ezgo PDS solenoid wont click

[durabostbay]

Howdy all, trying to repair my workplaces golfcart. It has been acting up for the past week according to my workmates. They have been able to drive it to a job but when they need to come back to the shop it wont move, or will only move in reverse. Now it wont move at all.

The solenoid will not click. There is a resistor on the solenoid but no diode. Pack voltage is 38+. Key switch tested and works. Fwd/Rev switch tested and works. Pedal switch tested and works. Reverse beeper beeps in reverse. ITS has 14+ volts on Blk and Wht wires. Big solenoid terminals voltage test is good. Have B+ on small terminals but never get B-.

Thanks in advance

[JohnnieB]

Both B+ (Yellow wire) and B- (Blue wire) are supplied to the solenoid coil by the controller.

To get B+ to the yellow wire: Charger disconnected from cart, Run/Tow = Run, Keyswitch = ON, F/R = either F or R.

To get B- to the blue wire: All the above conditions must be met, plus pedal must be depressed far enough for pedal microswitch to close.

On the attached schematic, all the pins with wires highlighted in red attached to them must have B+ on them for solenoid to click. Before the pedal is pressed, the blue wire will have B+ on it also. (voltage feeding through the coil)

Check the voltage on the small wire coming out of the back of the charge receptacle first. That is the output of the reed switch, which is a high failure item.

Then check the voltage on J1 Pins 4 & 5. They supply voltage to all the switches and the controller electronics. Pin-5 has B+ on it 100% of the time. Pin-4 has B+ on it all the time except when the charger is plugged into cart.

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Sounds like the controller is going bad, but check the voltages to be sure.

[durabostbay]

All the highlighted wires have B+. I had not previously tested the run/tow switch but it is good according the schematic. Still wont click.

Is it possible for the ITS to have failed, possibly sending a speed reference to the controller, or not? Seems like if I ohm J4 pin 3 to 4 I should see some change as I press the pedal. With J4 unplugged ohm meter + to pin 3 and - to pin 4 I get a steady .5 M ohms regardless of pedal position. If I reverse the meter leads I get a constantly changing reading kind of like testing a capacitor.

I literally just plugged J4 into the controller and ohmed pin 3 to 4. When I pushed the pedal the solenoid clicked and the cart began to move slowly. I reversed the meter leads and the solenoid clicked and the cart took off fast. Remove meter leads and nothing.

Im leaning towards bad ITS sensor. What do you think?

[JohnnieB]

That is weird. The ITS sensor in not in the solenoid activation circuit. The controller should energize the solenoid whether the ITS sensor is connected or not.

There might be two problems sharing a common cause. Moisture in the pedal box or corrosion in the inline connector between the pedal box and controller will sometimes effect both the ITS circuit and the pedal switch circuit.

The pedal switch is a microswitch and the NC contacts are used, so a little-bitty spring is what actually closes the contacts. If the switch gets gummed up, the contacts intermittently won't close, and the solenoid doesn't click.

The ITS sensor is a proximity sensor and the position of the plunger moved by the pedal determines the current flow through the ITS sensor. Attached is a schematic for the sensor.

You can download the Owner, Service and Parts manuals for your cart here: http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/elect...g-manuals.html
They are the first three PDF files near top of page.

How to check the ITS circuit starts on page F-20 in the service manual.

[durabostbay]

I have removed the ITS sensor (got a new one on the way) and the solenoid still does not click.

The pedal box was dry when I opened it and the pedal switch looks relatively clean.

Where is the inline connector between the pedal box and controller physically located? I thought it was solid wire from inside pedal box to J4 connector on controller.

[scottyb]

The solenoid activates independently from the ITS operation. Also the ITS operates the same in F&R so none of the reverse only problem could be caused by ITS failure. Looking at your first post again I think you have a controller going out because of the reverse only episodes.

[durabostbay]

So, if I were to press the pedal all the way down, and then turn on the key switch, and then push forward, what would happen?

[scottyb]

Possibly nothing. Most all of the controls have some type of high pedal disable feature

[durabostbay]

Good news! Installed new ITS and our ezgo is back in service. Thanks again for all the help.

Im guessing the ITS failed in such a manner to make the controller think it had a high pedal.

New ITS ohmed .5+ Mohms in both directions. Old ITS ohmed .5+ Mohms in one direction but acted like a capacitor in the other direction. Maybe a bad internal diode?

[scottyb]

That's one for the books - Looking back the 14v reading may have been a red flag. Thanks for the information