# Just purchased 2002 e825-4 where to start rejuvenation? **URL:** \ **Category:** GEM Forum\ **Created:** [August 21, 2017, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/just-purchased-2002-e825-4-where-to-start-rejuvenation/12708 "2017-08-21T15:39:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 88
**Author:** ![dougl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b19c9b/32.png) [@dougl](https://community.electricforum.com/u/dougl)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2021, 4:29pm UTC](https://community.electricforum.com/t/just-purchased-2002-e825-4-where-to-start-rejuvenation/12708/88 "2021-05-06T16:29:25Z")
It looks like all the problems related to this GEM instant throttle disconnects were due to poor 72V input to the 12V converter. I would drive down the street and hit a bump, or not, and throttle/acceleration would stop which sent everyone in the vehicle forward in their seats. I just pulled my foot from the pedal and re-engaged throttle and it would be back accelerating. I thought it was the throttle pedal and replaced the switch, tested the POT and cleaned the connectors but that had little effect. Later I put the GEM on blocks and found I could trigger the throttle cut-out by wiggling the wire harness leading to the 12V converter and thought it might be a broken/intermittent 12V wire to the speed controller. I put off digging into this because I thought I had to remove not only the top dashboard(easy) but also the lower dash and frame. I felt silly when I figured out the lower dash cover just needs 4 easy to access crews removed and it pulls out after angled and 2 thick tabs are pulled from the firewall area. SOOO easy. Once I pulled the 72V power connector from the converter it was obvious the problem was the whole 12V power was dropping out due to so little metal-to-metal contact in the connector sockets. I filed down 2 thick upholstery staples to act as pin removal tool and cleaned out the sealant, sprayed contact cleaner on connectors and pins and worked them a bunch of times to further clean the contacts and reassembled. Worked great the last 3 times I had the GEM out before I found out my battery charger had failed. The connector was full of sealant… ![PXL_20210427_234054527](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/electricforum/original/2X/5/592835ca33ffd5aad065615601305af552549919.jpeg) ![PXL_20210427_234250867](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/electricforum/original/2X/6/6f33e5c28f21f1b08b59966f6e6f9e2fa1f711ef.jpeg) --- _[View the full topic](https://community.electricforum.com/t/just-purchased-2002-e825-4-where-to-start-rejuvenation/12708)._