airbag LOTUS ELISE 2005 User Guide

belt, even with airbags. Sit as far back from the steering
wheel as is comfortable, whilst ensuring that full control can be maintained.
• Airbags plus lap-shoulder seat belts offer the best protection for adults, but not for young children and

infants. Neither the car ’s seat belt system nor its

airbag system is designed for them. Young children and

infants need the protection that a child restraint system can

provide. See later section on ‘Child Restraints’.
• If an object is between a person and an airbag, the bag
might not inflate properly or it might force the object into
that person causing death or serious injury. The path of an inflating airbag must be kept clear. Don’t put anything between an occupant and an airbag, and don’t attach or
put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any
passenger dashboard air bag covering.
• Do not lean against the inside of the doors; always hold the steering wheel by the outer rim; never rest your hands
on the airbag panel.
• Never transport heavy objects on or in front of the pas
-
senger seat.
• Give your passenger all of the information in this sec
-
tion.
• Do not attempt to de-activate the airbags, or make any other changes to the wiring or components of the airbag
system. Do not undertake any wiring for electrical ac
-
cessory equipment in the vicinity of the airbag wiring harnesses. Doing so may disable the airbag system, or
cause its unintended deployment.
• Adjust the driver’s seat to ensure that your chest is at
least 10 inches (250mm) from the steering wheel.
• If the airbag trim cover on the passenger side of the dash
-
board is accidently knocked off, the passenger airbag will
not operate correctly. Improper protection could result
in death or serious injury to a passenger in a crash. Do
not attempt to refit or repair the trim cover, but have the
fault rectified immediately by your dealer.
Airbag Tell Tale There is an airbag warning light (‘tell tale’) on the instrument
panel which shows the airbag symbol. The system checks the
following airbag electrical circuits for malfunction:
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• Drivers airbag circuit;
• Passenger airbag circuit;
• Seatbelts pre-tensioner circuit;
• Internal componentry of the sensor and diagnostic module.
As a bulb and circuit check, the tell tale will light briefly when
the ignition is switched on, and then go out. If the lamp lights at any other time, a fault in the airbag system is indicated, which
should be rectified without delay by your Lotus dealer.
WARNING: If the airbag tell tale does not light up as the ignition is
turned on, or remains lit for more than a few seconds, have
the fault rectified immediately by your dealer. Ignoring the
tell tale can result in serious injury or death if the airbags do not inflate when needed.
Airbag Deployment If a crash or collision causes the airbags to inflate, you may
see what looks like smoke, but is actually powder from the airbag
surface used to aid smooth deployment. Although the powder is not harmful, people with respiratory problems may experience
some temporary discomfort. If this occurs, get out of the car if possible as soon as it is safe to do so. After airbag deployment, the airbags, seat belt tensioners
and electronic control unit must be replaced by a Lotus dealer
or other suitably qualified organisation. Component parts of the airbag system are located in various
sites around the car. Any technician working on the car should be advised that the car is fitted with airbags to allow suitable
precautions to be taken.
WARNING:
• For up to 20 seconds after the ignition has been turned off and the battery disconnected, an airbag can still

inflate if improper servicing occurs. You can be injured
if you are close to an airbag when it inflates.
• Airbag system components should be serviced only by an authorised Lotus dealer. Do not work on the airbag
system yourself.
• The disposal of used airbag units is subject to stringent
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regulations, and should be handled only by your dealer.
• If you sell your Lotus, notify the purchaser that the car is equipped with airbags, and refer them to ‘Airbag Safety
System’ in this handbook (safety and disposal rules).
• Further information on the airbag system can be found
on stickers on the sun visors.
• For important recommendations on the use of child restraints, please refer to ‘Child Restraints’ in this hand
-
book. Never use a rear facing child seat in your Elise.
• A crash can damage the restraint systems in your car. A damaged restraint system may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in serious injury or even death
in a crash. To help make sure your restraint systems are
working properly after a crash, have them inspected and
any necessary replacements made as soon as possible.
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Child Restraints
WARNING:
Lotus strongly recommends that children are not car
-
ried in the Elise due to the risk of death or serious injury if the child is too close to the dashboard when the airbag
inflates.

Accident statistics show that children are safer when properly
restrained in the back seats of cars, an option unavailable on
this model. In addition, your car is equipped with a passenger’s airbag which poses serious risks to children - particularly infants
and small children. If, nevertheless, a child is to be carried in the
car, the following notes are provided for guidance:
When a child is of a physical size whereby the standard
fitment lap and diagonal seat belt will fit satisfactorily, with the belt positioned over the collar bone and against the centre of
the chest, the standard seat and seat belt should be used. If the
belt touches or crosses the child’s neck, the child should NOT
be carried in the Elise.
WARNING:
• Children should not be carried in the Elise unless they are large enough to be able properly to use the standard
seat belt without any child seat or booster seat.
• Child restraint systems (other than belt positioning booster seats) are designed to be secured in the car seat
by the lap belt portion of the lap/shoulder belt. READ
ALL INSTRUCTIONS THAT ACCOMPANY THE CHILD RESTRAINT OR BOOSTER SEAT.
• I n f a n t s w h o a r e u n a b l e t o s i t u p b y t h e m s e l v e s ,

unsupported, should NOT be carried in the Elise.
• Never put a rear-facing child seat in the passenger seat
of the Elise. If the airbag inflates, it can hit the child or
the back of the child seat with enough force to kill or very seriously injure an infant.
• There is no provision on the Elise to switch off or disable
the passenger airbag.
WARNING: Children who are not properly restrained can be killed
or seriously injured in an accident.
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Behaviour: It is essential that the behaviour of any child trav-
elling in the car is such that they remain correctly seated and belted, and it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that
this occurs.
The following wording has been included to comply with
National Highway Traffic Safety Authority requirements,
however;
WARNING: Lotus str ongly recommen ds that you do not fit any type
of child seat into the Elise due to the risk of death or seri
-
ous injury if the c hild is too close to the dashboard when
the airbag inflates.
Procedure for Proper Fitment of For ward- Facing Child
Seat
A utomatic Locking Retractor: The safety belt for the passen-
ger’s seat is equipped with an automatic locking retractor that
must be used for securing a forward-facing child restraint sy
s-
tem. When activated , this retractor allows you to securely fas
-
ten the child restraint system.
Activating the Automatic Retracto r:
1. Pull the passenger seat safety belt completely
out . At this
point, the locking mechanism is activated.
2.
P lace the forward-facing child seat in the passenger seat,
using the safety belt to secure the child seat,
fo llowing the
instructions that come with the child seat
.
3. Insert the safety tongu e into the buckle and make sure that
it is properl y latched.
4. Allow the safety belt to retract until it is tight on the child seat.
You may further tighten the belt by pulling on it to allow more of
it to retract. Check to make sure the child seat is secured, and
that the belt is snug and will not pull out.
Releasing the safety bel t and child seat:
1. Unbuckle the safety belt. 2. Remove the child seat.
3. Make sure that the belt has fully retracted. At this point the
automatic locking feature is disengaged.
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WARNING:Continuing to run the engine with the oil tell tale lit could
cause major engine damage or seizure, resulting in loss
of car control and a crash. You or others could be killed
or seriously injured.
Low Fuel Level Tell Tale
When only a single segment of the fuel gauge bar graph
remains, representing approximately 1.3 U.S. gall. (5 litres), this
amber tell tale will flash. Refuel at the next opportunity.
ABS Tell Tale
This amber tell tale should light for about four seconds follow-
ing ignition switch on, and then go out. If the lamp remains lit, or
comes on whilst driving, a fault in the anti-lock brake system is
indicated. The base brake system will continue to operate nor
-
mally, but without the anti-lock feature. The car can be driven but should be checked and repaired at the earliest opportunity.

High Beam Tell Tale
This lamp glows blue whenever the headlamp high beams
are operating.
Airbag Tell Tale
The airbag safety system has a self-diagnostic feature which
lights the red tell tale if a fault is detected. As a bulb and circuit
check, the tell tale will light for about six seconds following ig
-
nition switch on, and then go out. If the lamp remains lit, or comes on at any other time, a fault in the airbag system is indicated,
which should be rectified without delay.
WARNING: If the airbag tell tale is lit, the airbags may not inflate
correctly in a crash, or may inflate without warning. To
help avoid injury to you or others, have the airbag system repaired as soon as possible.
Battery Charging Tell Tale
This red tell tale will light whenever the ignition is on and the
engine is stopped. If it lights any time that the engine is running,
the battery is not being charged, which may be due to a broken
auxiliary drive belt, or an electrical fault. A broken drive belt
Instruments & Switches
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OWNER MAINTENANCERemember that fuel consumption and wear and tear of the
car are affected considerably by the way the car is driven and maintained. Be sure to carry out the simple maintenance checks detailed below, and to have your car serviced regularly by your
Lotus dealer, in order to ensure maximum safety, reliability,
longevity and pleasure of ownership.
NOTICE: Failure to follow and comply with the Maintenance
Schedule may invalidate the terms of the warranty.
The Lotus Elise has been designed as a road going sports
car. It is recognised that owners may wish to use the car occa
-
sionally on closed circuit tracks to experience the car’s full range of dynamic capabilities. However, use of the car in a competitive
manner, including timed runs or laps, is not endorsed by Lotus.
Using the car on the track may cause a greater degree of wear and tear on parts and such wear and tear on parts and compo
-
nents will not be covered by your Limited Warranty.
WARNING: Any type of timed, competitive car use will invalidate
warranty and require appropriate levels of expert car prepa
-
ration and servicing.
WARNING:
• Attempts at car servicing with inadequate knowledge, tools or equipment, could result in car damage as well as
endangering you, your passenger and other road users.
Consult your Lotus dealer in all cases of doubt.
• Beware of hot surfaces in the engine bay. You could be seriously burned if you touch a hot engine part.
• Take great care not to drop flammable liquids or objects onto a hot engine and start a fire.
• Ensure that only Lotus dealers or suitably qualified tech
-
nicians work on the airbag system.
• Beware of rotating engine components; to avoid injury,
guard against entrapment of tools, body parts and loose
clothing.
• The front mounted electric fans can start up and cause injury even when the engine is not running. Keep tools,
hands and clothing well away.
Servicing & Maintenance
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ACCESSORIES
Accessories and ModificationsModifying your car, or installing some non-Lotus accessories,
can make your car unsafe. Before you make any modifications or add any accessories, be sure to read the following information
and confer with your dealer:
Accessories:
Your dealer has genuine Lotus accessories that allow you to
personalise your car. These accessories have been designed
and approved for your car, and are covered by warranty.
Non-Lotus accessories may be designed for universal ap
-
plication, and although they may fit on your car, they may not
meet factory specifications, and could adversely affect your
car’s handling and stability.
WARNING: Improper accessories or modifications can affect your
car’s handling, stability and per formance, and cause a
crash in which you can be hurt or killed. Follow all instruc
-
tions in this owner’s manual regarding accessories and modifications.
When properly installed, cellular phones, alarms, two-way
radios, and low powered audio systems should not interfere with
your car’s computer-controlled systems, such as the airbag and anti-lock brake system.
However, if such or similar electronic accessories are im
-
properly installed, or exceed your car’s electrical system ca
-
pacity, they can interfere with the operation of your car, cause the airbags to deploy, or damage the car.
Before installing any accessory:
• Ensure the accessory does not obscure any lights, or interfere
with proper car operation or performance.
• Ensure electronic accessories do not overload electrical
circuits.
• Have the installer contact your Lotus dealer for assistance
before installing any electronic accessory.
• If possible, have your Lotus dealer inspect the final instal-
lation.
Accessories
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Important Safety Information About ModificationsDo not remove any original equipment or modify your car
in any way that would alter its design or operation. This could
make your car unsafe or illegal to drive. For example, do not install wheels and tires with a differ
-
ent overall diameter. Such modifications can adversely affect handling, and interfere with the operation of the car’s anti-lock
brakes and other systems. In addition, any modifications that decrease ground clearance
beyond Lotus approval, increase the chance of undercarriage
parts striking a kerb, speed bump, or other raised object, which
could cause your airbags to deploy as well as damaging the
chassis and body underside. Do not modify your steering wheel or any other part of your air
-
bag system. Modifications could make the system ineffective.
WARNING: Do not attach or place objects on the airbag covers.
Any object attached to or placed on the covers marked
‘AIRBAG’, in the centre of the steering wheel and on top of the dashboard, could interfere with the proper operation of the airbags. Or, if the airbags inflate, the objects could be propelled inside the car and hurt someone.
Accessories
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INDEX
Access Panels, front service ................................................. 78
Accessories & Modifications, warnings .............................. 150
Air Cleaner Element ............................................................. 113
Air Conditioning ...................................................................... 61
Airbag Safety System ............................................................. 21
Alarm, car security ................................................................ 30
Alternator Belt ...................................................................... 114
Anti-freeze/Corrosion Inhibitor ............................................. 107
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) .............................................. 67
Audio Equipment ................................................................... 60
Auxiliary Power Socket .......................................................... 57
Battery ................................................................................. 129
Bodycare ............................................................................... 93
Brake Fluid Reservoir .......................................................... 110
Brake Pads ........................................................................... 111
Break-In, running-in .............................................................. 73
Bulb Replacement ............................................................... 142
Central Door Locking ............................................................. 37
Child Restraints ..................................................................... 26
Cleaning, bodycare ............................................................... 93
Coolant Temperature Display ................................................ 53
Cooling System ................................................................... 106
Dipswitch ............................................................................... 58
Doors, keys ............................................................................ 37
Engine Cover/Trunk Lid ........................................................ 79
Environment, care of ............................................................. 14
Fuel Level Display ................................................................. 52
Fuel Filling ............................................................................. 76
Fuel Requirement .................................................................. 75
Fuses ................................................................................... 135
Gear Lever ............................................................................. 71
Hazard Warning Lamps Switch ............................................ 55
Headlamp Alignment ........................................................... 139
Index
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