{"id":598,"date":"2020-05-15T17:56:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T16:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/?p=598"},"modified":"2023-01-28T17:01:29","modified_gmt":"2023-01-28T16:01:29","slug":"rc-car-not-responding-to-throttle-heres-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/rc-car-not-responding-to-throttle-heres-why\/","title":{"rendered":"RC Car Not Responding To Throttle? Here&#8217;s Why."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"685\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Untitled-design-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Untitled-design-11.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Untitled-design-11-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Untitled-design-11-768x514.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>With so many potential reasons for your RC car not to respond to throttle, I\u2019ve put this Top 10 list together which I hope will help identify your specific problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are the most common causes of an unresponsive throttle. Advice for each individual cause follows throughout the article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Your basic set up is incorrect<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Transmitter\/Radio failure<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Battery failure<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Throttle servo failure<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Damaged servo wires<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The ESC is not calibrated<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Motor failure<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Your gears are out of alignment<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Optidrive switched your throttle servo off<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Incompatible transmitter and receiver combination<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>So let\u2019s start with the basics and move on from there, I\u2019ve tried my best to list these possible causes in order from most common to least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Your Basic Set Up Is Incorrect<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>I know receiving this basic advice may feel a bit insulting but anyone can accidentally have their frequency on the wrong channel without noticing. The idea here is to double-check every basic aspect of your set-up before going through a whole lot of higher-level troubleshooting when it may be a simple, easy fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check the basics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Make sure the <strong>transmitter <\/strong>and <strong>RC <\/strong>are both <strong>switched on <\/strong>and have power running through them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check your <strong>battery health.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When you turn on your radio, make sure you\u2019re <strong>not touching <\/strong>the <strong>trigger <\/strong>in any way. This <strong>can change <\/strong>the <strong>neutral point <\/strong>and confuse the receiver.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check on the backside of your radio for the <strong>reverse function switch<\/strong>, your throttle is usually channel two and the switch should be in the forward position.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check your <strong>throttle trim position <\/strong>which should be in the neutral position or in the position in which you originally set it to be.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check your <strong>antennas <\/strong>and make sure to extend them to the max if they do extend. Make sure they\u2019re not touching any metal parts of your RC. Check them for any damage.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check that your <strong>vehicle <\/strong>and <strong>transmitter <\/strong>are both on the <strong>correct frequency <\/strong>to match up with each other.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check your <strong>fuel <\/strong>level to make sure it\u2019s sufficient. Check your <strong>fuel pipes <\/strong>for any problems like kinks or blockages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve checked all the basics, let\u2019s move on to other possible causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>Transmitter\/Radio Failure<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Try <strong>swapping <\/strong>the <strong>throttle <\/strong>and <strong>steering servo plugs <\/strong>around on the RC. If the RC now accelerates with no steering then you can identify the transmitter as the problem. If there is still no throttle control and you can activate steering with your trigger, your throttle servo has most likely failed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100 is-style-outline\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3AJ5zcv\" style=\"border-radius:10px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">If the time has come to replace your servo, you can see some of the best servos here<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>(Links to Amazon)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have another compatible transmitter or can borrow one from a friend you can check if the transmitter is at fault without swapping servo wires on the RC. If you still have no throttle response with a fully functional transmitter then you can check the other causes of throttle failure on this list. It\u2019s not your radio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Battery Failure<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure that your <strong>batteries <\/strong>are <strong>properly charged <\/strong>or <strong>test <\/strong>your RC with <strong>different batteries <\/strong>to see if that solves the problem. You can have your batteries tested by a technician before replacing them just to be certain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s how you can make your new batteries last longer and perform optimally:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Always keep an eye on your batteries while you\u2019re charging them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you have Low-Voltage Detection, when using your LiPo battery, always have it switched on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If your batteries are swollen, melted, or damaged in any way, stop using them and replace them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t charge LiPo batteries using a NiMH charger.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make sure to disconnect the battery from the ESC after you\u2019ve used your RC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Charge your batteries in a fireproof container and on a non-flammable surface like cement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>Throttle Servo Failure<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Your <strong>throttle servo <\/strong>might <strong>not <\/strong>be <strong>plugged in <\/strong>properly or the <strong>servo <\/strong>itself may be<strong> broken.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Check the servo plugs on the RC and plug them into the correct channel if you find them to be loose.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If both servo plugs in the receiver are plugged in correctly, swap the plugs around and check if the same servo still doesn\u2019t work. If the throttle servo still doesn\u2019t work with the plugs reversed and the steering servo works with your trigger, then the throttle servo probably needs to be replaced.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out my guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/how-do-i-choose-a-servo-for-my-rc-car\/\">how to choose a servo for your RC car<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><strong>Damaged Servo Wires<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Corroded<\/strong>, <strong>damaged<\/strong>, or <strong>loose wires <\/strong>could <strong>stop <\/strong>your <strong>throttle <\/strong>from <strong>responding.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Check <\/strong>to see if there\u2019s any <strong>corrosion <\/strong>on your servo <strong>wiring<\/strong>, this is normally caused by water getting inside.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Loose wires <\/strong>from the <strong>motor <\/strong>can stop your RC throttle from responding, check and make sure they\u2019re <strong>plugged in firmly<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inspect the wiring and check for any <strong>physical damage.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is, if the servo wires are corroded or damaged, they can be repaired or replaced very inexpensively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See my related post: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/why-your-rc-car-is-going-slow-all-of-a-sudden\/\">Why Your RC Car is Going Slow All of A Sudden<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li><strong>The Esc Is Not Calibrated<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>The calibration of your ESC is a process of telling your car where <strong>neutral<\/strong>, <strong>full throttle<\/strong>, and <strong>maximum breaks <\/strong>are in relation to your transmitter. Once this is done, your RC will know exactly how much to accelerate or brake according to how far you move the controls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the calibration is out the RC might think that your throttle is in neutral while it\u2019s actually on full-throttle position on the radio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Refer to your operating manual to perform an ESC calibration, in most cases the <strong>\u201call at once\u201d calibration<\/strong> will work perfectly but if that doesn\u2019t get your RC moving, you can follow the manual step-by-step instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Related post:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/how-to-fix-a-stuttering-rc-car\/\"> RC Car Stuttering? The Causes, And How To Fix It<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li><strong>Motor Failure<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Your RC motor can fail due to <strong>overheating<\/strong>, exceeding the <strong>max RPM range<\/strong>, <strong>severe crashes<\/strong>, <strong>vibrations<\/strong>, and some other causes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can test the motor with a different ESC and see if it works to know if you need to replace the motor or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100 is-style-outline\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background has-text-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3tbK9lS\" style=\"border-radius:10px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">See a selection of highly-rated motors and ESC&#8217;s here<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>(Links to Amazon)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re comfortable opening the motor up and checking the ball bearings and magnets, you can do this now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ball Bearings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>To check if your bearings are still ok, just feel them out by turning them manually. When rotating the bearing with your fingers, there shouldn\u2019t be any scratching or irregular bumps. It should make smooth consistent rotations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Magnets:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Check to make sure there aren\u2019t any cracked magnets inside your motor.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check your magnets to make sure none of them are out of alignment with the others. If any of the magnets are moving in position, they will need to be securely glued in again.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"8\">\n<li><strong>Your Gears Are Out Of Alignment<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>You may need to <strong>tighten <\/strong>up your <strong>pinion gear <\/strong>and <strong>realign <\/strong>it <strong>with <\/strong>the <strong>spur gear. <\/strong>However, if the gears are stripped you will have to replace them. A sign that they\u2019re stripped or not aligned is if you hear a <strong>rattling\/grinding<\/strong> sound when accelerating but the car isn\u2019t moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-100 is-style-outline\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-black-color has-light-green-cyan-to-vivid-green-cyan-gradient-background has-text-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3AWdOBM\" style=\"border-radius:11px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> See a wide selection of gears here<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>(Amazon link)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"9\">\n<li><strong>Optidrive Switched Your Throttle Servo Off<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>red light <\/strong>on the Optidrive <strong>indicates <\/strong>a <strong>fault<\/strong>, this can <strong>shut down <\/strong>power to your <strong>throttle servo.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A red light indicator will glow in your RC if the Optidrives failsafe is active. The Optidrive can cut power to the throttle servos if the connection with the transmitter is lost or if the batteries aren\u2019t adequately charged. Check your manual to see which specific failsafe features apply to your Optidrive to try and identify the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"10\">\n<li><strong>Incompatible Transmitter And Receiver Combination<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Your <strong>receiver <\/strong>may <strong>not <\/strong>be <strong>compatible with <\/strong>your <strong>transmitter\/radio.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Check your compatibilities on both units and if they\u2019re<strong> <\/strong>incompatible, you\u2019ll have to replace one.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you\u2019re trying to power your <strong>brushless SCT with <\/strong>an<strong> all-in-one<\/strong> <strong>ESC<\/strong>, it <strong>won\u2019t work <\/strong>because it\u2019s a <strong>one-speed <\/strong>(full out) type for <strong>smaller brushed motors.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s definitely a lot of reasons why your RC car might not be responding to throttle but these were the most common in my opinion. Most RC enthusiasts enjoy going through troubleshooting steps like this to learn more about their hobby. If you aren\u2019t one of those people that enjoy troubleshooting or if you are like most people who just don\u2019t have the time, take your RC into a hobby shop and have them take a look at it. With years of experience, hobby shop technicians will identify the problems and come up with solutions much quicker than you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I hope this article helped you in some way, if it did, please have a look at some of my other content as well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With so many potential reasons for your RC car not to respond to throttle, I\u2019ve put this Top 10 list together which I hope will help identify your specific problem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":868,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=598"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5267,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598\/revisions\/5267"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/868"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goodiesrc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}