Charlie's Angels (Gottlieb, 1978): faults and System 1 replacement boards

June 27, 2026

Does your Charlie's Angels (Gottlieb, 1978) show false "stuck switch" errors, dimming displays or no solenoids (only the chimes)? This Gottlieb pinball based on the TV series is built on System 1. Here are the typical faults reported on the forums and the battery-free replacement solutions.

Charlie's Angels overview

Released in 1978, the Charlie's Angels is a Gottlieb solid-state pinball built on System 1. It draws on the famous TV series Charlie's Angels and its trio of detectives.

Manufacturer: Gottlieb
Year: 1978
System: Gottlieb System 1
Type: solid state (alphanumeric displays)
Theme: TV series, Charlie's Angels, detectives

Gottlieb System 1 MPU board — Charlie's Angels — The MPU board drives the entire Gottlieb System 1.

Common faults (System 1)

The Gottlieb System 1 shares a set of well-known weaknesses, regardless of the game:

Leaking battery: the NiCad battery soldered onto the MPU board leaks over time and corrodes traces and components. It's the number-one fault — remove it without delay.
Poor grounding: the original ground wiring is undersized and causes resets and erratic behaviour (the "ground mods" are practically mandatory).
Corroded connectors: the Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver link (46 pins), lose contact and need re-pinning.
Power supply: unstable 5 V, tired bridge rectifiers and an overheating transformer lead to crashes.
Displays: digits that fade, flicker or stay frozen at zero.

Battery corrosion on a Gottlieb System 1 board — Charlie's Angels — Typical NiCad battery corrosion on System 1: the number-one fault to fix.

Charlie's Angels-specific problems (forums)

Partial start-up: only 3 to 4 playfield lamps light up and nothing else, sometimes intermittent operation after ~5 seconds.
False "stuck switch" errors: at start-up the game reports "stuck switch" (chute 1, chute 2, slam, tilt, start); often due to incorrect wiring (a coin-door mini-coil mistakenly wired to a credit switch).
Dimming displays: the more displays you connect, the dimmer they get (a power-supply problem). NEVER connect or disconnect a display with the power on — it blows the display driver chips.
Power supply: low 5 V due to the legs of transistor Q1 (reflow the solder); a faulty R4 trim pot makes operation unstable.
"No solenoids, only chimes": silent coils while the chimes work — investigate on the driver and ground side.
Protections: add the recommended fuses, do the ground mods, re-pin the connectors and check the protection diodes.

Charlie's Angels-compatible replacement boards

The Charlie's Angels is built on the Gottlieb System 1, a platform known to be fragile (leaking battery, weak grounds, oxidised connectors, sensitive displays). Pinballs Store offers battery-free replacement solutions to make it reliable again:

Gosof — replacement sound board.

Gosof sound board for Gottlieb System 1 — Charlie's Angels — The Gosof sound board: battery-free replacement, Plug & Play installation.

For a CPU/Driver board dedicated to System 1, contact us: we'll point you to the best solution for your Charlie's Angels. Plug & Play installation, battery-free, free support.

FAQ — Charlie's Angels Gottlieb

What year was the Charlie's Angels released?
In 1978. It's a Gottlieb solid-state pinball (System 1) based on the TV series.

Why does my Charlie's Angels show false "stuck switch" errors?
Often because of incorrect wiring (a coin-door mini-coil wired to a credit switch) or dirty switches. Check the door wiring and clean the contacts; a replacement board makes diagnostics reliable.

Should I remove the battery from the MPU board?
Yes, immediately. The original NiCad battery eventually leaks and destroys the board. A battery-free replacement board permanently eliminates this risk.

Is there a replacement board for the Charlie's Angels?
Yes. Contact us for the right System 1 CPU/Driver solution; installation is Plug & Play, battery-free, with free support.

How long does it take to install a replacement board?
Installation is Plug & Play: a few minutes, no soldering, with tutorials and free support.

Does a battery-free board keep the settings and high scores?
Yes. Modern replacement boards use non-volatile memory: no more battery, no more corrosion, and the settings are kept when powered off.

Step-by-step diagnosis

Power off, visual inspection: look for any battery or corrosion traces on the MPU of your Charlie's Angels; remove the NiCad battery if it is still present.
Power supply: measure the 5 V and check it reaches the MPU (reflow the solder on the regulator or Q1 if the voltage drops).
Grounds: apply the "ground mods" between the boards (CPU, Driver, power supply, sound).
Connectors: re-pin the oxidised Molex connectors, especially the MPU↔Driver link.
Displays: never connect or disconnect a display with the power on; test with a known-good display.
Final test: check start-up, credits, coils and displays; if needed, contact our free support.