98 TXT DCS will not go forward or reverse

[superuo]

I recently bought a 98 TXT DCS. Will not move forward or reverse. Readings at charge receptacle are 36.8. Radio and charge meter work, but horn or lights do not.

I would like to learn to fix this problem on my own rather than take it to a shop.

after reading a thread with a similar thread, I removed the charge receptacle top to inspect the Reed switch. The small white wire going out is cut. There is no wire on the outside of the box. The BL+ and BL- are there but not the small white or a red/wht.

What should I check next? I have limited electrical experience. I will look up and learn anything you tell me, but please be gentle :)

[JohnnieB]

First, charge the batteries. They are only 62% charged and the plates are sulfating as we speak. (38.2V is fully charged)

Also, DCS controllers have no low voltage protection and running them on low voltage will take out the controller.

In addition, always place Run/Tow switch in Tow before disconnecting or connecting any wires.

Sounds like a previous owner has bypassed the Reed switch, the wire that used to connect to it is now connected somewhere that has battery pack voltage 100% of the time.

With the Run/Tow in RUN, Key ON and F/R in F, does the solenoid click when pedal is pushed?

(The problems with the accessories may be a fuse, but have no effect on the cart running or not)

[superuo]

Thank you JonnieB. I am charging as we speak. There is no click when I push the pedal.
The solenoid is in the black box with the Run/Tow switch on it correct?

And after further time spent just sitting over the battery box watching the contents, I found the red/wht wire with the red boxy connector completely over by the BL+ connection to the battery pack. One end of that wire disappears into the wire loom that goes out the bottom of the battery compartment. The other end goes into the loom that goes to the charge receptacle but never comes out.

Would it be safe to try to jump the end that goes outside the box with the BL+ connection at the battery pack?

I can take pictures and post them if that would be helpful.

Again sorry if these are dumb questions. I just don't want to make things worse before I make them better.

Thanks again.

[JohnnieB]

The solenoid and controller are inside the black cover with the Run/Tow switch on it.

I'm not very fond of using jumper wires since they tend to destroy more things than they fix.

Attached is a schematic of a DCS with the solenoid activation circuit highlighted.

There should be a wire that ties the Red/White wire on the Run/Tow switch to B+. That might be the one you are describing, but I'm not sure.

A picture or two would be nice.

-------
Activating the solenoid is a two step process in a DCS.
First you have to get B+ to one of the small terminals.
B+ is picked up by another wire on that terminal and sent to the pedal switch, which in turn send B+ to Pin-5 on the controller, tell the controller to ground the solenoid's other small pin via Pin-7

After you get the cover off, check for voltage on the small terminal with the three red wires on it. IF you don't have it, find it.

[superuo]

Here are three pics.
Pic 1 has 2 arrows the white points to the white wire that was cut inside the receptacle. The blue arrow shows the fact that there is no wire going with BL+ and BL- in the wire loom.


Pic 2 shows the wire that I believed to be the Reed Switch wire.


Pic 3 shows the (probably) dumb thing that I did and jumped from BL+ into the suspected Reed switch wire with the end going outside the compartment.


The cart now drives in both forward and reverse. Is it ok to hard wire that jump in place or do I need to go through the steps to replace the Reed switch to avoid further damage?

Now, where would I look for fuses for the lights, reverse warning, horn, etc?

Thank you so much for your help so far. I feel such a sense of accomplishment in doing this without taking it to the shop. WHAT FUN!!!!!

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by superuo

Here are three pics.
Pic 1 has 2 arrows the white points to the white wire that was cut inside the receptacle. The blue arrow shows the fact that there is no wire going with BL+ and BL- in the wire loom.


Pic 2 shows the wire that I believed to be the Reed Switch wire.


Pic 3 shows the (probably) dumb thing that I did and jumped from BL+ into the suspected Reed switch wire with the end going outside the compartment.


The cart now drives in both forward and reverse. Is it ok to hard wire that jump in place or do I need to go through the steps to replace the Reed switch to avoid further damage?

Now, where would I look for fuses for the lights, reverse warning, horn, etc?

Thank you so much for your help so far. I feel such a sense of accomplishment in doing this without taking it to the shop. WHAT FUN!!!!!

The pictures didn't show up, but if the cart is going, you probably did the right thing. (I suspect you don't have the "Automatically parse links in text" box checked in the posting options menu)
Also, you can use the paperclip icon above to attach pictures.

Don't replace the reed switch, it caused so many problem that EZGO started bypassing it in later years.

The fuses could be anywhere. The inner rear fender on the driver side is a common spot.
If your DCS F/R switch look like a metal disk the actuates a couple switches, the reverse beeper is located on the same mounting plate, if you have the earlier type DCS F/R switch, I'm not sure where it is.

[superuo]

Thanks for the info on attaching the pics. Looked inside all the wheel wells. No luck there.

I do have the plate for the F/R Switch. I will open it up and see what trouble I can get into there :)

I will update you with a pic once I have it open.

Thanks again JohnnieB

[JohnnieB]

No need to open F/R switch cover - Beeper is visible in the pictures you posted.

[superuo]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

No need to open F/R switch cover - Beeper is visible in the pictures you posted.

Yeah, I wish I was smart enough to have read your post before proceeding with opening. got the nut off, the cover popped off and now I am playing this game of reinstalling the cover but not getting it positioned correctly to give me the beep in reverse instead of forward.

I have tried repositioning it several times, and it is no easy job to hold that thi8ng on there and put the nut on with that spring pushing it out.

Is there any COMMON SENSE step I am missing to get this thing on there correctly without having seen how it was positioned before I took it off?

[superuo]

Oh and I forgot to say that I did get the reverse beeper working, the red wire was disconnected.