How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart? (6 Common Repairs)

There’s nothing quite like rolling down the fairway in a golf cart on a beautiful day, feeling the breeze rustle through your hair. 

However, while golf carts are nice to have, they often contain parts and pieces that wear out over time, especially if you use them often.

It can be extremely frustrating to constantly be trying to figure out what broke on your golf cart and how much it will cost to fix it.

Luckily, a lot of golf carts experience the same types of breaks and part replacement needs, and this makes it easy to get a general idea of how much it will cost to fix them.

But before you spend time and money tearing apart your golf cart to find out what broke, it’s important that you know where to start looking for broken or worn out pieces in the first place. We’ll get to that soon, but first…How much does it cost to fix a golf cart?

Here’s a general estimate of how much it will cost to repair the most common parts of your golf cart:

• Battery: $800-$2000+
• Shocks: $300-$700
• Clutch: $600-$1400
• Speed controller: $300-$800
• Directional switch: $100-$200
• Solenoid: $20-$100

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at each individual component and how they work before breaking down the average cost to repair them and get your golf cart up and running again. Without further adieu, let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

• How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Battery?
• How Much Does it Cost to Fix Golf Cart Shocks?
• How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Golf Cart Transmission?
• How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Speed Controller?
• How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Directional Switch?
• How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Solenoid?
• How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Motor?
• The Takeaway – How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart? 

How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Battery?

The number one component that gives golfers the most trouble with their golf carts is the batteries.

When you take proper care of your golf cart batteries, they can easily last between 7 and 10 years before you have to replace them. You should clean your batteries and check on the water level in every battery once every 30 days to help boost your battery life.

You should also quickly remove any corrosion you find, and make it a habit to turn your cart off and remove the key after each use.

There should be no lights or other accessories on when you park your cart, and you should plug your cart into a battery charger whenever you can.

Ideally, you’ll use Lithium-Ion batteries over Lead-Acid batteries because they are more durable. You should also avoid carrying heavy loads because this puts added stress on your golf cart’s batteries.

• The average cost to purchase and install new batteries for your golf cart ranges between $800 and $2,000. You can find battery packs that cost upwards of $2,000 when you get into the sealed-style batteries with 72-volt systems, but a traditional lead-acid battery will run you about $900 to $1,500. 

Browse golf cart batteries on Amazon.

How Much Does it Cost to Fix Golf Cart Shocks?

Is the rear end of your golf cart starting to sag? Does it make loud noises when you drive around or go over bumps?

If so, your shocks are most likely the cause.

Parts of your suspension like coil-over suspension, struts, and shocks will likely wear out with age and use. Your shocks will soften your ride when you’re traveling over rough terrain.

When they wear out, you should consider replacing them with heavy-duty shocks. Not only do they last longer, but they can prevent your tires and wheels from rubbing against your wheel wells.

A heavy-duty system can give your golf cart an inch or two boost in height on the front end when you install them. To help preserve your shocks, you should drive carefully over rough terrain and not carry heavy loads.

• If you install them yourself, the average cost for new golf cart shocks is about $300-$500. However, if you need help installing them, Labor costs can add up quickly, and this can easily add another $200 to your total cost.

Browse golf cart shocks on Amazon.

How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Golf Cart Transmission?

Every golf cart comes with a clutch, and the clutch is the piece of the cart’s drivetrain that helps transfer the motor’s power through the cart to the wheels.

Clutches on golf carts are a part of a Continuously Variable Transmission. This type of transmission has the drive clutch and the driven clutch connected by a drive belt. The drive clutch is responsible for connecting to the engine crankshaft while the driven clutch connects to the cart’s input shaft.

Both clutches work side-by-side to push your cart forward when you push down on the accelerator pedal. They also help slow your cart down when you release the accelerator pedal, even before you push on the brakes.

If you notice jerky acceleration, a loss of power when you drive up hills, or you have an alternating top-end speed, you may need a new clutch.

• To fix the clutch on your golf cart, you could pay between $600 and $1,400. The cost will depend on your specific cart, the labor needed, and the parts themselves. On average, you can expect to spend around $780 to fix your golf cart clutch. 

How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Speed Controller?

The speed controller determines how fast your golf cart accelerates and how successful it is at maintaining your speed level. So, if you start having trouble accelerating or staying the same speed without changing the type of terrain or slope you’re driving on, your speed controller may be to blame.

To add to the complexity of this issue, it can be very hard to diagnose and repair this problem by yourself, and you almost always need to take your cart into a professional. This can add labor and shop fees to the total cost, causing it to rise.

• The cost for the golf cart speed controller itself averages $170-$500+. Labor costs can be as high as $75 an hour or more, depending on your location. All in all, you’re looking at spending between $300 and $800 for this repair, with the average price being right around $650. 

Browse golf cart speed controllers on Amazon.

How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Directional Switch?

The directional switch on your golf cart allows you to control whether you want your cart to go in reverse or forward.

This switch is one of the most heavily-used objects on the entire cart, and this makes it extremely prone to wear and tear. How long they last depends on how much you use your cart, however, their typical lifespan is between 5 and 15 years.

Common signs that you’re having problems with this switch include issues with your golf cart going in reverse or a slight delay when you move the directional switch forward or backward. This can result in a jerky motion with your cart, and it’ll eventually fail.

• Again, how much you pay for this switch will depend on the golf cart and the cart’s age. You can find golf cart directional switches for as low as $100, but the price can fluctuate up to over $200. This is a relatively easy part to swap out, so you shouldn’t have to pay a lot in labor fees. 

How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Solenoid?

The solenoids on your golf cart work as a relay and switch between your golf cart’s starter/generator or traction motor and the batteries.

The solenoids allow or don’t allow the battery’s current to flow into your golf cart’s generator/starter to start the engine if you have a gas golf cart. The solenoids operate the same way with electric golf carts, except it will or won’t allow the current to go into the traction motor instead of the starter.

This part is another one that sees a lot of use because it works every time you push down your pedal to drive and accelerate. So, it makes sense that they can wear out and break down after a few years. Luckily, for the most part, they’re not extremely expensive to replace.

• For solenoids, you can expect to spend between $20 and $100 for the part. Labor costs are usually slightly lower as well because this is a relatively minor repair that shouldn’t take a long time to swap out and get you on your way. 

Browse golf cart solenoids on Amazon.

How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart Motor?

Your golf cart’s motor works very hard, just like the solenoids do. If you make it a point to properly care for your golf cart’s motor, it can usually last between 20 and 30 years, no matter if it’s electric or gas. If you neglect taking care of your golf cart’s motor, you can severely limit its lifespan.

If your golf cart starts running roughly, doesn’t want to start, uses more fuel than normal, or you experience a loss of power, these are all signs that your engine is going bad. It’s a good idea to replace it before it completely dies so you don’t get stranded out on the course!

• Fixing your golf cart’s motor can be an expensive process if you choose to go with a new motor over a rebuilt one. A rebuilt golf cart motor can cost anywhere between $300 and $500, while a brand new motor can cost between $600 and $1,000 without including the labor needed to install it. 

Browse golf cart motors on Amazon.

The Takeaway – How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Golf Cart?

The cost to fix your golf cart depends on the part that wears out or breaks, the age of your cart, and whether you plan to repair it yourself or hire a professional.

You now know what it costs to fix the batteries, shocks, clutch, speed controller, directional switch, solenoid, and the motor. It’s usually cheaper to install the parts yourself if you’re a handy person, but some repairs are more complicated than others.

I hope this guide gives you a good idea of how much it’ll cost to get your golf cart up and running again!