# 2016 GEM e4 electrical problem
**URL:** https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875
**Category:** GEM Forum
**Created:** [February 14, 2023, 4:03am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875 "2023-02-14T04:03:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2023, 4:03am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/1 "2023-02-14T04:03:59Z")
Wife used our GEM yesterday, everything normal. She went to use it today, turned key and nothing. Panel doesn’t light up, nothing functioning. Batteries seem to be OK. No fuses blown. When I plug in the charge outlet, panel doesn’t light up as it normally would. I don’t have a service manual or wiring diagram. Any help would be appreciated.
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### Author:  [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2023, 4:30am UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/2 "2023-02-14T04:30:29Z")
There is a 12v battery under the dash that may be dead.
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2023, 1:31pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/3 "2023-02-14T13:31:51Z")
Found the issue. The short electrical cord from the charge receptacle that plugs into the charger was not well seated in the charger. Pushed it in tighter and voila.
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### Author:  [@AssyRequired](https://community.electricforum.com/u/AssyRequired)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2023, 1:48pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/4 "2023-02-14T13:48:39Z")
I don’t really understand the relationship between a bad charge cord and the cart not even lighting up. - but Ok.
If you have to putz with it, you might want to take a good look at that cord.
Is there anything obvious showing that it might not be making good contact? Look in the socket on the car too. Look for dirty, burned or corroded pins, discolored or melted plastic.
How long have you been using the same cord? You need to wonder how many times this has been pulled and reconnected.
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2023, 3:33pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/5 "2023-02-14T15:33:52Z")
Everything looks good, nothing dirty, corroded, melted, etc. All I can say is that as soon as I pushed in on the plug that connects the receptacle to the charger, everything started to work again as normal. We bought the GEM new and this cord is original equipment. It has never been pulled and reconnected that I know of, and is in good condition.
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### Author:  [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2023, 4:07pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/6 "2023-02-14T16:07:05Z")
> [@AssyRequired](#):
>
> relationship between a bad charge cord and the cart not even lighting up. -
Nor do I!
???
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### Author:  [@dougl](https://community.electricforum.com/u/dougl)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2023, 5:10pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/7 "2023-02-14T17:10:53Z")
> [@khoyer](#):
>
> Found the issue. The short electrical cord from the charge receptacle that plugs into the charger was not well seated in the charger. Pushed it in tighter and voila.
So your batteries had not been getting recharged and were super low but then, after getting a full charge everything is working?
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/8 "2023-02-15T19:12:06Z")
OK, so GEM worked fine yesterday, but problem returned earlier today (dash doesn’t light up when key is turned). After several attempts at starting without doing anything else, it all of a sudden lit up again. So there is some intermittent problem. For grins I unplugged the cord that connects the receptacle to the charger and vehicle is still operational, so as others above posted the fact that it started working yesterday when I reseated the plug was just coincidental.
New piece of information today is that the the display is now showing a vehicle fault code of 520500: 1. I have a fault code sheet, and for the entry labeled “C1803 520500 0” it says “BMC 12V System Voltage Data Valid But Above Normal Operational Range - Most Severe Level”. Vehicle still operational and no other symptoms are presenting themselves. Thoughts?
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2023, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/9 "2023-02-15T19:51:59Z")
More info, I was doing trials and sometimes it would work (dash lights up) and sometimes not. The last time it didn’t light up, I left the ignition in the on position and after a bit I noticed some chattering from the relays (not sure which, cover was not off at the time). They went silent for a bit, then chattered again. After about three times, everything lit up, and now the fault code has disappeared.
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### Author:  [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2023, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/10 "2023-02-15T20:29:13Z")
See post #2. Have you looked yet?
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/11 "2023-02-15T20:54:59Z")
I just started looking at that. Sitting there not under load, it reads 13V, but when the problem occurs, the voltage bounces around between 6 to 9V. So looks like it is getting weak and needs to be replaced. What does that battery do?
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### Author:  [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2023, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/12 "2023-02-15T22:14:31Z")
Battery is only used to start the car.
Exactly what your car is NOT doing.
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### Author:  [@AssyRequired](https://community.electricforum.com/u/AssyRequired)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/13 "2023-02-15T22:20:12Z")
Just sitting there something may be trickle charging (maintaining 13v).
When key actually switched ON the battery falls on it’s face and trickle is not meant to keep up.
Or a bad/loose connection on posts? Where were your meter probes touching when you checked that batery? (on the battery lugs? OR the terminals? Or test point further down the line?)
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/14 "2023-02-15T22:31:41Z")
Luckily have a dealer just a few miles down the road that had the battery in stock. Replaced it just now, everything looks good. @Inwo, thanks for the suggestion!
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2023, 1:07pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/15 "2023-07-30T13:07:44Z")
Have a new intermittent problem on my 2017 GEM E4. Sometimes when I turn on the ignition or when switching between gears, it will throw a fault code 523:2. When it does this, instead of showing F/N/R in the console display, it will show ‘–’. Sometimes this clears spontaneously after 10 seconds or so and everything appears normal. I have a fault code sheet, but I can’t find this code on there. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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### Author:  [@Inwo](https://community.electricforum.com/u/Inwo)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2023, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/16 "2023-07-30T15:23:59Z")
12v battery has been replaced?
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/17 "2023-07-30T19:34:28Z")
Yes, I replaced that back in February, that resolved the problem I was having at that time (which was intermittently no display at all on the console when turning on ignition).
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2023, 12:29pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/18 "2023-08-01T12:29:02Z")
Dealer was no help in deciphering the fault code. I’m thinking that maybe the FNR switch is going bad. It seems to happen most often when switch is in neutral. Sometimes it will clear on its own after a few seconds, sometimes it clears when I switch from neutral to forward or reverse. Dealer wants $85 for a new switch which seems ludicrously expensive for what it is. I guess I’ll give it a try and see if it fixes the issue.
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### Author:  [@AssyRequired](https://community.electricforum.com/u/AssyRequired)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2023, 1:09pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/19 "2023-08-01T13:09:13Z")
I would also have a tough time paying $85 for a common switch.
Pull the switch out of the console. Identify the wires and do a direct connect to see if the error clears.
It sounds like it _could_ be a common 3 position (center OFF). Post a few pics of the front and back of the switch with how the wires are hooked up.
The Gen2 cars used a very special switch with what it did inside. I have not had a chance to explore the new cars much.
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### Author:  [@khoyer](https://community.electricforum.com/u/khoyer)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/2016-gem-e4-electrical-problem/25875/20 "2023-08-01T14:42:19Z")
On my GEM the switch is connected to the wiring by a 6-prong harness, not individual wires. I bit the bullet and paid the ridiculous price for the switch (could not find the Polaris part cheaper anywhere and couldn’t find something generic that I was sure would work). Luckily, it did seem to fix the problem.
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