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Published 21 October 2026

Winter Care for Your Golf Buggy

As the cold sets in, a little care now keeps your buggy safe, reliable and lasting longer. This is a simple, practical guide to looking after petrol, lead-acid and lithium buggies through the winter months. If in doubt, always check your manufacturer's manual – or let us take care of it for you.

Winter is the hardest season on a buggy. Cold flattens batteries, fuel goes stale, and damp creeps into everything left standing. Whichever power type you run, these simple steps will save you trouble come spring.

⛽ Petrol Buggies

Fuel and oil need the most attention before a cold spell – a petrol buggy left with stale fuel is the most common hard-start we see in spring.

• Fresh or stabilised fuel. Stale petrol is the number-one cause of hard starting after winter. Either run the tank low before storing, or add a fuel stabiliser and run the engine briefly so it reaches the carburettor.
• Check the oil with the engine warm and the buggy on level ground, park brake on. Don't overfill – too much oil can cause smoking or fouled plugs – and don't mix oil brands or grades.
• Make sure the dipstick and fill cap are properly back in place before running the engine.
• Keep an eye on fuel, filters and belts, and listen for anything unusual – a change in sound or performance is often the first sign a service is due.
• If it's hard to start in the cold, check fuel, choke and oil level first.

🔋 Lead-Acid Battery Buggies

Cold is hardest on lead-acid batteries. A flat battery left in the cold can freeze and be ruined – so keeping charge in them is everything over winter.

• Keep them charged. Lead-acid batteries slowly self-discharge; a flat one left in the cold can freeze and be ruined. Charge after every use and keep them topped up through the winter.
• Avoid deep discharges. Running down to around 50% or less is ideal; 80% is the maximum safe discharge. Don't leave them sitting discharged.
• Keep water above the plates. Top up with distilled water after charging, never before, and don't overfill.
• Keep them clean. Wipe the tops with a cloth and a little baking soda and water (keep it out of the cells); terminals should look bright.
• Always charge in a well-ventilated area – charging gives off hydrogen gas, which is flammable. No sparks, flames or smoking nearby.

⚡ Lithium (LiFePO4) Buggies

Lithium is the easiest to winter. The Olelon packs we fit are virtually maintenance-free – but a few simple habits keep them at their best.

• No topping up, no equalising. There's nothing to maintain – just charge when convenient.
• Partial charges are fine. They don't need to be fully run down first, so a top-up before the buggy stands for a while is ideal.
• Charge in a dry, ventilated space and always use the correct charger for the pack.
• Store with charge in the pack rather than leaving it empty, and check on it from time to time.

❄ Storing Your Buggy Over Winter

If the buggy will stand unused for a while, a few basics make all the difference:

• Keep the batteries charged – especially lead-acid, which can freeze if left flat.
• Store somewhere dry and ventilated.
• Check tyre pressures and keep them even across the buggy – take care, as these small tyres inflate very quickly and are easy to over-inflate.
• Look in on it from time to time rather than leaving it completely untouched for months.

These are general pointers only – your manufacturer's manual is the final word. Always turn the key off and remove it before working on the buggy, wear suitable protective clothing around batteries, and never work near batteries with sparks or flames.