heating LOTUS ELISE 2005 User Guide

Cooling SystemThe engine cooling system uses a header tank to ensure that
the system remains completely filled, and also to accommodate
expansion of the coolant with increasing engine temperature.
The tank is mounted at the left hand side of the engine bay, and is fitted with a 108 kPa (15 psi) pressure cap to raise the boiling point of the coolant to over 120°C (250°F).
WARNING:
• Do NOT attempt to remove the pressure cap or air bleed plug from the header tank when the engine is warm
as serious scalding could result from boiling water

and/or steam.
• Coolant is hazardous to your health and may be fatal

if swallowed.
• Keep coolant out of reach of children.
• Coolant is hazardous to animals and may be fatal if

swallowed. Clean up spilled coolant and do not leave in
open containers.
The level of coolant in the translucent header tank will rise
as the engine warms up, and fall as it cools down, and under
normal circumstances it should not be necessary to add any
coolant to the system between services. If overfilled, the excess
coolant will be ejected when the engine is warm. If under filled, overheating may result.
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Air bleed plugCoolant header tank cap

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exchangers from both frost damage, and metal corrosion. The
Elise is factory filled with a 50% concentration of Havoline XLC
Extended Life Coolant, which contains Organic Acid Technology
(OAT) based corrosion inhibitors to provide long coolant change intervals combined with freedom from environmentally damaging phosphates, silicates and nitrites.
NOTICE: No other type of coolant should be mixed with this
OAT coolant.
Havoline XLC may be identified by its orange colouration, and
by a label around the header tank filler neck. The 50% concen
-
tration provides freezing protection down to - 40°F (- 40°C), and is recommended to be maintained throughout the life of the car.
Stronger concentrations should not be used. In an emergency, if an OAT coolant is not available, the
cooling system should be topped up using water only, but the reduction in freezing protection should be recognised, and the
concentration corrected promptly. In areas where the tap water is extremely hard (exceeding 250 parts per million), distilled, de-ionised or filtered rain water should be used for the water
content of the coolant mix. The effective level of ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) in the sys
-
tem may be measured by your dealer using a hydrometer, but in order to ensure that the required level of corrosion protection is
maintained, the coolant should be renewed every 4 years. For coolant capacity, refer to ‘Recommended Lubricants‘
and ‘Technical Data’.
NOTICE: Using an incorrect coolant mixture may result in ex
-
pensive damage to your engine and/or other car parts caused by overheating, freezing or corrosion effects. This damage would
not be covered by your new car warranty.
Coolant Drain /Refill Procedure The cooling system of the Lotus Elise has been carefully
optimised to allow the required cooling performance using the
minimum volume of coolant. This provides for high cooling sys
-
tem efficiency, with quick engine warm up and interior heating. When refilling the cooling system, it is vital to ensure that
the correct bleeding procedure is followed, and that no air pockets remain. This operation should be entrusted to your
Lotus dealer.
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NOTICE:
• On cars used on a race track or in a competitive manner,
special vigilance is required due to the severity of tire operating conditions, with careful inspections carried
out between sessions.
• Take care when parking to avoid tire contact with high
or sharp edged kerbs. Such mistreatment can cause
internal damage to the tire structure and this may not be readily apparent. The wheel rims may also be distorted or damaged by careless parking, and result in wheel
imbalance or loss of tire pressure. Similar damage may also be caused by potholes, rocks or other highway
debris.
WARNING:
• Damage to wheels and tires may cause an accident in which you or others may be killed or seriously
injured. If the wheels or tires have been damaged,
have them replaced.
• Safety considerations should always be paramount when assessing tire condition and serviceability, and the tires replaced if any doubt exists, or if the
legal tread depth limits are approached.
• Poorly maintained and improperly used tires are dangerous.
• Overloading your tires can cause overheating as a result of too much friction. You could have a blow
out and a serious accident in which you could be killed or seriously injured. See ‘Tire Placard La
-
bel’.
• Underinflated tires pose the same danger as over loaded tires. The resulting accident could cause serious injury, or death. Check all tires frequently
and maintain at the recommended pressure. Tire
pressures should be checked only when the tires
are cold.
• Overinflated tires are more likely to be cut, punc- tured or broken by a sudden impact - such as hitting a pothole. Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
• Installing improper tires on your car can affect handling and stability. This can cause a crash
in which you can be killed or seriously injured.

Tires & Wheels
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Headlamp Flasher .................................................................58
Heating & Ventilation .............................................................. 61
Horn ...................................................................................... 60
Idle Speed ............................................................................. 73
Ignition Switch ....................................................................... 44
Immobiliser, engine ................................................................ 31
Inertia Switch ...................................................................... 135
Instrument Illumination .......................................................... 56
Interior Lamp .......................................................................... 41
Jacking Points, lifting you car .............................................. 148
‘Jump’ Starting ..................................................................... 133
Keys ...................................................................................... 29
Lighting Switches .................................................................. 54
Lights On Buzzer .............................................................. 40,55
Lubrication - Dipstick, engine oil level check ....................................... 99
- Engine Oil Change ........................................................ 100
- Oil Filter ......................................................................... 102
- Recommended Lubricants ............................................ 153
- Tran smission Oil ............................................................ 103
Mirrors ................................................................................... 40
Odometer .............................................................................. 53
Parking Brake ........................................................................ 70
Pedals ................................................................................... 66
Queen’s Award ..................................................................... 191
Roof, Hard Top ...................................................................... 85
Roof, Soft Top ....................................................................... 82
Safety Information ....................................................................
7
Seat Be lts .............................................................................. 18
Seats ...................................................................................... 17
Servicing ............... see separate Maintenance Record booklet
Sparking Plugs ..................................................................... 114
Speedometer .......................................................................... 51
Start Button, engine .............................................................. 45
Starting Procedure ................................................................ 72
Index
189

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