When you try to start your ATV and you hear a click instead of the engine roaring to life, it’s more than annoying. Instead of joining your friends as they go mudding, you now need to figure out how to make your quad start. So, what can you do when your ATV doesn’t start?
Your ATV most likely clicks when you try to start it because of the battery. The reasons for this are numerous, from loose connections to a current draw that drains the battery. If the battery is not the cause, the ATV probably has a faulty starter solenoid.
Your ATV is meant to be ridden, not sitting in the driveway, so let’s get to troubleshooting.
This is an easy solution to check for and fix. Examine the connections to the battery and the starter. Sometimes the connections get knocked loose, especially if you’ve ridden some rough trails. Also, check for corrosion on the battery terminals, and if you find some, clean it off.
If the connections are clean and tight, then it’s time to move on to the next possible problem.
Battery problems are the number one reason ATV owners hear the dreaded click when trying to start their quads. ATVs give batteries a workout, so it’s not uncommon for one to go bad after a couple of years.
Your climate, how well you maintain it, and the quality of the battery affect its longevity. If you bought a cheap battery, do not expect it to last for more than a year or two.
One sign that the battery doesn’t have enough of a charge is multiple clicks in rapid succession. If there is a single click, then you may have another problem with your ATV—the starter solenoid. We will talk about that in a bit. For now, we’ll assume the battery is the issue.
Here are a few reasons this could be happening:
To test for this, unplug the battery and charge it completely.
Then measure the voltage using a multimeter. Let the battery sit unused for a day or two and recheck the voltage. Significant loss of voltage means you most likely it is time to replace your battery.
Before you go out and buy a new one, you might want to do some additional troubleshooting. Check out, How To Keep an ATV Battery Lasting for more info.
Let’s say you charged up your battery. After riding for a couple of hours, you stopped. When you tried to start your ATV, you heard the click (or silence).
If your battery can’t hold enough of a charge, then you should do a load test. For this, you need a multimeter and a load-tester if you want the most accurate results.
First, charge your battery to at least 75% (typically 12.4 volts). Use a multimeter to check the levels.
Reconnect your battery. Try to start your quad and check the battery’s voltage. A number below 9.6 volts means your battery doesn’t hold a charge.
Perhaps you made sure your battery was charged in the evening, but it is dead the next morning. Something in your ATV is using current. Parasitic amperage draw is the term for when a vehicle’s component is drawing electricity when it shouldn’t (i.e., the engine is off.) Typically this is due to a bad relay or fuse.
This used to be a more common problem when most ATVs had lead-acid batteries. If your quad has one of those batteries, then a fluid check is required. However, most ATVs come with an AGM (absorbed glass mat) or SLA (sealed lead-acid) battery, which cannot be topped off.
If you need to check fluid levels, clean the outside of the battery first to keep crud and dirt from falling into the battery.
Open the covers and check for the fluid levels then fill the battery cells so that the plates are covered and replace the cover.
Charge the battery and see if it can hold its charge. If not, buy a new one.
And when you do, buy a higher quality AGM or SLA.
Another problem with lead-acid batteries is they suffer from poor performance in cold weather. Since you can’t do much about the weather, once your lead acid battery no longer performs well, you have to replace it.
Here’s a helpful video showing how to test an ATV electrical system:
Have you left your four-wheeler sitting idle too long? Cars use an alternator that charges the battery while it is running. But most ATVs use a stator, which is designed to provide electric power.
Unlike alternators, stators do not recharge the battery. This is why a four wheeler’s battery needs to be charged while a car’s does not.
So if you forgot to charge the battery, it might have a little juice left, but not enough to start your vehicle.
In that case, you need to charge the battery. You can do this with another ATV battery or a car battery. Do not turn on the car if you use a car battery. You will risk frying your ATVs’ electronics.
If you haven’t already invested in a jump box, like the NOCO Boost Plus (link to Amazon) this is a good time to do so. Jump boxes are designed to connect safely to 12-volt batteries. The USB ports are handy for charging phones and other devices as well.
Since the number one cause behind an ATVs failure to start is the battery, keeping your battery healthy is essential. Follow these tips to keep your battery healthy:
How To Charge an ATV Battery will walk through all the steps to keep your battery charged and lasting a long time.
I like to use the Ctek Smart Charger found here on Amazon if the ATV is going to be sitting for more than a couple weeks. That way the battery is good to go when I need it.
If you have checked the battery, charged it, or replaced it and the ATV still does not start, it could be due to a bad solenoid. Also called a starter relay, the next most common reason an ATV doesn’t start is a bad solenoid, also known as a starter relay.
A solenoid provides the contact point between the battery and the starter. It works like this: when the starter switch is activated, amperage is sent to the solenoid. The amps cause the armature inside the solenoid to move, which completes the starter and battery circuit.
When you try to start your ATV and hear a single click, chances are good your starter relay is the problem.
But there are a few other signs that the solenoid is the cause of the clicking.
You will have to replace it. The starter solenoid will have two wires going from the battery and a pair of smaller cables going to the fuse housing. Before taking it off, make sure the battery is not hooked up. Otherwise, you are risking getting shocked.
ATVs with an electric starter can sometimes be jumped with the wrench trick. Locate the two wires coming from the electric starter. They should be positioned in such a way that you can use the wrench to jump-start your quad.
The number one reason an ATV clicks and doesn’t start is the battery, so you should troubleshoot that first. If your battery is functioning correctly, the next common source is the starter solenoid or a bad starter motor. Occasionally you could have hydro-locked your engine, or the fuses have failed.
The good news is that isolating battery problems is usually straightforward and replacing them is easy. The hard part will be parting with your hard-earned cash.
Sharing is caring!
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
1 - 19 of 19 Posts
Please consider creating a new thread.Top
To start an electric start engine, turn the ignition key to the ON position, press the brake and press the green electric start button for no longer than 5 seconds.
ATVs usually shift automatically—the shift lever is used to shift up, down, neutral, reverse, and select park mode.
To start or increase speed, you need to press the thumb of your right hand on the throttle.
The gearbox must be in the “H” or “L” position. The middle finger of the right hand rests on the front brake lever while driving, and the middle and index fingers of the left hand rest on the rear brake lever.
Also on the steering wheel there are buttons for turning on the four-wheel drive and locking the differential. Four-wheel drive will be needed when driving off-road, slippery roads, transporting goods and towing. A differential lock is needed so that the wheels of the ATV spin synchronously - for example, it will help to drive out if one of the wheels is stuck in the mud, and the second remains on a stable surface. When the lock is off, in such a situation, only the wheel that is stuck will spin.
Whether it is possible to turn on the four-wheel drive and blocking on the go and at what speed - should be indicated in the instruction manual. At the same time, regardless of the model of the ATV, the lock cannot be turned on after a jam, since the differential gears must engage without load.
1 - ignition key. 2 - starter button. 3 - light switch. 4 - signal.
1 - throttle lever. 2 - switch 2WD / 4WD. 4 - fuse.
1 - throttle lever. 3 - 4WD / LOCK differential lock switch. 4 - fuse.
Standing up makes it easier to avoid tipping the ATV by shifting your body weight. There are 3 main racks:
The worst variant of the stance is when the back is tense, the person leans on his hands, and his legs are straight. In this case, the body does not absorb shocks and shocks, and the bones, intervertebral discs and joints experience a strong load. In addition, control over technique worsens and fatigue increases.
middle rack
A-pillar
rear pillar
To climb, you need to shift into low gear, take the front stand and drive at medium engine speeds. It is impossible to sharply press the gas when driving up a slope or mountain - there is a risk of rolling over.
When stopping in the middle of a hill, drive off carefully, as a sudden start will be followed by tipping over. If the ATV rolls backwards, you must press the front brake lever, and after stopping, turn off the engine, put the equipment on the handbrake, turn around manually, slide down and try again.
To descend, you need to take the rear rack and shift into a lower gear. In order not to roll over, brake should be simultaneously front and rear brakes. To avoid skidding, you can not change the trajectory of movement and speed abruptly, as well as brake too hard. It is better not to touch the gas lever when descending.
To drive downhill, shift into low gear and shift your body weight towards the top. Don't hit the gas hard and don't brake hard. You can also fall when making a sharp turn. If the slope is steep and the ground on it is slippery, it is better not to risk it.
To enter a tight turn, lean on the outside footrest and tilt your upper body inward. On slippery surfaces, shifting forward will improve handling, and shifting back will improve the grip of the drive wheels with the road.
Before driving into deep mud, you need to make sure that there are no logs, large stones and other obstacles in it, and the soil is not marshy.
You should drive smoothly, without sharp pressure on the gas lever. At a slow speed, high engine speeds should not be allowed - the wheels will begin to slip and dig deeper. If the ATV has sunk deep into the mud, after releasing it, you need to dry the brakes with a few clicks on the levers.
To estimate the trajectory of the ATV in advance, you need to look into the distance and not fix your eyes on any one object.
It is not necessary to drive into steep mountains and hills unless absolutely necessary, because if you lack experience, you can, for example, press the gas too hard or allow the engine to stop - both errors lead to a rollover.
ATV requires special equipment. It will protect against getting wet, hypothermia, wind and dirt, and will also reduce the risk of injury after a fall or collision.
Start failure. Councils for the operation of the ATV.
Often, owners of off-road vehicles are faced with the problem of starting the engine after storage.
The reasons for the failure to start can be different, and it is worth looking into them:
If the ATV has not been used for a month, and the battery terminal has not been removed before storage, there is a chance that the battery is dead. Experts even have the concept of "self-discharge of the battery."
Extremely low or high temperatures can also cause the battery to drain quickly.
When the ignition is switched on, the panel must glow brightly! If this does not happen, the battery is discharged and when you press the starter button, the panel goes out. The battery needs to be charged!
Battery requires:
Checking the position of the emergency engine shutdown button.
The emergency engine stop button is located on the left handlebar of the ATV. When it is pressed, the starter is blocked on the ATV, and on injection models of the ATV, the button turns off the fuel pump.
Checking the ATV fuel system.
Checking the fuel in the tank. Fuel may partially evaporate or leak if the fuel line hoses are damaged.
If the ATV is stored in a cold room, there is a possibility that water may freeze in the gasoline poured into the tank, which got there when refueling equipment in warm weather. Particles of ice block the access of fuel.
The next step is to check the filter.
Fuel filters are used to filter and remove dust particles, rust, dirt, which are found in metal containers for storing and transporting fuel. The main reason for water and particles to enter the fuel filter is refueling from untested containers.
The presence of foreign particles in the filter is one of the main causes of poor starting of the engine. If there is frozen water in the filter, the filter must be heated and the melted water should be poured out. If rust or dirt is found in it, the filter should be replaced with a new one:
