My drill keeps stalling under load - any ideas?

Hey everyone, I've got a DeWalt 20V hammer drill that's been acting up. It runs fine at no load, but as soon as I start drilling into hardwood, it stalls out after a few seconds. Battery is fully charged. Anyone else had this issue? Could it be the clutch or something else?

Sounds like maybe the battery is on its way out. I had a similar issue with my Makita - it would spin fine but die under load. Check the battery contacts for corrosion too. How old is the battery?

Could also be the motor brushes wearing down. If it's an older drill, brushes can cause stalling under load. Easy to replace if you're handy. Also, make sure the chuck is tightened properly - if it slips, the drill might sense resistance and stall.

I'd check the battery voltage with a multimeter first. A fully charged 20V should read around 20-21V. If it's lower, the battery might have a dead cell. Also, some drills have a thermal cutoff that kicks in if the motor gets hot - could be that if you're pushing it hard.

Thanks guys! The battery is about 2 years old. I'll test the voltage and check the brushes. Didn't think about the thermal cutoff - I'll let it cool down and try again. Appreciate the help!