EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid?

jesliloleme · 01-27-2009, 05:40 PM

I have an EZGO Freedom...1995 I think. Recently it has started to hesitate before it engages into forward or reverse...but only when it is cold. Well I live in Florida so I don't really mean cold temps but when the cart is used for the first time in the morning so it is "cold". When I turn on the key and switch into reverse then press the accelerator to back out of the garage it will heistate just a second or two and then engage. Then once I switch into forward it hesitates again...usually only a second or two but occasionally it hesitates maybe 5 or more seconds. I try moving the forward/reverse switch back and forth and pressing the accelerator both lightly and all the way and that doesn't seem to make any difference. It just goes when it is good and ready. After the initial "start up" seems fine.

Today we replaced all of the battery cables with new 4 awg wire and it has lots more pep than before (a couple of the cables were really bad...we were hoping that would fix this) but still the hesitation when first backing out of the garage. After the initial backing up and then going forward it doesn't seem to have a problem when switching back and forth. I generally drive it to the tennis courts and it sits a couple of hours and then it will engage just fine with no hesitation.

Does this sound like a solenoid problem? Controller? (hope not) F/R switch?

Any ideas?

gornoman · 01-27-2009, 06:07 PM

Is this a DCS cart or a Series cart? A DCS cart will have a toggle switch on the controller cover.

pggroves · 01-27-2009, 06:09 PM

Check the FNR and pot micros.

Can you hear solenoid click at throttle up?

jesliloleme · 01-27-2009, 08:25 PM

Series I guess....no toggle switch on the controller cover. I can hear the solenoid click when I press the accelerator even if it doesn't engage/move.

FNR? Is that the Forward and Reverse switch?

What are pot micros? Potentiometer?

Sorry for the dumb questions...this is new to me...

pggroves · 01-27-2009, 10:32 PM

My next suggestion would be to look at the ITS. Checking the ITS and pretty much any troubleshooting will require a voltmeter.

The fact that the cart works may mean something is getting ready to fail but hasn't yet. At best a difficult issue to troubleshoot.

Monsterezgokid · 01-27-2009, 10:37 PM

I also second for checking the ITS sensor.
I firsthand had a similar problem with it hesitating and such as you accelerate, and when i opened the ITS sensor box it was full of water. I have absoulety no clue how the water got into the box, but i think the culpret was a faulty pedal rod gasket. I drilled some holes in the bottom of the box, and its been fine and dandy since then.
Other then that, i would say to check all the connectors between the ITS and the controller, corrosion and or water in the plug could cause this issue

Btw if you dont know, the ITS sensor is under the floor mat, you will need to unbolt your side rails, then lift up your carpet, then unscrew the cover from the box

Monsterezgokid · 01-27-2009, 10:42 PM

rusty · 01-28-2009, 01:45 PM

Welcome to the forum jesliloleme.................

jesliloleme · 01-28-2009, 02:41 PM

Thanks for the welcome and the suggestions. I am starting to think that my problem is the Forward/Reverse switch. Last night when I pulled into the garage I made sure that reverse was engaged and turned off the key....leaving the switch lever in reverse. Lo and behold...when I turned the key this morning it backed right up. When I put it in forward it did hesitate but I found that if I wiggled the lever just the slightest bit it engaged. Now I am not talking about a 1/4" movement but more like a millimeter...just a jiggle...if it is hard over to forward it won't go but just a tiny bump less than hard over and it will go. Experimenting a bit I found that if it is running and I even slightly bump the lever it will cut out. So I am thinking that it must be a problem with the switch...or the linkage to the switch. I haven't had a chance yet to even look at that part but I feel like at least it is not likely to just fail without warning...I can probably finesse it into engaging...at least for now.

rusty · 01-28-2009, 03:16 PM

Bingo....... FNR switch. Thats very common.

You can fix it with cleaning the contacts or replacing them.

Be sure to disconnect the MAIN "POS" and MAIN "NEG" cable before
doing any electrical work on the cart.

01-27-2009, 05:40 PM	#1
jesliloleme Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 3	EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid? I have an EZGO Freedom...1995 I think. Recently it has started to hesitate before it engages into forward or reverse...but only when it is cold. Well I live in Florida so I don't really mean cold temps but when the cart is used for the first time in the morning so it is "cold". When I turn on the key and switch into reverse then press the accelerator to back out of the garage it will heistate just a second or two and then engage. Then once I switch into forward it hesitates again...usually only a second or two but occasionally it hesitates maybe 5 or more seconds. I try moving the forward/reverse switch back and forth and pressing the accelerator both lightly and all the way and that doesn't seem to make any difference. It just goes when it is good and ready. After the initial "start up" seems fine. Today we replaced all of the battery cables with new 4 awg wire and it has lots more pep than before (a couple of the cables were really bad...we were hoping that would fix this) but still the hesitation when first backing out of the garage. After the initial backing up and then going forward it doesn't seem to have a problem when switching back and forth. I generally drive it to the tennis courts and it sits a couple of hours and then it will engage just fine with no hesitation. Does this sound like a solenoid problem? Controller? (hope not) F/R switch? Any ideas?
jesliloleme Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 3

01-27-2009, 06:07 PM	#2
gornoman Stay thirsty my friends! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Suburban Chicago Posts: 24,289	Re: EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid? Is this a DCS cart or a Series cart? A DCS cart will have a toggle switch on the controller cover.

01-27-2009, 06:09 PM	#3
pggroves steeplejack x Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 3,382	Re: EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid? Check the FNR and pot micros. Can you hear solenoid click at throttle up?

01-27-2009, 08:25 PM	#4
jesliloleme Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 3	Re: EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid? Series I guess....no toggle switch on the controller cover. I can hear the solenoid click when I press the accelerator even if it doesn't engage/move. FNR? Is that the Forward and Reverse switch? What are pot micros? Potentiometer? Sorry for the dumb questions...this is new to me...
jesliloleme Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 3

01-27-2009, 10:32 PM	#5
pggroves steeplejack x Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 3,382	Re: EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid? My next suggestion would be to look at the ITS. Checking the ITS and pretty much any troubleshooting will require a voltmeter. The fact that the cart works may mean something is getting ready to fail but hasn't yet. At best a difficult issue to troubleshoot.

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01-27-2009, 10:37 PM	#6
Monsterezgokid Kid no more!! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Bradford, Ontario, Canada Posts: 750	Re: EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid? I also second for checking the ITS sensor. I firsthand had a similar problem with it hesitating and such as you accelerate, and when i opened the ITS sensor box it was full of water. I have absoulety no clue how the water got into the box, but i think the culpret was a faulty pedal rod gasket. I drilled some holes in the bottom of the box, and its been fine and dandy since then. Other then that, i would say to check all the connectors between the ITS and the controller, corrosion and or water in the plug could cause this issue Btw if you dont know, the ITS sensor is under the floor mat, you will need to unbolt your side rails, then lift up your carpet, then unscrew the cover from the box

01-28-2009, 01:45 PM	#8
rusty Golf Cart Photographer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wichita Falls Texas - My Ride 2010 Club Car Posts: 6,236	Re: EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid? Welcome to the forum jesliloleme.................

01-28-2009, 02:41 PM	#9
jesliloleme Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 3	Re: EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid? Thanks for the welcome and the suggestions. I am starting to think that my problem is the Forward/Reverse switch. Last night when I pulled into the garage I made sure that reverse was engaged and turned off the key....leaving the switch lever in reverse. Lo and behold...when I turned the key this morning it backed right up. When I put it in forward it did hesitate but I found that if I wiggled the lever just the slightest bit it engaged. Now I am not talking about a 1/4" movement but more like a millimeter...just a jiggle...if it is hard over to forward it won't go but just a tiny bump less than hard over and it will go. Experimenting a bit I found that if it is running and I even slightly bump the lever it will cut out. So I am thinking that it must be a problem with the switch...or the linkage to the switch. I haven't had a chance yet to even look at that part but I feel like at least it is not likely to just fail without warning...I can probably finesse it into engaging...at least for now.
jesliloleme Not Yet Wild Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 3

01-28-2009, 03:16 PM	#10
rusty Golf Cart Photographer Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Wichita Falls Texas - My Ride 2010 Club Car Posts: 6,236	Re: EZGO Freedom hesitates when switching into forward or reverse....solenoid? Bingo....... FNR switch. Thats very common. You can fix it with cleaning the contacts or replacing them. Be sure to disconnect the MAIN "POS" and MAIN "NEG" cable before doing any electrical work on the cart.

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