When you hear “golf car security,” what comes to mind? My first thought is Wade, the overweight security guard at my high school who roamed the campus in his golf car, trying to catch kids cutting class or smoking cigarettes. A core memory I have is of Wade cutting through a field, driving over an unseen drainage cover, nearly tipping over his stock E-Z-GO, and almost ejecting his enlarged body from the vehicle. But we’re not here to reminisce. This article will highlight the growing need to secure your golf car, ways to protect your vehicle, and more specifically, how to safeguard your expensive lithium battery from theft.
Golf car theft is on the rise for several reasons. These low-speed vehicles are relatively easy to steal, simple to sell or part out, and, most importantly, golf cars typically don’t have registered serial numbers, making the recovery of a stolen golf car difficult for law enforcement. Any thief with minimal knowledge of golf cars can boost one in two minutes, maybe less. It doesn’t help that most major golf car models use a universal key. Typically, the thief will pull up next to your vehicle with a trailer, open the seat, put the golf car in TOW mode, and simply push it onto the trailer. A few stolen cans of spray paint later, and your golf car is on Facebook Marketplace for $3,000 in the next city over. Newer AC-style golf cars have magnetic brakes that prevent this, but a quick internet search will show you how to bypass and unlock the brakes in seconds. While golf cars are difficult to secure, there are options available that can deter theft entirely or at least make it much more difficult.
Golf car owners have two options for securing their vehicles: store-bought products and vehicle modifications. I recommend a combination of both. Store-bought products are effective deterrents but not foolproof. Examples of golf car security products include chains and locks, wheel boots, steering wheel locking devices, pedal blocking brackets, keyless ON/OFF switches, and tracking devices like an Apple AirTag. Examples of vehicle modifications include installing a hidden switch inline with the ON/OFF switch or relocating the RUN/TOW switch. A simple internet search should provide results on how to install a secret switch or move an existing switch on your specific golf car model. Combining multiple security measures can make your golf car extremely difficult to steal and give you peace of mind when leaving your vehicle in a public setting.
Lithium battery theft is currently rare, but as demand for these upgraded and highly sought-after batteries rises, criminals will look to capitalize. Many lead-acid battery owners have had their six 8-volt batteries stolen, which is far more work than stealing a single lithium battery. Even if you’ve protected your golf car with physical security measures, a thief with a little know-how could remove your vehicle’s lithium battery and onboard charger in maybe 2-5 minutes with a set of wire cutters, a 13mm socket, an extension, and a ratchet wrench. Lithium golf car batteries are designed for easy installation, but that also means they can be easily removed. One simple way to secure the battery is to add LOCTITE to the mounting hardware when securing the battery to the tray or a mounting bracket. A less subtle option would be to install a car alarm to a switch that activates when the seat is opened while the golf car’s key is in the off position.
If someone wants your golf car badly enough, they will, unfortunately, get it. Even with multiple layers of security, three or four men can lift a lithium-powered golf car and load it onto a trailer in under a minute. Tracking devices can be discovered and disabled, locks can be cut, and switches can be bypassed, rendering physical security measures useless. At the end of the day, insurance is the only way to fully protect your investment. If you have an upgraded or high-end low-speed vehicle, it’s recommended to upgrade your policy beyond just liability coverage. Make securing your golf car a priority so you can rest easy knowing your investments are protected. Just make sure to watch out for sunken drainage covers.
