DANGER: Airbag and <-4 degrees F

[Terminus]

Just had a page added to my owners manual at my 7500mi sevice.

WARNING: You or others could be killed or seriously injured by incorrect airbag deployment if attempts are made to use the car at temperatures lower than -20 C (-4 F)

Now, this is not an issue for me, but I bet there are at least a few Elisers out there in areas that could face those low temperatures.

[Dave]

Shouldn't Lotus have put this advisory in the mail to registered owners rather than wait for them to pop-in for a service call?

[badhorse]

are you sure you have your temps correct?

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by badhorse

are you sure you have your temps correct?

Copied directly from the manual -20 celcius, -4 fahrenheit. Did the conversion and those are equiv temps.

[choi0706]

I heard that page also reccomends that the car does not get driven with water temps above 190deg. HAH! I guess we Texans can't drive for most of the year....

[badhorse]

That's strange! But good info. Thanks

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by choi0706

I heard that page also reccomends that the car does not get driven with water temps above 190deg. HAH! I guess we Texans can't drive for most of the year....

Nope, though now that you mention it there is an upper limit on the airbag temp that could easily affect the sunshine states. Listed in a different paragraph.

Note: This is talking airbag system temp, not surrounding air temp. As you know surface and cabin temps inside a closed car in the sun can get very high.

The safe temperature operating range of the airbag system is between -20 and +85 C (-4 and +185 F). The car should not be operated outside of this range, as the airbag system may not correctly deploy. Driver or passenger may be killed or injured by incorrect airbag deployment.

[badhorse]

Yikes! Now your getting close to home.

[EburgE]

LotusTech! LotusTech!

[fastliz]

Originally Posted by Terminus

Nope, though now that you mention it there is an upper limit on the airbag temp that could easily affect the sunshine states. Listed in a different paragraph.

Note: This is talking airbag system temp, not surrounding air temp. As you know surface and cabin temps inside a closed car in the sun can get very high.

Well... it doesn't usually get above 185-degrees FARHENHEIT even here in Florida!

Mike

[choi0706]

I was speaking of engine operating temperature, what does it say about the water temp?

[andykeck]

Originally Posted by choi0706

I was speaking of engine operating temperature, what does it say about the water temp?

No no no. They're not referring to water or oil temps. They're talking about ambient temperatures. And as Terminus pointed out, while it seems strange that they tell you not to drive in 185 degree weather, they really warning against situations where it might be over a hundred out and the car is parked in direct sun with the windows up. Lotus wants you to circulate air or something for a while before you drive so the airbag components can cool down.

Similarly, if it's colder than -4 out, you shouldn't drive the car. I'll go so far as to say if it's -4 out, you should move. That ain't right.

[Terminus]

Originally Posted by fastliz

Well... it doesn't usually get above 185-degrees FARHENHEIT even here in Florida!

Doesn't matter if the air is only 90 degrees, here is a study where the dash temps hit 192F. The airbag cover is black, so could get very hot.

http://www.auto-expressions.net/pr_sun_protect.htm

or a more scientific one that shows a max 120C (248F )

http://www.auto-expressions.net/pr_sun_protect.htm

Our federal government at 187F in Colorado.

http://www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels...sfinalsent.pdf

[lotusport]

Originally Posted by andykeck

I'll go so far as to say if it's -4 out, you should move. That ain't right.

Pity our poor Canadian neighbors when they finally get their cars and still can't drive 'em....

[jasond]

Originally Posted by andykeck

No no no. They're not referring to water or oil temps. They're talking about ambient temperatures. And as Terminus pointed out, while it seems strange that they tell you not to drive in 185 degree weather, they really warning against situations where it might be over a hundred out and the car is parked in direct sun with the windows up. Lotus wants you to circulate air or something for a while before you drive so the airbag components can cool down.

Similarly, if it's colder than -4 out, you shouldn't drive the car. I'll go so far as to say if it's -4 out, you should move. That ain't right.

I just moved here from Boston, where it easily gets that cold this time of year. The winter of '04 was particularly bad, I recall. Some mornings, I'd wake up to check the weather and find it was colder than Anchorage, Alaska. Think the coldest it got was about -24F or -26F. Of course, the city was covered in snow and ice on those days, so you could only get around by walking, and even at that, you couldn't stand to be outside for more than an hour or two.

Thank goodness, I'm living in Seattle now, and all I have to put up with is the rain. Next thing you know, Lotus will issue a warning like this:

Caution!! Exposing your Elise to more than 100 days of consecutive rain COULD cause the vehicle to spontaneously explode, causing injury to you or your friends!!

Than I'll have to find another city to live in

[Ian]

It sounds to me like this is not a case of the airbags deploying unexpectedly in these temperatures. It sounds like they may just fail to deploy. I really don't think this is an issue, as ambient temperatures in the cabin change rather quickly once the car is running and these are some pretty extreme temperatures. I think this is just some good old legal-ease that is required to be posted somewhere. (Kind of like "the beverage you are about to enjoy is very hot" on a cup of coffee).

[rob13572468]

this is an issue with the microchips inside the airbag controller, not the airbags themselves. the evidence is in the -20 to 85 numbers which correspond with 'I' or industrial ratings for certain manufacturers.

lotus has probably just come to realize that the supplier of the airbag electronics sourced these parts instead of using 'E' or extended rated chips which have a range of -40 to +125 C.

as far as usability issues, you can make sure to warm the interior up in very cold temperatures and cool it down when its really hot. you need to be concerned with the ambient temperature of the cockpit, or more specifically where the airbag controller module is. as long as the temperature is within the specified limits before you start to drive then they will work properly.

[fastliz]

Originally Posted by rob13572468

you can make sure to warm the interior up in very cold temperatures and cool it down when its really hot.

Given the "effectiveness" of the a/c unit, I suppose the only way to cool the car down is to drive faster!

"Officer... I was concerned about my airbag possibly killing me!" Bet they haven't heard that one yet!

Mike

[smoseley]

Originally Posted by lotusport

Pity our poor Canadian neighbors when they finally get their cars and still can't drive 'em....

That was funny.

[Surferjer]

If you drive at temps below -4 degrees F, you also run the risk of tire failure.