Solenoid Welded code

[nollski]

I just purchased a 2001 EZGO PDS - 36V. I drove it a few minutes before I purchased it, and it drove like a champ. Against my better judgement, they loaded the cart on the back of my truck with a forklift. I got home, unloaded the cart, and it did not drive like it did at the place where i bought it. It is now very very sluggish. I charged batteries to full charge and still very sluggish, even on flat surcace. They had a Freedom speed chip installed too. I ran the diagnostic test and it gave me 4 straight beeps, which just told me it has the speed chip. I then removed the speed chip, and ran the diagnostic again, and this time it gave me 3 straight beeps, followed by 2 beeps. According to the cover, this error code means "SOLENOID WELDED". Could something have caused this when they used fork lift to load the cart? It's way too ironic that it ran fine at the store, and as soon as I got home it didn't. Is this an easy fix? Do I just replace the solenoid? If so, is that easy to do and what Solenoid is recomended? Thanks!

[dougmcp]

Sounds to me like the forklift hit the microswitch on the throttle assembly and it's keeping the solenoid energized. It's under the floor.
The only people I see loading things like that with a forklift are at auto wrecking yards where it's not important if they screw things up.
If possible I would get those people (clowns) to fix it for you.
Here is a parts pictorial of what it is that probably got crushed:

[nollski]

Thanks for the info. Quick question - on the attachement - which pn# is the microswitch? Also, craziest thing happened. So after I posted my original message about the SOLENOID WELDED code, I took the control box cover off so that I could double check the connections on the solenoid and also write down the model# from it. All connections seemed tight but I wiggled everything anyways. I also took a continuity test on on both large posts, and it did show continuity (which I beleive it should NOT have). I called the guy up, and he is sending me a new SOLENOID and I agreed to install it myself. Access to a trailer is a little harder for me and it's an hour to the shop and then another guy has to pick it up from there and take it to his shop, so if I could avoid all that mess I would rather do so. Anyways, the crazy part is, my wife hopped in the cart later to drive my son down to our neighbors (the cart would work...just slowly), and oddly enough, the cart drove like a champ like it should! We tested it for about another 30 minutes and the thing drove perfectly. Does that make sense?

[dougmcp]

You may have just had a crushed wire or a stuck micro switch. The throttle has to come up to the off position before the cart will start, if not it will go into the limp mode.
The only way to do a true continuity test on your solenoid is to disconnect the wires to it ( at least one).
The wiring diagram and pinouts are located here: http://www.golfcartsforum.com/golf-c...g-diagram.html
Whenever you do anything electrical to your cart make sure it is in the TOW mode to avoid damages to your controller.

[nollski]

Update: My problem has come back. When we initially turn the key, switch to Forward, and drive it does so, but very slowly. We will then stop, keep the key switch "on" and toggle the F/R switch to neutral and then back to forward. It will always drive again, and sometimes just doing this one time will do the trick and the cart will drive fast like it should and take off. Sometimes it will still be in "limp" mode, and so we repeat the process by toggling to neutral and then to forward again. Within the first 2 or 3 tries of doing this, it will fix the problem and it will drive just fine, that is until you have to stop and put it in reverse or anything like that and then it seems to want to go back into limp mode. Any ideas? Could it be something with the F/R switch? Or, do you still think possibly something with the microswitch? Also, the guy did send me a new solenoid but i've held off on replacing that because it seemed as though the thought was that was not the problem. Thanks in advance for your help!

[dougmcp]

The F/R switches on these carts have been known to go out, can yyou check it with a meter and see if it consistently switches?
The wiring diagram for that area is here: Ezgo PDS Wiring Diagram
It could also be the solenoid, you already have it so why not change it out to eliminate the possibility.

[nollski]

Thanks Doug. I'll first try replacing the solenoid and see if that does the trick. If not, can you possibly provide details on exactly what the steps are to checking the F/R switch? Thanks

[dougmcp]

No problem.
The wiring diagram link was posted in my previous post and is pretty self explanatory for the F/R switch but if you need more help just ask.