Preparing Your Electric Golf Cart for Long-Term Storage: Top Tips for a Smooth Return







Preparing Your Electric Golf Cart for Long-Term Storage: Top Tips for a Smooth Return

Preparing Your Electric Golf Cart for Long-Term Storage: Top Tips for a Smooth Return

If you're planning on putting your electric golf cart into long-term storage, taking the right steps to ensure its safekeeping is essential. Whether it's for the off-season or an extended period of time, properly preparing your golf cart will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises when you're ready to hit the green again. In this blog post, we will share some top tips on how to prepare your electric golf cart for long-term storage, ensuring a smooth return to the course.

Clean Your Golf Cart Thoroughly:

Before storing your electric golf cart, make sure to give it a thorough cleaning. Remove dirt, dust, and debris from the body, seats, tires, and undercarriage. This will help to prevent rust, corrosion, and damage from pests. Additionally, clean the battery compartment and terminals to prevent any buildup of corrosion during storage.

Flip the Switch

Most modern golf carts are equipped with a "Run/Tow Switch", which is a heavy-duty toggle switch that is used to temporarily disconnect or "kill" the connection between the batteries and the vehicle's electric powertrain (aka your motor and controller). Your golf cart's motor and controller still draw some current even when not in use. Flipping the Run/Tow Switch to the "Tow" position will prevent some of that unwanted draw on your batteries.

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Club Car

If you have an older golf cart that is not equipped with a Run/Tow Switch, you can disconnect the main positive and negative cables from your battery pack. Consult your Owner's Manual for the proper procedure. If you're not comfortable doing this yourself, click here to schedule a service appointment with one of our professional golf cart technicians.

Take Care of Your Batteries

One of the most critical steps in preparing your electric golf cart for long-term storage is taking care of the batteries. If you have lithium or AGM batteries, just fully charge your batteries and remember to flip that Run/Tow Switch and you're done! If you have lead-acid batteries, be sure to top off the water. Click here for a step-by-step guide for maintaining flooded lead-acid batteries.

We do not recommend leaving your cart plugged in while you're gone. Ideally, you should store your cart in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.

Check Your Tires:

Under- or over-inflated tires can cause damage to your golf cart during long-term storage. Check the manufacturer's recommendations for the correct tire pressure and inflate your tires accordingly.

If possible, store your golf cart on blocks or jack stands to take the weight off the tires and prevent flat spots. Consult your Owner's Manual to find the appropriate lift points for your car. If you're not comfortable doing this yourself, click here to schedule a service appointment with one of our professional golf cart technicians.

Don't Set The Parking Brake

Most golf cart OEMs that sell carts with mechanical parking brakes including Club Car, recommend not setting your parking brake during extended storage. This prevents wear and tear on your brake cables and prevents the brake shoes from fusing to the drums - especially if you're forced to store the cart outside. There is one huge caveat here. Only store the cart with the parking brake disengaged if you can safely secure the wheels with chocks or leave the cart on jack stands. Only perform this step if you are intimately familiar with the procedure, as set forth by your Owner's Manual, or have your golf cart professionally prepped for long-term storage.

This does not apply to golf carts with electronic parking brakes, such as Icon, Epic, and EZGO.

Conclusion:

Taking the time to prepare your electric golf cart for long-term storage is a small investment that can save you a lot of trouble in the long run. By following these simple tips, you'll ensure your cart remains in excellent condition, ready for your return to the course.