RXV Acceleration "jerky" and erratic

Rwillden

Let me start off by saying that my cart worked fine about a month ago. I tried connecting a voltage reducer to my cart, and also installing a non-oem state of charge meter, (which turned out to be over the head of this electronics engineer) and somehow I fried my controller and speed sensor. After spending $1600 to replace the controller (with the new Curtis style controller from EZGO), the speed sensor, an accelerator, and just for kicks, the charging receptacle and solenoid, the cart still doesn't work correctly. All of the parts were replaced at the suggestion of the dealer after troubleshooting. It was later determined that the accelerator pedal was fine.

The problem I am having now is this: When I finally picked up the cart after being told it was fixed, the dealer verified the programming he set in it for Freedom mode at 19.5mph, but the cart would only do 16 (when I'm lucky) top speed. I also noticed when I got the cart home that the cart is acting very erratically. When you accelerate, the cart will start to go, then will slow down, then speed up, then slow down again. It improves if you turn the cart real hard one way or the other. I've verified all my connections are tight, all nuts on terminals are tight and clean, and there don't appear to be any shorts. I tested the solenoid with a volt meter, and also checked the resistor with an Ohm meter, both are within spec. At this point, I've ruled it down to the controller, or the speed sensor being defective. Are there any tests I can do with either of these two to determine if one of them is faulty or not?

This cart started out as a fun activity for my family, but it's driving a wedge between my wife and I with all the repairs, and I'm losing sleep over it. Not to publish my sob story, but any help would be sincerely appreciated. I'm at my wits end over this cart, and wish I'd never bought it.

Thanks in advance for your time and replies.

BGW

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Jerj7907

I know we have chatted previously and you might not like this advice but all I can think to tell you is to have it hooked up to the programmer and see if it gives you some fault codes. Never heard of your problem before so unsure if there is a way to test. Please repost if you do find out as I am wanting to learn all I can about the RXV. Sorry I know you don't want a charge to just hook it up to handheld unit. Good luck

Rwillden

Thanks. The dealer had it hooked up to the handheld after he programmed it to verify that the programming was set, but I don't know if he looked for fault codes. I'm dropping it off on Monday to have them check it out again. I'm just tired of paying them to diagnose problems with it when their track record on troubleshooting has been so terrible.

Rwillden

Incidentally, even though the carts are different, and the RXV is a whole different animal, it sounds exactly like the problem this guy had with his cart: http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...ed-sensor.html

Jerj7907

That is a shame. I have a great local store, plus have spent a lot of money there but he updates mine for free and also checks it out no charge. He even asked me if I would ride my cart with family until I ran to limp mode to see what mileage I get since converting to 6 8 volt batteries and he would come pick us up and give me a ride home just to compare. I did the same thing when I purchased it new with the stock 4 12 volts to see the mileage with the 23" tires. I was the 1st in my area to buy a lifted RXV for personal use so we did mileage test and so forth for him. Let me know what they find hopefully you will get a code so no guessing.

Rwillden

It's funny you mention that. I've had better luck getting "phone support" from two particular dealers in the south than I have gotten "in person" or phone support from the dealer I bought the cart from in my own state, and the one's down south don't owe me a thing. I didn't even buy parts from them, and they still have offered to help. They both said they'd be able to figure out the problem I'm having in much less time if I were there. It's frustrating. There's a guy from Alabama who's been very helpful, and another guy from Graham Golf Cars in South Carolina who also has been very helpful in trying to figure this thing out. I used to live in Memphis, and I miss that southern hospitality. It doesn't exist here in Utah, and I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I was born and raised here after having lived down south. It is a shame.

JohnnieB

I don't know diddly squat about RXVs, but a speed sensor is a speed sensor and there aren't all that many ways of making them.
Since we are in the digital age, I suspect the output will be a pulse train.
Also, EZGO isn't know for re-inventing the wheel, so they very likely used something similar to what the had used in the past.

My PDS has a motor speed sensor the puts out 8 pulses per motor revolution and they can be seen on an o'scope and measured with a freq counter. In fact, I've got a DMM designed for auto mechanics with a tachometer function that I've use to measure motor RPM while driving down the road.

Anyway, if you can figure out which wire is the output from the sensor, you should be able to see an increase in voltage as the motor RPM increases. (More PPS will give you a higher average DC voltage) using a voltmeter.
If you do have a scope or counter, that would be more definite, but just the increasing voltage with RPM should be a fairly good indicator the speed sensor is working.

Hope this helps.

Rastus

check tire pressure, im sorry but im not a fan of the rxv and have had many issues. most being trying to throw you off due to the motor brake being irratic please keep us all posted on your final result