The main reason why the EZGO Gas golf cart hesitates when accelerating is that it has a dirty carburetor. However, in some cases, the culprits could be a problem with the throttle sensor or wiring, a low battery, and a fault in the motor or controller.

To solve this issue, check the rubber boot and clean it if you spot any dirt. If that doesn’t fix it, troubleshoot for throttle, battery, motor, and controller defects.

Problems with accelerators are common in golf carts. Numerous users on various online communities have mentioned that the Ezgo Gas model has acceleration issues. I realized this when it happened with my EZGO TXT gas golf cart recently.

You are probably familiar with fixing accelerator issues in an average car. Still, I eventually realized that the methods and solutions differ from those you can apply to carts.

The Gas Club Car is typically expected to start immediately when pressing the gas pedal. But several times during the round, the pedal is pushed, and there is a hesitation. 

In my situation, I even had to push the pedal to the floor before the starter engaged and the engine started. Being mechanically inclined, I tried a bunch of troubleshooting, which failed until I could fix it with the help of the technical support personnel.  

In this article, I’ll show you how the acceleration hesitation is solved on an Ezgo gas golf cart and other alternative troubleshooting tips you can try if there’s still no dice. 

The Fix That Worked For Me

After doing a lot of guesswork, I still had problems with my Club Car hesitating while starting. For context, I had ticked the following solutions: 

• Purchased the highest Cold Cranking Amp battery
• I Checked the pedal linkage – from pedal to governor (controller) and from that top to the carburetor.
• I checked the starter generator belt, and it’s tight.
• I checked the voltage of the battery, and it is 12.83 volts.
• Removed and cleaned all the connections.
• I installed a new ground wire from the battery to the starter/generator.

After all these measures, the hesitation was still happening. However, some of these steps have worked for many. But mine was different. Recently, I even had a problem where the starter would continue to run even though the cart was turned off, and the spark plug wire was pulled.

I realized that I had to seek more professional help. The diagnosis at the workshop revealed that the cart’s voltage regulator was terrible. I also had to replace the solenoid. Upon putting a battery analyzer on the battery, it showed less than 200 CCA.

I had to replace the battery with a new one (800 CCA), and now it started and ran like a new cart. The hesitation when accelerating my Ezgo gas club cart disappeared after I replaced the voltage regulator, changed the solenoid, and got a better battery. 

If you’re facing a similar situation, this can be a direction for you. But remember that yours may not be as severe as mine. You could only have a dirty carburetor and no further technical issues. 

This is why I encourage you to identify the culprit before making any technical changes when your golf cart hesitates when accelerating. After a deep conversation with the technical personnel who attended to me and further research, I gathered the common causes that make particular Ezgo gas golf carts hesitate when you pedal the acceleration.

6 Most Common Possible Reasons Why Gas Golf Carts Hesitate When Accelerating

If your EZGO Gas golf cart hesitates while accelerating, the reason can be traced to any of these issues:

1. The carburetor is clogged with dirt and restricts fuel and gas flow to the engine.
2. The throttle cable isn’t in the correct position.
3. The battery is low or has a weak charge, which makes it unable to provide enough power for acceleration.
4. A fault in the motor or controller causes it not to provide the necessary energy for smooth acceleration.
5. A problem with the throttle sensor or wiring is blocking the proper signals to the motor for consistent acceleration. 
6. Limited power output settings or programming limitations.

Some of these issues will require the intervention of a technical expert. But before you go through that hassle, here are the basic steps you can take that can most likely solve the issue and get your cart to work correctly:

How To Fix Gas Golf Cart Hesitate When Accelerating

Fixing the accelerator problems of a gas golf cart is easier once you can pinpoint the source of the problem. First of all, open the hood, identify the symptoms, then consider the following troubleshooting attempts: 

Step 1: Thoroughly examine the cable connections and condition

The first step is to look at the cable connections. Are there loose connections or defective wires? This could be a significant reason. Replace the faulty cables. If you can’t identify any, reattach the wires tightly to the parts they belong to. 

Poor cable connections are a commonly reported culprit for hesitation when accelerating Gas golf carts. But it may not solve the problem permanently. But it’s worth a try.

Step 2: Clean the carb

Detach the carburetor from the engine and other parts, then remove the piston and float assembly, for example, a piston, float chamber, throttle valve, and other factors.

You can spray this carburetor cleaning solution on all surfaces using a small plastic brush and thoroughly scrub all the parts and places. 

After thorough cleaning, use a small cloth to remove residual solvent and reattach the component.

Step 3: Test the solenoid with a multimeter.

If there are no problems with the wire and the carb is clean, test the solenoid using a multimeter. Since this component is responsible for allowing the electrical current from your battery to provide power to the entire cart, it can cause hesitation during accelerating when it’s faulty. 

First, detach the wires of the component and keep the terminals separated from each other to identify the resistance[ohms] of the solenoid on the multimeter. If it’s beyond 0.4 ohms, the solenoid is wrong, and you should replace it. 

Step 4: Try changing the battery 

A faulty battery is another common reason for hesitation when accelerating. The power supply from the battery weakens over an extended period of usage. It’s an easy but expensive solution. However, this may not be an issue if your cart is new. 

Still No Dice? 

After trying all these measures, and your Ezgo gas golf cart still stalls when accelerating, it means there’s more than meets the eye. It means the issue is coming from somewhere we’re not looking. 

Consider the weight or cargo on the golf cart. Excess weight can affect acceleration, so remove unnecessary items and see if anything changes. 

If that’s not the case, consider having a qualified mechanic or technician diagnose the problem. Occasionally, hesitation when accelerating stems from complex engine or drivetrain issues. 

The Cost Of Fixing Gas Golf Cart Accelerator Problems

If you take your cart to a qualified technician to fix accelerator issues, they will most likely replace some components, as seen in my case. Of course, it can be cheaper if you only get the diagnosis and do it yourself. 

But a professional will charge for replacement parts and work hours. For an Ezgo golf cart, new batteries can cost around $1,000, while a speed controller system costs as much as $280. Expect to pay about $30 for the carburetor and solenoids each, depending on the voltage and type.