Unfortunately I have issues with the IPS gearbox since I bought the car.
Last year in summer I had a really dangerous situation:
Driving on the motorway at 150km/h in "Sportmode" with pre-selected 6th gear the transmission SHIFTED ITSELF from 6 to 3 in one step.
I was terrified very much because the abrupt „braking“ was pushing me in front. -eek-
If this had happened on a wet an curvy road this could have had devasting consequences ...
I had to cancel my trip – the gearbox stuck in 3rd gear – and the car had to be moved by a towing company to the next Lotus dealer.
The error log had stored a fault with a hydraulic control valve.
After some weeks I got the car back but had soon another issue.
Again the gearbox was trying to shift itself but the gearchange was within 1 second down and again up to the previous gear. During this malfunction I heard a loud scratching noise out of the gearbox and a vibration could be felt. One day later I started the car, drove a few meters and needed to return because there was another error indication light showing a „wrench-symbol“ and also the „Dynamic Performance Management“ light. The gearbox couldn’t be changed to „Sportmode“, also the engine seemed to be in an „emergency-state“ with immense power loss.
So the car again was brought to the dealership. This time a field service engineer from Lotus came and updated to the newest firmware (TCU+ECU).
Driving nearly 2000km without any issues I was very happy to have the car now in the state, which should have been from begining on.
But this shouldn't be the end of the story...
14 days ago I took the car out of the garage first time this year. During a great drive I had again a self-shifting gearbox with scratching noises out of it. Immediately the MIL, DPM and GEARBOX indication lights were on and so I informed my dealership and the Lotus field engineer.
One day later all the indication lights were gone, this is usual and how I learned to know the IPS. TADTS
Because I was allowed to use the car if there are no indication lights on I decided to go for a meeting which was 250km away from my hometown.
Again I had really big troubles with the gearbox.
Fortunately my co-driver immediately took out the mobile phone and therefore we have filmed the complete situation (see the videos at
LOTUS EVORA ISSUES )
Just like it was last year on the motorway the gearbox shifted itself down. Luckily this time it was less dangerous because it shifted not from the 6th to the 3rd in one step, it only shifted down to the 5th where the gear stuck until the car was stopped. In standstill the display on the dashboard was showing the 3rd gear.
I opened the engine bonnet to cool down the area around the gearbox and because of the cold conditions I was able to start the engine and shift to the first gear after a few minutes.
Again I had the MIL and GEARBOX indication lights on and again it was gone one day later. :tadts:
So in meantime I have been at the dealership, we checked the fault-codes and this is what we got:
1 - TPMS - 0 Faults Read
2 - SRS - B1091 - Warning Lamp Fault - Sporadic
3 - SRS - B1092 - Passenger Airbag Deactivation Lamp fault - Sporadic
4 - ABS - 0 Faults Read
5 - TCU - P0766 - Shift Solenoid „D“ Performance or Stuck Off (SL4) - Confirmed
6 - TCU - P1613 - Forced Mechanical Limphome Position - Confirmed
7 - TCU - P172A - Forced Gear Neutral - Confirmed
8 - TCU - P1913 - Transmission Range Selector Motor Circuit High - Confirmed
9 - TCU - P2800 - Transmission Range Sensor „B“ Circuit (PRNDL Input) - Confirmed
0 - EMS - P0700 - TCU Requested MIL illumination - Confirmed
We informed the field service engineer and I also mentioned again how dangerous the self-gearchanges of the IPS could be on a wet and curvy road but it seems to be impossible to be understood. :facepalm
If anyone of you have had similar situations and issues with the IPS so please let me know.
I really need all help - many thanks, Gernot