child restraint LOTUS ELISE 2005 Owners Manual

CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................
6
2. SAFETY INFORMATION ..................................................7
3. REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
.................................. 10
4. CAR IDENTIFICATION
....................................................15
5. SEATING & SAFETY REST
RAINTS
Seats .................................................................
17
Seat Belts .................................................................
18
Seat Belt Precautions ................................................
19
Airbag Safety System .....................................................
21
Airbag Tell Tale ..........................................................
23
Airbag Deployment ....................................................
24
Child Restraints ..............................................................
26
6. KEYS & CAR SECURITY ALARM
Keys .................................................................
29
Car Security Alarm ..........................................................
30
Transmitter Fobs .......................................................
30
Engine Immobiliser ....................................................
31
Valet Mode ................................................................
31
Arming the Alarm .......................................................
32
Disarming the Alarm ..................................................
33
Emergency Disarming/Mobilising ..............................
33
Intrusion Sensing ......................................................
34
Manual Activation of Siren .........................................
34
Transmitter Fob Battery Replacement ......................
35
Programming Additional Transmitter Fobs ................
36
Disconnecting Car Battery ........................................
36
7. ENTRY & COMFORT
Central Door Locking ......................................................
37
To Unlock From Outside ............................................
37
To Lock From Inside ..................................................
37
To Unlock From Inside ..............................................
38
To Lock From Outside ...............................................
38
Lights On Buzzer ............................................................
40
Interior Rear View Mirror .................................................
40
Door Mirrors .................................................................
40
Interior Lamp .................................................................
41
Sun Visors .................................................................
41
Door Windows ................................................................
42
Manual Windows .......................................................
42
Electric Windows .......................................................
42
Contents
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To use the belt, sit erect and fully back in the seat before
taking the buckle tongue in the outer hand, and drawing the belt through the top slide, pass the belt across the body and
push the tongue into the buckle lock at the inboard side of the
seat, until a positive ‘click’ is heard. Pull on the belt to check for correct latching and ensure that the belt fits snugly against the body with all the slack taken up by the reel. The belt should be
worn low across the front of the pelvis, and across the chest and shoulder. The belts are released by pressing the red button on the
buckle lock, and will retract automatically for tidy storage and
to permit easy access to the passenger compartment.
Seat Belt Precautions
WARNING:
• Be sure you and your passenger always wear seat belts and wear them properly. Not wearing a seat belt

correctly, increases the chance of serious injury or death
in a crash, even with airbags.
• On fastening the seat belt, ensure that no part of the belt is twisted, or is entangled in the door or seat

mechanism.
• Seat belts are designed to bear upon the bone structure
of the body and should be worn low across the front of
the pelvis, and across the chest and shoulder. Wearing
the lap section of the belt across the abdominal area must be avoided.
• Improperly positioning the seat belts can cause serious injury or death in a crash. Ensure the seat belts are

correctly positioned before driving.
• Pregnant women should always wear seat belts to protect
both themselves and the unborn child. The lap belt por
-
tion of the belt should be kept as low as possible across the hips. Consult your doctor regularly to check if you
should drive.
• The shoulder portion of the belt must never be worn beneath the arm, or behind the back.
• Each seat belt assembly is designed for use by one

occupant of adult build, and should not be used by

children unable to meet the requirements set forth
herein.
Seating & Safety Restraints
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WARNING:
• Lotus strongly recommends that you do not carry children
as passengers in your Elise.
• Because the Elise is fitted with a non-switchable pas
-
senger airbag, a rear facing child seat must never be
used.
• Never use one belt around two people, or allow a child to be carried on a driver’s or passenger’s lap.
• Refer to Child Restraints section of handbook.
WARNING:
• No modifications or additions should be made to the inertia reel assemblies or seat belts. Do not attempt to
adjust the seat belt tension by altering the mechanism.
• The seat belt should be replaced if webbing becomes frayed, contaminated, or damaged. Inspect regularly.
• It is essential to replace the entire seat belt assembly
if it has been used in a severe impact, even if damage
to the assembly is not obvious. In situations where the airbags have been deployed, the belt tensioner systems must also be replaced. Seat belt anchorage points must
also be rigorously checked.
• Not checking or maintaining seat belts can result in serious injury or death if the seat belts do not work

properly when needed. Check the belts regularly and have any problem corrected immediately.
• No one should sit in a seat with an in-operative seat belt.
Care should be taken to avoid contamination of the webbing
with polishes, oils or chemicals and particularly battery acid. Use
only a mild detergent to clean the webbing, never use bleach or
dye, and allow the belt to dry fully before using the car. Ensure
that the buckle mechanism is kept free of dirt contamination as disassembly for cleaning is not possible.Seating & Safety Restraints
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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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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.
Seating & Safety Restraints
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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.
Seating & Safety Restraints
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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.
Seating & Safety Restraints
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ENTRY & COMFORT
WARNING:
• In very hot/cold territories, or under conditions of extreme solar heating, be aware of exposed metal surfaces in the
cabin. Take suitable precautions to guard against burn
injuries from hot or cold metal.
• Unlocked doors can be dangerous. Young children who get into unlocked cars may be unable to get out.

Always lock your car whenever you leave it.
Central Door Locking (CDL) The central door locking (CDL) operates on the driver’s and
passenger’s doors in conjunction with the security alarm system.
For full details of the alarm system, see page 30.
To unlock from outside: To unlock the doors from outside, press once, for a full second,
the larger button on the transmitter fob. The alarm will be dis
-
armed and both doors unlocked. Press the exterior lock button and pull open the door using the fingergrip below the button. If
the door is swung fully open, a spring detent mechanism on the hinge will aid restraint of the door for convenience whilst entering or exiting the car, but the door should be manually held in windy
conditions, or if the car is parked on a slope.
From inside the car, pull the door firmly shut using the recess
provided at the top of the door trim panel.
WARNING: Before closing a door take care to ensure that no persons
or objects will be trapped to avoid injury or damage.
To lock from inside: If it is desired to lock the doors from inside the car, for example
to deter highjack attempts, press the right hand side of the CDL
rocker switch on the front of the gear lever shroud to lock both
doors with or without the ignition switched on. Alternatively, the
doors can be locked individually by depressing the button at the rear end of each door sill.
WARNING: Whether locked using the rocker switch or sill buttons,
Entry & Comfort
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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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