[Speedy Gal]

I was going approx 60 mph on a state route and when I look down on the LCD display to find out how much gas I have left, there was nothing there. The LCd display is completely blank (black). Then, I slowed down and guess what? The speedometer stopped at 60 mph when I clearly braked. I drove the way home (approx 30 miles) without knowing how fast I was going.

When I got home, I turned the car off and re-started, the LCD display came back on; however, it was the same information before it went out. I then turn off the car and guess what?-eek- Now the display would not turn off. The backlite stayed on.

Did this every happen to any one of you? I've never seen this in any car. Any idea what might have happened? I am going to call dealer tomorrow, of course.

 

[Demonized]

Congratulations, you own a Lotus.

You could try searching for it, I remember quite alot of people having this. and similar electrical problems.

 

[Noisycow]

:coolnana:rotfl:coolnana:rotfl:coolnana:rotfl:

Now that was funny!

 

[Mr. Know]

Did you install HID lights after you bought it?

 

[BatmobileS240]

Try disconnecting your battery and reconnecting it. It might help. Otherwise, you might have a bad cluster that needs to be replaced.

 

[Speedy Gal]

No, I have not done any mods.

 

[Aedo]

Try disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes as Batmobile says. I had a very similar problem (instrument panel stopped working but the rev limit light and the backlight came on) which was cured by a battery disconnect (mine is not an 08 but its an easy thing to try).

 

[Speedy Gal]

Fixes

I am not sure exactly what the dealer did to fix the car - disconnect the battery or load new software. I took the car in for oil change and asked the dealer to install a trickle charger for me and informed them the problem. When I picked it up they told me that the installed a new version of software and that fix the problem.

And something else horrible happened. I took the car home and opened the trunk to check on the trickle charger and the trunk was soaked with water. There was water in the trunk after I removed the liner and padding. Did they just dump water in there? Of course I called and left a long nasty message.

Did anyone every take their Lotus thru a car wash? I wash my car all the time and the trunk never once got wet.

Does anyone know any other place that service Lotus in the Seattle area?

 

[RoadDad]

You should have installed a battery tender/maintainer, not a trickle charger and you should have put it on yourself, unless the dealer didn't charge you for the install time at $130/hr.

If the dealership did a "courtesy wash" of your car, they probably used a pressure washer and flooded your boot.

 

[apk919]

You should have installed a battery tender/maintainer, not a trickle charger and you should have put it on yourself, unless the dealer didn't charge you for the install time at $130/hr.

If the dealership did a "courtesy wash" of your car, they probably used a pressure washer and flooded your boot.

+1

I'm guessing that not only does your dealer not deal exclusively in Lotus cars, but they probably sell far more of their "other" marques. That means that no matter how well intentioned they are, they don't have a lot of experience with Lotus cars, relative to the other marques they sell. That can lead to bad/weird experiences...

 

[cdn_alien]

The back end of the Elise needs to be parked higher than the front when washing the car. Otherwise, the water doesn't drain properly and floods the trunk. I bet the dealer didn't do that.

 

[charliex]

new revision of the cluster software was probably installed, theres a recent one.

 

[cemaykan]

I am hoping lotus dealers know not use pressurized water for washing customer cars??

 

[RoadDad]

False hope brother.

 

[swede]

Dont ever run it through a carwash - handwash only, sucks but the only way to go.

 

[Appleseed]

my 08 had some funny things going on with the same little display, I thought that it was the GA/FL heat... It was hot that day... Should I get the same upgrade? I don't know when I will be back in FL to make it to the dealer, guess I will wait until next service...

 

[Speedy Gal]

Dealer called me back this morning and told me that it was normal for the trunk to be flooded with water after wash or rain. And yes, they did admit to using pressure wash on the car, but not thru a "car wash." I hand wash my car all the time and it was NEVER flooded with water. This was not the first time the dealer washed the car, and they didn't flood the trunk before.

They charged me $46 for the installation of battery maintenance pack (correction, not a trickle charger). As a girl, I am willing to pay $46 for the installation and save my nails

And you are correct, my dealer does not deal Lotus exclusively, but it is the only authorized dealer in the Seattle area. The next nearest dealer is in Portland, OR which is 300 miles away

 

[bueno]

Having other marques besides Lotus doesn't mean the techs don't know what they're doing--not many stand alone Lotus dealers anymore.

 

[DWebb]

flooded boot

I wash my car with a pressure washer and I never have a wet boot. Not even a moist boot. The only time I have any water in my boot is when I open it while its wet and a few drops fall in off the lid.

I'd have to raise some hell over that.


Sorry

 

[RoadDad]

Dealer... And yes, they did admit to using pressure wash on the car, but not thru a "car wash."

Have them read page 95 of the owner's manual where it states:

Washing
NOTICE: Lotus recommends hand washing of the painted
bodywork. The car is a speciality sports vehicle not intended
to go through an automatic car wash. Automatic car washing
machines and jet wash facilities may have a detrimental effect
on the paint film and the soft top. Use of automatic car washes
will invalidate the terms of the Limited Warranty.