Dead Power Wheels? (Power Wheels Thermal Fuse Issues)

  • By: Kevinsmak
  • Date: January 14, 2023
  • Time to read: 7 min.
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How To Check Power Wheel Fuse

Power Wheels can stop working due to a bad fuse, and you can diagnose that using a multi-voltmeter. Connect the voltmeter to the thermal fuse and check whether you see any electric current readings. The absence of any electricity flow is an indication that you need a new thermal fuse for the toy car to work. 

Parents are aware that power wheels can stop working when the battery is dead. However, many parents do not know how to diagnose thermal fuse issues, and they often assume that the Power Wheels battery is dead.

Fixing a thermal fuse is cheap and simple to do as a DIY project for parents who are looking to minimize the cost. You need a new thermal fuse and a few tools to replace the old fuse with a working one. 

Parents do not have to hire an expert to change fuses because it takes a couple of minutes to switch them out. If you do not have a multimeter there are two other ways to check the thermal fuse.

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If you are unable to fix the Power Wheels here are our picks for 10 Best Ride On Cars With Parental Remote.

Is There a Fuse on Power Wheels?

Power Wheels have a fuse connecting to the positive and negative terminal from the battery to ensure that a power surge won’t destroy the electrical system of the electric car.

A Power Wheels fuse is usually under the hood and simple to locate among the wires. 

You can start by checking the terminals connected to the batteries to find the thermal fuse in Power Wheels. Some vehicles can have a couple of fuses, depending on the number of batteries. 

Why Won’t my Power Wheels Move?

The most popular reason when power wheels stop moving is when a battery dies. You can check whether a battery is working by measuring the voltage after fully charging it.

The voltage output of the battery should be a bit higher than the battery voltage. Therefore, a 6V battery should show 7V when you measure the voltage of the battery. 

Another issue could be the charger is no longer working, there is a way to still charge the battery without the charger so you can test it out and make sure the battery is still ok before purchasing a new charger.

Blown-out thermal fuses are another common reason why a power wheels vehicle stops working. Thermal fuses regulate the power from batteries and they are prone to blowing up at any given time.

You can find replacement thermal fuses for Power Wheels are available on Amazon or at your local store. 

Buying thermal fuses on online platforms is cheaper than buying them from manufacturers. Some sellers offer a good deal including the fuse and some plugs to attach to the batteries.

If this doesn’t solve your issue we have a lot of other solutions for Power Wheels.

How to Run Diagnostics

It is essential to do some diagnostics and ensure that the fuse is the problem. It is simple to determine whether the battery has adequate power for the vehicle.

You need a volt multimeter to determine whether there is any current running through a thermal fuse. 

Ideally, a fuse should indicate the presence of energy when the toy vehicle is on. Also, check the wiring system to ensure that there isn’t a wire that is lost or cut.

Checking other components will help you rule out the parts that are not broken or faulty before opting to buy replacement parts for a thermal fuse.

How to Replace Power Wheels Thermal Fuses

You can replace a power wheels fuse as a DIY project when you have all the right supplies and tools. You will need a screwdriver, pliers, and a crimping tool to prepare the terminals for connection.

You can order a fuse that is suitable for your model of Power Wheels beforehand to make the installation process run smoothly. 

Parents need to do the replacement of thermal fuses with the electric vehicle turned off.  You can turn it on to find out whether the new thermal fuse is working. 

  • Start by checking the positive and negative terminal on the fuse and mark one wire with white tape. Marking the wires comes in handy for power wheels that do not come with the standard red and black wires in the vehicle. 
  • Remove the blown-out thermal fuse using a screwdriver and dispose of it appropriately. 
  • Check whether the wires are compatible with the plugs or terminals on the new thermal fuse. You may have to strip the wires and add a plug that is compatible with the terminals of the new thermal plug. Use a crimping tool to install the terminals on wires instead of regular pliers. 
  • Place the negative and positive wires to their respective terminals before closing the top of the thermal fuse. There are indicators on the fuse on where each wire should go. Attach wires on the other side of the fuse and ensure that the wiring system looks the same as before the replacement fuse. You can take a picture at the start of the process to compare the connections after the installation. 
  • Test the Power Wheels fuse to see whether the toy car starts working again. 

Parents need to prepare two separate working areas to keep the replacement pieces separate from the blown-out parts. Do not forget to get replacement wires because you might find one or two wires aren’t working. 

You don’t want to open up the hood and realize that one of the essential wires is not working. It is better to be prepared when you collect the supplies for the replacement process.

Why Power Wheels Fuse Keeps Blowing?

Parents who are not into mechanics do not know that you need a power wheels fuse that matches the amps of an electric car. Therefore, a 12 amp Power Wheels vehicle will need a 12 amp thermal fuse to prevent it from blowing up. 

Power Wheels fuses will blow up when the amp ampere of the battery is higher than that of the fuse.

Parents need to check the ampere of their Power Wheels batteries before making an order for a replacement fuse.

Is It Costly to Do the Replacement?

It is affordable to buy the supplies for replacing a thermal fuse and putting together the components instead of hiring an expert to do it. You can source the parts online or at your local auto spares shop.

You can expect to pay about $10-$15 for the supplies when you buy them online. 

Many online tutorial videos can help you do the installation with a few tools in the comfort of your garage. It takes a few minutes to do the installation when you have all the supplies ready.

Do Thermal Fuses, Get Lose?

Yes. A thermal Power Wheel fuse can become loose and cause an electric toy car to stop working. Power Wheels undergo rigorous use by kids, and a thermal fuse can shake loose, interrupting the power supply to the vehicle’s motor.

You need to check the thermal fuse and shake to see whether the connections are sturdy. 

You should be able to notice a loose wire under close inspection. You have to reattach the wire and test the vehicle before deciding that the fuse is damaged and needs replacing.

Are All Power Wheels Fuses the Same?

No. It is advisable to look for a fuse that is compatible with your power wheels. You can check the size of the fuse and buy one that is similar.

Alternatively, you can find replacement fuses for a specific Power Wheels model like the Peg Perego Tractor. 

Not all fuses are interchangeable because some vehicles have bigger fuses while others have small fuses. Moreover, the ampere of a fuse has to match that of the replacement fuse.

You need a 20 amp Power Wheels fuse for a 20 amp battery to ensure that it doesn’t blow up during the first use.

Conclusion

Installing a replacement Power Wheels fuse is simple, and it doesn’t require any technical experience. A parent can find the damaged fuse and replace it with a new one using a screwdriver.

A damaged fuse can cause electric toy vehicles to stop working and leave your little one without their favorite outdoor toy. 

You can source the replacement parts online or at your local hardware store. Keep a record of the size and ampere of the fuse that the toy vehicle demands to start functioning again.

Overall, it should take a few minutes to complete the replacement when you have all the supplies. If there is a chance the issue can be with anything else, please take a look at Power Wheel repairs.

Power Wheel Fuse

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