My drill stopped working mid-screw! Battery or motor?

Hey guys, I was using my Dewalt 20V drill to drive some lag bolts into a deck and halfway through it just stopped. No smoke or anything, but the battery is fully charged. It won't spin at all and makes a faint clicking sound when I pull the trigger. Any ideas? Battery is only 6 months old.

Tim, the clicking sound is likely the motor trying to engage but something is jammed or the brushes are shot. Could be a broken gear in the chuck too. First, check if the chuck is seized - try to rotate it by hand. If it moves freely, might be the motor. Also, try another battery if you have one to rule out a bad BMS board.

Had a similar issue with a Milwaukee. Turned out the switch trigger was faulty - it would click but not complete the circuit. Try tapping the trigger a few times or cleaning the contacts with electrical contact cleaner. Also, these battery-powered tools sometimes have a thermal cutoff; let it cool down for 30 mins and try again.

I'd bet on the brushes. Cheap and easy to replace. Pop off the motor housing (under the chuck assembly) and check if the brushes are worn down or stuck. Also, look for any chared smell or burn marks. If the commutator is groved, it might be toast. But click + no spin = brushes or broken wire to me. Good luck!