Quick answer: To test a golf cart solenoid, turn the key on, select forward, press the pedal and listen for a click. Next, read DC voltage across the two small terminals. Then, with power off and the small wires disconnected, check coil resistance. Last, confirm the two large terminals read near zero ohms when the coil is powered.
How Do You Test a Golf Cart Solenoid? (Quick Answer)
You can test a golf cart solenoid with a basic digital multimeter in about four checks. Do them in order. Each one rules out part of the system before you move to the next.
- Click test: Shows whether the coil circuit is working at all.
- Small-terminal voltage: Shows whether the coil is getting power. This separates a bad solenoid from a switch or wiring problem.
- Coil resistance: Shows whether the coil is open (burnt) or shorted.
- Large-terminal contacts: Shows whether the solenoid actually passes battery current when it clicks.
Keep one thing in mind. A solenoid that won’t click is not always bad. Often the coil is not getting power because of a key switch, pedal switch, run/tow switch, controller or wiring fault upstream.
What Does a Golf Cart Solenoid Do?
A golf cart solenoid is a heavy-duty electrical switch. A small coil circuit controls it, and it switches the large current that runs the motor.
- Two small terminals = activation (coil) circuit. They need one positive and one negative feed. When the coil gets power, it pulls in a soft iron core that closes the contacts (Golf Car News).
- Two large terminals = power circuit. When the contacts close, battery pack current flows through these terminals to the controller and motor.
That split is why the tests work. The small terminals tell you if the solenoid is being told to turn on. The large terminals tell you if it actually does.
What Tools and Safety Steps Do You Need Before Testing?
You need only a few tools. Safety matters more than tools here, because a golf cart battery pack can deliver a lot of current.
Tools
- Digital multimeter with DC volts and ohms (resistance) settings
- Insulated wrenches or nut drivers
- Wire brush for cleaning corroded terminals
- Phone camera to photograph the wiring before you disconnect anything
Safety Steps
- Chock the wheels and put the cart in neutral when you aren’t actively testing.
- Remove rings, watches and metal bracelets.
- Wear eye protection.
- Never lay a metal tool where it could touch two battery posts or two terminals at once.
Should the Tow/Run Switch Be in Tow or Run When Testing a Solenoid?
Follow your cart’s manual, because procedures differ. Live tests, like the click and voltage checks, need the switch in RUN. For example, an FSIP install sheet for a Club Car controller kit says to run its tests with the run-tow/maintenance switch in RUN and a good battery pack voltage.
For resistance checks, the solenoid wires must be disconnected. Your manual may tell you to switch to TOW or maintenance before you remove wires. Do what it says for your model.
Check Battery Pack Voltage First
Measure the full pack voltage across the main positive and negative before you start. A weak or uneven pack can make a good solenoid act bad and give you false readings. Charge the pack fully before testing.
Step 1: Does the Solenoid Click?
Turn the key on, select forward and press the accelerator pedal. Listen for a click, or rest a finger on the solenoid case to feel it. Ask a helper to press the pedal if you can’t reach both.
- It clicks, but the cart doesn’t move: The coil circuit likely works. Skip ahead to Step 4 and test the large-terminal contacts.
- No click: Go to Step 2 to see if the coil is getting voltage.
For model-specific causes of a silent solenoid, see our guides on a [INTERNAL LINK: Club Car solenoid not clicking] and a [INTERNAL LINK: 36V EZGO solenoid not clicking].
Step 2: How Do You Check Voltage at the Small Terminals?
Set your meter to DC volts. Put the probes on the two small terminals. Turn the key on, select forward and press the pedal. Then read the meter.
- System voltage and no click: The coil is open. Replace the solenoid. System voltage means roughly the cart’s pack voltage, such as 36V or 48V (Golf Car News).
- System voltage and a click: The coil side is fine. The problem is in the power circuit. Go to Step 4.
- No voltage: The positive or negative feed is missing. The fault is upstream, not in the solenoid.
How Do You Test a 36 Volt vs 48 Volt Golf Cart Solenoid?
The steps are the same. Only the reading you expect changes. On a 36V cart, look for close to pack voltage of about 36V across the small terminals. On a 48V cart, look for close to 48V. Compare the reading to your pack voltage from the pre-check, not to a fixed number.
How to Tell If the Positive or Negative Side Is Missing
Keep the key on, forward selected and the pedal pressed for both checks. Use the pack’s main terminals as your reference (Golf Car News).
- Positive side: Put the red lead on the positive small terminal and the black lead on pack negative. No voltage means the positive feed is open. Check the key switch, foot pedal switch, shifter micro switch, run/tow switch and wiring.
- Negative side: Put the black lead on the negative small terminal and the red lead on pack positive. No voltage means the negative circuit is open.
On some carts, the positive or negative feed runs through the controller. If the switches and wiring check out, the controller may be what’s not sending the signal.
Step 3: How Do You Test Solenoid Coil Resistance?
Turn the key off. Photograph the wiring, then disconnect the wires from both small terminals. Set the meter to ohms and put the probes on the two small terminals.
- OL or infinite: The coil is open (burnt). Replace the solenoid.
- Near 0 ohms: The coil is shorted. Replace the solenoid.
- A steady reading in the expected range: The coil is likely fine.
What Should a Golf Cart Solenoid Read in Ohms?
There is no single correct number. Coil resistance depends on the brand, model and coil voltage. Two examples:
- The White-Rodgers 586-120111, a 48 VDC continuous-duty solenoid, is listed at 336 ohms coil resistance.
- The FSIP Club Car install sheet says the coil must measure no less than 100 ohms with its wires disconnected.
Check the label on your solenoid, its datasheet or your cart’s service manual for the right figure. The E-Z-GO TXT 48V service manual, for example, has its own solenoid test procedure.
Check the Diode or Resistor Before Reconnecting
Some solenoids have a diode or resistor across the small terminals. If yours has a protection diode, the cathode end (the white band) is the positive side, marked P+ (Golf Car News). Note which way it faces before you remove anything, and put it back the same way.
Step 4: How Do You Test the Large Terminals (Contacts)?
This check tells you whether the contacts inside the solenoid actually close. Photograph the wiring and disconnect the heavy cables from both large terminals so the meter reads only the solenoid. Leave the small-terminal wires connected so the cart can still power the coil.
- Set the meter to ohms or continuity.
- With the coil not powered, put the probes on the two large terminals. It should read open, with no continuity.
- Have a helper turn the key on, select forward and press the pedal so the solenoid clicks.
- With the coil powered, the large terminals should read near zero ohms or show continuity.
A high reading or no continuity while it clicks means burnt or pitted contacts. Replace the solenoid. Continuity when the coil is not powered means the contacts are stuck closed, which is also a reason to replace it.
Can a Golf Cart Solenoid Click and Still Be Bad?
Yes. The click only proves the coil pulled the core in. If the contacts are burnt or pitted, current can’t pass even though you hear the click. That is exactly what Step 4 catches.
Can You Bypass a Golf Cart Solenoid to Test It?
Don’t. Never bridge the large terminals with a screwdriver, wrench or jumper. It sends full pack current through the tool, which can arc, weld the metal, burn you and make the cart lurch forward without warning. The meter tests above give you the same answer safely.
Golf Cart Solenoid Test Results: What Do They Mean?
Use this table to match your readings to a next step. Each row stands on its own.
| Test | Reading | What It Means | Next Step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-terminal voltage | System voltage, no click | Open coil | Replace the solenoid |
| Small-terminal voltage | System voltage, clicks | Coil circuit works | Test the large-terminal contacts |
| Small-terminal voltage | No voltage | Positive or negative feed missing | Check key, pedal, micro and run/tow switches and wiring |
| Positive-side check | No voltage | Positive feed open | Check key switch, pedal switch, micro switch, run/tow switch and wiring |
| Negative-side check | No voltage | Negative circuit open | Check wiring, then the controller if it supplies the negative |
| Coil resistance | OL / infinite | Burnt, open coil | Replace the solenoid |
| Coil resistance | Near 0 ohms or below spec | Shorted coil | Replace the solenoid |
| Large terminals, coil off | Continuity | Contacts stuck closed | Replace the solenoid |
| Large terminals, coil on | High ohms or no continuity | Burnt or pitted contacts | Replace the solenoid |
| Large terminals, coil on | Near 0 ohms | Solenoid is good | Check cables, controller and motor |
How Do I Know If It’s My Solenoid or My Controller?
If the solenoid passes all four checks, it isn’t the problem. Look at the controller, motor and heavy cables next. If the coil gets no voltage and the switches and wiring test fine, the controller may not be sending the coil signal on carts that route it that way. In both cases, use your service manual’s controller tests.
What Should You Check When Buying a Replacement Solenoid?
A replacement must match your cart’s system. White-Rodgers, for example, sells separate 36 VDC and 48 VDC coil versions with different duty ratings. Check these four points:
- Coil voltage: Match it to your pack, 36V or 48V.
- Duty type: Match continuous or intermittent duty to the original.
- Number of terminals: Match the original, usually four.
- Amp rating: Meet or exceed the original. The White-Rodgers 586-120111, for instance, lists a 200 A continuous contact rating and 600 A inrush.
When you install it, reconnect each wire using your photos. Put any diode or resistor back in the same direction, with the diode’s white-band end on the positive side. Then repeat the click test before you drive.
Golf Cart Solenoid Testing FAQ
What multimeter settings do you use to test a golf cart solenoid?
Use DC volts and ohms. Set the meter to DC volts to check whether the two small terminals get system voltage with the key on, forward selected and the pedal pressed. Switch to ohms to check coil resistance across the small terminals. Use ohms or continuity to test the contacts across the two large terminals.
Why won’t my golf cart solenoid click?
A solenoid that won’t click is not always bad. Often the coil isn’t getting power because of a key switch, pedal switch, run/tow switch, controller or wiring fault. Measure voltage across the small terminals. Full system voltage with no click means an open coil. No voltage means the fault is upstream.
Do you have to disconnect wires to test a golf cart solenoid?
Only for some checks. The click and small-terminal voltage tests are done with everything connected. For coil resistance, turn the key off and disconnect both small-terminal wires. For the contact test, disconnect the heavy cables from the large terminals but keep the small wires connected. Photograph the wiring first.
What does OL mean when testing a golf cart solenoid coil?
OL, or infinite resistance, means the coil is open, usually because it is burnt. The circuit inside the coil is broken, so it can’t pull in the core and close the contacts. Replace the solenoid. A reading near 0 ohms means the coil is shorted, which also calls for a replacement.
