Don’t Overlook These 3 Golf Cart Maintenance Tasks

One of the best reasons to buy a new golf cart (or to pick up a preowned one) is the simple ease of owning them!

Golf carts and ATVs provide an invaluable service to their owners, and they don’t ask for much in return — just a little preventative maintenance and the occasional tune-up at our Service Department should keep them going strong for years to come.

Today, we’ll look at the most important basic golf cart maintenance tasks you shouldn’t overlook.

1. Charge (and Water) the Battery

We talk a lot of about golf cart batteries around here — they’re often one of the first problems a golf cart owner will have to deal with. But most of those issues can be prevented with easy preventative maintenance.

Make sure that you recharge your battery after every use. Don’t let the golf cart sit with a totally depleted or nearly-depleted battery, as this will lessen your golf cart battery’s lifespan.

Be sure to inspect your charger connections each time, charge in a well-ventilated area, and be sure all vent caps are tight.

You’ll need to water your golf cart battery, too! The electric charge in golf carts is created using electrolytes, and the charging process uses up a considerable amount of water over time.

Always check before charging to make sure your water is at the recommended level. You’ll need to add water approximately once per month, but it may be more or less often depending on how often you use your golf cart. It’s very important not to add too much or too little water, as both can cause problems that may lead to replacing your golf cart battery entirely.

Check your manufacturer’s guide, or just visit one of our locations here in South Carolina and we’d be happy to show you just how much water to add each time.

2. What’s Your Tire Pressure?

Golf cart tires are very similar to the tires of any regular full-size vehicle. They have a pretty long lifespan if checked regularly, but too little pressure can cause them to go flat prematurely. Too much pressure, on the other hand, can make you more prone to accidents on slick or icy surfaces, as well as causing the tread itself to wear down faster.

Check the tire pressure on your golf cart or ATV about once a month, more often if you primarily use your golf cart for off-road activities like hunting, fishing, or farming.

While the general rule for appropriate golf cart tire pressure is 20 – 22 pounds per square inch, this can vary based on the manufacturer. Be sure to check their guidelines to be sure.

3. Test Your Brakes (And Your Lights)

Our final must-have on the maintenance checklist is simply being sure you test out the effectiveness and responsiveness of your steering wheel, braking system, and headlights.

We recommend doing this once per week, as it really only takes a few seconds of your time and gives you extra peace of mind (especially if your children utilize your golf cart or ATV, although they should be 16 or older if they do!)

Take a short, slow drive down your driveway, where conditions are ideal. Test your brakes, test how quickly your steering wheel works, and flip on and off your headlights.

If any of these systems aren’t working or seem to be having some trouble, you’ll want to make a call to our Service Department, as braking, steering, and headlight systems can be complex to repair.

Need Help With Golf Cart Maintenance and Repair? Call Garrett’s!

At Go With Garrett’s Golf Cars and Specialty Vehicles, we’ve made it our mission since 1991 to provide great customer service, high-quality golf carts, and a hardworking Service Department dedicated to helping you make the absolute most out of your new or preowned golf cart.

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