BY Nick Bulanda
Published May 3, 2020
Diagnosing Problems with Power Wheels 12V Battery
If your family has owned a Power Wheels model or similar toy for awhile, there’s a solid chance that you’ll run into battery problems at some point. While these batteries can last a long time if properly taken care of, there are issues that can certainly crop up. We’ve talked before about replacement Power Wheels battery charger options here on our site, and that along with replacing the entire battery may need to be an option you think about. However, it’s important to first figure out what’s happening with your battery, and whether it’s fixable or not. Issues with a Power Wheels 12V battery not charging can be immensely frustrating, but we’re here to help out however we can.
In order to diagnose exactly what is happening with the battery, you should examine a few things. First, what are the problems that are occurring? If the battery is slowly lasting for less time each charge, that may just be an issue with the age of the battery, depending on how long you’ve owned it. However, if the battery suddenly stops working altogether, or it’s only a year or two old, there may be another problem at play. According to experts, one very useful tool to keep around for situations like this is a volt meter. Using that, you’ll be able to tell whether or not your battery is giving off the correct voltage.
Power Wheels 12V Battery Not Charging
If you’ve been keeping your battery plugged in but it’s not receiving any charge, that’s certainly going to be a problem. There are a few issues that could be at play here. If you left your Power Wheels 12V battery not charging but sitting dormant for a while, it’s possible that it lost any charge and that your current battery charger is not recognizing it. It could also be that your battery’s connectors are corroded. While it may be possible to fix these things for those who are especially handy, in reality replacements are not very expensive.
By all means, if you already have all the required tools and know-how, feel free to fix the parts on your own. However, in most cases, we believe it’s going to save you a whole lot of time and effort if you simply pick up a replacement. The issue now comes down once again to identifying whether the issue lies with the battery or the charger. If you’ve got a battery charger that features the red/green notification light, pay attention to how it acts when you plug in your battery. Does it light up at all? If not, it could mean that either the charger isn’t recognizing the battery, or the charger itself is faulty. One of the only ways to tell for sure, other than by buying a replacement, is by using a volt meter.
Proper Power Wheels 12V Battery Maintenance
One of the downsides of these toys is that the batteries require a little bit of extra attention and care. The most important thing to keep in mind while charging your Power Wheels model is that it shouldn’t be left on the charger for long periods of time. This can drain the battery faster, and cause issues such as the Power Wheels 12V battery not charging. As you can see with this battery manual from Power Wheels, you should be charging the battery each time from between 14 to 30 hours. Any more than 30 hours on the charger and you risk damaging the battery. We understand that this toy is a little high-maintenance, and that’s why so many consumers run into problems with the battery.
However, if you are forced to buy a replacement, we highly suggest reading this manual over. It will help ensure your battery maintains a long and productive lifespan! By following these guidelines, such as only charging the battery while it’s sitting upright and keeping it in a safe place, you’ll not only be following good safety practices, but you’ll also help ensure you won’t need to purchase another replacement battery. You can also find other helpful tips to diagnose your vehicle if you’re having other issues. One especially useful thing to note has to do with the built-in thermal fuse. This fuse trips when the battery starts exerting yourself too much, preventing it from overheating. If your battery is still maintaining a charge, but the fuse continues to trip even under normal circumstances, you’ll want to get in touch with the manufacturer.
Replacing Your Battery Charger
There’s one common problem that we’ve seen or heard can crop up time and time again with these batteries. If your charger is a smart charger that will turn itself off when the battery reaches its max charge, and you left your battery dormant for at least a few months, it’s possible that the charger isn’t detecting enough voltage for it to activate. The best way to solve this problem is by replacing your battery charger. You can find plenty of affordable replacements out there. In fact, you can use our own buying guide we’ve put together to figure out which Power Wheels battery charger will work best for you.
We hope that this article helped you figure out the issues you were having with your Power Wheels model. The Power Wheels 12V battery not charging is a common problem folks run into, and while it would be nice if the batteries were a little more adaptable, we’re thankful that replacements are affordable and easy to find.
