and the steering wheel.

6. Make Replacements Right Away

Maybe the issue with your golf cart has nothing to do with your children and more to do with your own procrastination. If that’s the case, you need to get to work.

Always make a repair on your golf cart as soon as you notice something is wrong. If you don’t have the time to fix something at that moment, at least don’t drive the cart again until it’s back to its best state. This keeps matters from getting worse, and it helps give you the motivation to get the necessary repairs done.

7. Inspect Your Brakes Annually

There are times when it’s good to take your golf cart in for repairs even if it seems like nothing is wrong. Try to get a professional to look at your golf cart at least once a year. They can look for the things you may not be able to notice – like the quality of the brakes and whether or not your batteries are about to need replacement.

Brakes are incredibly important to maintain. The last thing you want is to go out for a drive only to realize you can’t come to complete stop in a safe manner. Track how often you check your brakes and when you replace or repair them. If you can, at least get them checked out twice a year instead of just once.

Keep Your Electric Golf Cart in Top Condition

It’s one thing to read about electric golf cart maintenance and another to actually follow through on it. Whether your golf cart is already in the driveway or you’re just thinking about buying one right now, make sure you’re prepared to take good care of it.

Refer to the tips above when you’re unsure what to do, and keep your owner’s manual handy, too. For more golf cart tips and tricks, click here.

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