change LOTUS ELISE 2005 Owners Manual

10. DRIVING CONTROLS
Foot Pedals .................................................................
66
Footwell Carpets .............................................................
66
Clutch Pedal .................................................................
66
Footbrake .................................................................
67
Anti-Lock Brake System .................................................
67
Parking Brake .................................................................
70
Gear Lever .................................................................
71
11. STARTING PROCEDURE & ENGINE BREAK-IN
Starting a Cold or Warm Engine .....................................
72
Idle Speed .................................................................
73
Engine Break-In ..............................................................
73
Engine Special Features .................................................
74
12. EXTERNAL OPERATIONS
Fuel Requirement ...........................................................
75
Fuel Filling .................................................................
76
Front Service Access Panels ..........................................
78
Engine Cover/Trunk Lid ..................................................
79
Child Entrapment ......................................................
80
Removable Roof Concept ...............................................
81
Soft Top Roof Fitting ..................................................
82
Soft Top Roof Removal .............................................
84
Hard Top Roof Fitting ................................................
85
Hard Top Roof Removal ............................................
90
13. SERVICING & MAINTENANCE
Bodycare .................................................................
93
B
ody Features ...........................................................93
Paint Care .................................................................
94
Ventilation .................................................................
94
Paintwork Polishing ...................................................
95
Washing .................................................................
95
Soft Top Roof ............................................................
96
Windscreen Cleaning ................................................
96
Alloy Road Wheels ....................................................
96
Upholstery Cleaning ..................................................
97
Seat Belts Cleaning ...................................................
97
Footwell Cleaning ......................................................
97
Owner Maintenance ........................................................
98
Engine Oil Level Check .............................................
99
Engine Oil Change ..................................................
100
Oil Filter ...............................................................
102
Used Engine Oil ......................................................
103
Contents
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INTRODUCTIONC o n g r a t u l a t i o n s o n y o u r p u r c h a s e o f a L o t u s E l i s e .

Welcome to the Lotus family. The Elise has been designed for the discerning driver, and aims to provide fun motoring from a
lightweight, distinctively styled and efficient package. This handbook has been written for the owner/driver and
should be read before using the car, and then stored in the car for ready reference, remaining with the car throughout any
subsequent changes of ownership. The content includes
important safety information to protect you from injur y,

explanations and instructions for operating the driving controls, owner maintenance requirements, technical specifications, and
an explanation of the warranty. It is not intended to provide all
the technical information required for servicing, and should any adjustment become necessary, owners are urged to contact
their Lotus dealer. It is a requirement of the warranty, and the
responsibility of the owner/driver, to ensure that servicing of the
car is carried out at the correct intervals. An alphabetical index is provided at the back of this book to
help you find information about any particular feature or topic. The information and specifications included in this publica
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tion were correct at the time of approval for printing. Lotus has a policy of continuous product improvement, and reserves the
right to discontinue or change specification, design or equipment
at any time without notice and without incurring any obligation
whatsoever. You are urged to keep in regular contact with your Lotus dealer to ensure that you may be kept informed of any
technical developments which may improve the specification, performance or safety of your car. This handbook covers all Elise models for the North American
market, and may include descriptions of equipment and features
which are not fitted on your particular car.
Your Lotus is intended to be used safely, in a manner

appropr iate to the dr iving c onditions and whilst obeying

local laws. Any alteration or misuse of the car, or ignoring the

instructions in this handbook could result in an accident causing
severe or fatal injury.
Introduction
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petrol (LRP), will cause irreversible contamination of the pre-
cious metal catalysts and of the exhaust gas sensor used by the
computer controlled engine management system.
It is important that the Maintenance Schedule (see separate
booklet) is followed at the specified time and distance intervals
(this is a requirement of the warranty), and that the car is kept in proper operating condition. Failure to do so may result not only
in a loss of fuel economy and emission control, but may cause damage to the catalytic converter.
WARNING:
• If the engine malfunctions in any way (e.g by a change in sound) have the fault diagnosed and repaired promptly.
Continuing to drive the car with an engine misfire could cause the catalytic converter to overheat, with possible heat damage to other car components, and an engine bay
fire. Operation of the ‘Malfunction Indicator Lamp’ (MIL)
is fully described later in this handbook on page 49.
• DO NOT park or drive the car in areas where combustible material, such as dry grass or leaves, could come into
contact with the hot exhaust system. Under certain wind and weather conditions a grass fire could be initiated.
• DO NOT tamper with any electrical components with the battery connected. You could receive an electric shock
from the spark plug coils or initiate a car fire.
• DO NOT check or adjust any engine bay equipment with the engine running. Failure to comply with this may result
in you or your clothing becoming trapped.
• DO NOT use the car if a fuel leak is suspected, as may be indicated by a persistent smell of fuel. Have the fault

diagnosed and rectified without delay. A fuel leak may result in a fire or explosion.
• DO NOT touch or approach, any part of a hot exhaust

system. Failure to comply with this may result in you
receiving severe burns.
• DO NOT allow servicing or repairs to be carried out by unskilled persons as this may adversely affect the han
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dling and safety features on your car. Lotus dealers have
trained staff who are best qualified to maintain your car
to the correct specification.
Safety Information
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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:
Seating & Safety Restraints
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Car Security AlarmThe Lotus Elise is fitted with a Cobra 8186 immobiliser/alarm
which includes the following features:
• ‘Dynamic coding’ of the transmitter fobs; Each time the trans
-
mitters are used, the operating frequency is random changed
to guard against unauthorised code copying.
• Automatic (passive) engine immobilisation to prevent the engine from being started without the transmitter fob.
• Sensing switches on doors, front body access panels and the engine cover, meaning the alarm sounds if someone tries to
force entry.
• Personal protection by ‘on demand’ activation of the siren.
• Selectable cockpit intrusion sensing using a microwave

sensor.
• Self powered siren to maintain protection if the car battery is
disconnected.
Transmitter Fobs Two transmitter fobs are provided with the car to operate the
immobiliser/alarm system. The two transmitters should be kept
separate, and a replacement obtained immediately after any loss to ensure that a spare is always available.
Each individual alarm system has a unique serial number
and an owner’s Personal Identification Number (PIN), both of
which are printed on a code card supplied with the car. In order to allow replacement transmitters to be ordered, it is essential
that these numbers are recorded and kept safely with the car
documents. If the code card is not available on receipt of the
oh102
Small button
Keys & Car Security Alarm
30
COBRA TRANSMITTER FOB & CODE NUMBERS
Push button
Fob tell tale
S / N 99999999
PIN CODE = 9999

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engine speed is being approached. When exploiting full accel-
eration, gearchange upshifts should be made immediately the
tell tale comes on.
Note that this lamp also functions as a security system tell
tale (see ‘Car Security’). Recalibration of the speedo and tacho needle zero positions
will occur during a 3 second period following ignition switch on,
but if a needle becomes ‘stranded‘ outside of the re-calibration
range, the following procedure should be followed:
With the car stationary;
• Open driver‘s door;
• Press and hold trip reset button on steering column shroud;
• Turn on ignition.
LCD DISPLAY PANEL A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is provided below the
instruments in order to display fuel level, coolant temperature,
total mileage and trip functions. The panel is blank until the ignition is switched on.
Fuel Level Display An indication of the level of fuel in the tank is displayed in
the form of a bar graph at the right hand top of the LCD panel in the instrument cluster. When completely full (approximately
10.6 U.S. gall. {40 litres}), the display will show 6 black segments. As the fuel level falls, a white band will extend from the right to represent the empty proportion.
Instruments & Switches
52
m253
Trip distanceProportion of fuel remaining
Odometer Coolant temperaure

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When only a single segment remains, representing approxi-
mately 1.3 U.S. gall. (5 litres), the amber low fuel tell tale will
flash. Refuel at the next opportunity.
NOTICE: Do not allow the tank to run completely dry, as this may damage the catalytic converter and fuel pump. This may
affect the terms of your warranty.
Coolant Temperature Display The engine coolant temperature will be displayed at the bot
-
tom right hand corner of the panel as soon as the temperature reaches 162°F. The running temperature will fluctuate a cer
-
tain amount as the operating conditions change, and during periods of idling or in heavy traffic, the temperature may rise to
over 212°F, with the cooling fans switching on at half speed at
approximately 208°F and at full speed at approximately 217°F.
The temperature display will flash at temperatures over 226°F to prompt closer monitoring by the driver of high temperatures.
The pressurised cooling system has a boiling point of over 248°F.

If the temperature approaches this level then the driver should be concerned. If this should occur, allow the engine to idle for a
few minutes whilst monitoring the temperature, and if it continues to rise, switch off and seek qualified assistance.
NOTICE: After a heavy snowfall, ensure that the radiator cooling
outlet grilles in the front body are cleared of snow before driving
the car, or overheating may occur.
Odometer An odometer (total distance recorder) reading is displayed at
the bottom left hand corner of the panel.
Trip Recorder A trip distance recorder is provided at the top left hand corner
of the panel. In order to zero the trip display, switch on the ignition, and
press for a moment (less than 1 second), the small button
on the steering column shroud ahead of the ignition switch.

This dual function button also controls the panel illumination
- see ‘Instrument & Switch Illumination’.
Instruments & Switches
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Turn Indicators: The turn indicators operate only with the ignition
switched on. Move the lever down to indicate a left hand turn, and up for a right hand turn. The switch will be cancelled when
the steering wheel is returned to the straight ahead position. For convenience, when signalling a lane change, lightly
pressing the switch up or down will allow its return under spring
action.
Windscreen Wiper/ Washer The steering column right hand lever switch controls the
windscreen wiper and washer, and is operative only with the ignition switched on.
NOTICE:
• Never use the wiper on a dry screen. This may overload the
mechanism and/or scratch the screen.
• Ensure th at snow is cleared from the windscreen before
operating the wiper.
Windscreen Wiper:
The wiper is controlled by the up/down
position of the lever switch, which operates as follows:
Moved fully down, the wiper is switched off.
Move up to the first position for intermittent wipe.
The wiper will make one sweep about every five seconds.
Select the next position for normal wiper operation.
Move fully upwards for quick wipe, to be used only in heavy
rain.
Instruments & Switches
59
ohs33Washer Wiper

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HEATING, VENTILATION & AIR CONDITIONINGThe small size of the Elise together with the method of
construction and emphasis on lightweight, have resulted in heating and a.c. sytems which perform well under non-extreme
climatic conditions. In extreme temperatures and humidity the operational limits of the systems may be reached before the
desired temperature, or rate of temperature change inside the
car is achieved. The heating and ventilation controls comprise three rotary
switches to regulate; heater temperature, fan speed and air dis
-
tribution. Push button switches are provided for air conditioning and air re-circulation.
Air Conditioning The left hand push button selects air conditioning, but the
following conditions must first be met before the system will
operate:
• The engine must be running;
• A fan speed must be selected;
• Ambient temperature must be above 3°C.
With a fully cold temperature setting, refrigerated air will be
supplied. For dehumidified warm air, select air conditioning in
conjunction with a warm temperature setting. The tell tale in the switch button will light up blue when the
circuit is active. Note that the a.c. will default to ‘off’ when the ignition is turned off.
Heating, Ventilation & A.C.
61
p 98b
INTERIOR CLIMATE CONTROLS

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stopping distance, a locked wheel provides little or no steering
force, such that with both front wheels locked, movement of the steering wheel has no effect on car direction. With the anti-lock
system, even panic braking results in controlled deceleration and the retention of steering response. ABS is especially ad
-
vantageous when braking on slippery road surfaces and in bad driving conditions, but it is important to realise that the ABS
cannot increase the friction level at the road surface, but can only make optimum use of the grip available.
WARNING: When driving in adverse weather, or on poor road sur
-
faces, always be alert to the possibility of slippery condi
-
tions and make the necessary allowance for increased stop
-
ping distances. Failure to do so may result in an accident in which you or others may be killed or seriously injured.
Normal braking, controlled by the pressure applied to the
brake pedal, occurs when the road conditions allow for decel
-
eration to be achieved without danger of wheel lock. The relative
speeds of the four wheels are continuously monitored by the
ABS when the brakes are applied, and if one or more wheels begin to lock, the brake pressure to that wheel(s) is modulated
by the ABS to help keep the wheel rotating and provide the
maximum controlled braking force. The wheels may appear
to lock momentarily as the wheel speed rapidly changes, and some tire noise (intermittent screeching) may be heard which is normal and will vary with road and tire conditions. Note that the
ABS does not function at speeds below 5 mph (7 km/h). When the ABS is activated, the driver is will feel a ‘pulsing’
sensation at the brake pedal as the fluid pressure is modulated, and also by audible clicking sounds. These signals indicate to
the driver that maximum braking is occuring, and that driving style should be modified to suit the conditions.
The minimum stopping distance is achieved by applying the
brakes firmly and steadily, and allowing the ABS to modulate
hydraulic pressure. The driver should not attempt to emulate
this process by ‘pumping’ the brake pedal, as modulation at the pedal will treat all four wheels similarly, rather than the individual
wheel control allowed by the electronics. An ABS tell tale lamp in the instrument panel is provided
to warn of any problems in the system and to indicate that the
Driving Controls
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