GEM Error 49

I have a 2002 4 passenger Gem. Yesterday it quit working and is showing error -49. If you turn the key on and press the pedal it feels like it tries to move but stops. It won’t do it again unless you turn the key off and back on.

Any ideas on what to do?

Thanks.

[QUOTE=Ohmylord;9289]I have a 2002 4 passenger Gem. Yesterday it quit working and is showing error -49. If you turn the key on and press the pedal it feels like it tries to move but stops. It won’t do it again unless you turn the key off and back on.

Any ideas on what to do?

Thanks.[/QUOTE]

I did find the list of error messages and here is what it says for Error 49: [I]motor current low electrical fault check resistance of motor and
wiring,if ok, inspect motor controller[/I]

I really hope I can fix this myself but could use some help on getting started. Any help would be appreciated.

How many miles are on the GEM? First things I would check would be the cables leading to the motor and then the contacts inside the main relay. I would then suggest taking ohm readings of the motor windings. You may even have worn out motor brushes. I have replaced one set of these. When these wear out, the resistance across the rotor winding will increase, which will lower the amperage. Next possibility is that the motor itself is burnt up or developed an open winding. Also look for oil residue inside the motor which means a bad transmission seal. It is not difficult to remove the motor for inspection.

Daniel

[QUOTE=GEMmechanic;9296]How many miles are on the GEM? First things I would check would be the cables leading to the motor and then the contacts inside the main relay. I would then suggest taking ohm readings of the motor windings. You may even have worn out motor brushes. I have replaced one set of these. When these wear out, the resistance across the rotor winding will increase, which will lower the amperage. Next possibility is that the motor itself is burnt up or developed an open winding. Also look for oil residue inside the motor which means a bad transmission seal. It is not difficult to remove the motor for inspection.

Daniel[/QUOTE]

Daniel, Thanks for the reply and suggestions. It has about 2600 miles on it. I’ve probably put less than 100 on it since I got it last year. It did come with an extra motor (a 7.5 Hp one). I suppose I could swap out the motor.

Also, I don’t have any type of repair manual so I’m not sure exactly where to start taking things apart. I’ve seen a few youtube videos on repairs but is there a good web site or video that would help walk me through the process?

Thanks, Pete

GEM does produce parts and service manuals. I believe they are overpriced, out of date, and not very comprehensive. The motor replacement procedure is in the manual. It should take a reasonable mechanic about two hours to replace the motor. After opening the master switch and before starting to remove the motor , spray the power cable lugs at the motor with penetrant oil. These lugs will be rusty after ten years. While the motor is off, you should replace the little rubber buffer and inspect the splines on the transmission input shaft. Use caution with any aftermarket motor. The extra horsepower can be too much for the motor controller. The controller can be reprogrammed to match the new motor.

Daniel

[QUOTE=GEMmechanic;9303]GEM does produce parts and service manuals. I believe they are overpriced, out of date, and not very comprehensive. The motor replacement procedure is in the manual. It should take a reasonable mechanic about two hours to replace the motor. After opening the master switch and before starting to remove the motor , spray the power cable lugs at the motor with penetrant oil. These lugs will be rusty after ten years. While the motor is off, you should replace the little rubber buffer and inspect the splines on the transmission input shaft. Use caution with any aftermarket motor. The extra horsepower can be too much for the motor controller. The controller can be reprogrammed to match the new motor.

Daniel[/QUOTE]

Thanks for all the help. I did find an under $10 manual on eBay that seems like a pretty good investment. It says that error 49 is “Motor field current is too low during the run mode.” It says to “check wiring between motor controller and the motor field connections. If the connections are good, replace the motor controller.”

To try and troubleshoot this should I take the dash apart or can I do it under the hood? It’s a 4 passenger.

The connections on the motor are under the hood. The connections at the controller and main contactor are under the dash. Open the master switch before doing any work. Call the factory service department and see if they will give you the correct ohm readings for the motor. Remember there is a rotor winding and a stator winding. You must also check both for grounding. Motor winding ohms to ground should be infinite. The leads must be off the motor when testing. These leads have polarity and must go back exactly where they were removed from. I have never had any trouble with a motor controller. I suspect if your GEM came with an after market (larger) motor, the previous owner may have had trouble with it. These after market motor suppliers advertise that the controller may need reprogramming or upgrade to handle the extra horsepower. Test the main contactor by removing its leads and testing across them. Push in on the contacts to manually close them. The ohm reading should be zero. Examine each of the contacts closely for pitting or overheating. If there is visible damage, replace the contactor regardless of the ohm reading. When the GEM is back together, turn on the key. The contactor should instantly close with an audible click.

Daniel