[phaphaphooey]

Long story short my wife was driving the car yesterday and it threw up the MIL and IPS fault lights. She said it shifted rough for a second then acted fine. I pulled the following info off of the car using Torque on my Android phone:

Vehicle Manufacturer: Lotus
Vehicle Calibration ID: Not present

Current Fault Log
------------------
P0700: Transmission Control System (MIL Request)
RXE: Unknown code - More information may be available on the web
ROR: Unknown code - More information may be available on the web
P0751: Shift Solenoid "A" Performance or Stuck Off
P1613: [Chrysler] Loss of DIM Serial Data
[Dodge] Loss of DIM Serial Data
[Jeep] Loss of DIM Serial Data
[Seat/Audi/Volkswagen] MIL Call-up Circ Open/Short to B+
[Volvo] Throttle unit communication. Signal too high or signal missing.

Pending Fault Log
------------------
ECU reports no pending faults

Historic Fault Log
------------------
ECU reports no historic faults
Other discovered fault codes
(possibly pending, current or manufacturer specific)
----------------------------------------------------
C1116: Unknown code - More information may be available on the web
P13<R: Unknown code - More information may be available on the web
ERR: Unknown code - More information may be available on the web


Freeze frame data showed nothing. I cleared the codes and started it back up for a drive. Lights immediately came back on and car was stuck in third. Additionally the stability control light was on this time as well. Sport mode would not engage also. Tried numerous restarts with the same behavior. Pulled codes again and same codes. Freeze frame this time showed this:

Vehicle Manufacturer: Lotus
Vehicle Calibration ID: C13����
����

Freeze frame information:
------------------
Engine Coolant Temperature = 71 °C
Fuel Trim Bank 1 Short Term = -0.781 %
Fuel Trim Bank 1 Long Term = 0 %
Fuel Trim Bank 2 Short Term = -0.781 %
Fuel Trim Bank 2 Long Term = 0 %
Engine RPM = 715 rpm
Speed (OBD) = 0 km/h
Timing Advance = 7.5 °
Intake Air Temperature = 48 °C
Mass Air Flow Rate = 6.46 g/s
Run time since engine start = 16 s

I then went inside in despair and searched the forum. Went out and jiggled/unplugged and replugged the throttle body connector. It didn't seem to be loose. Cleared codes again and started it up and it ran like nothing had ever happened. Ran up and down the gears several times in sport mode and all was peachy.

I am guessing this was likely caused by one of three things: 1. Radium Intake 2. Throttle Body Connector 3. Old ECU/TCU firmware. I suspect the culprit is number 3. I bought the car in January and the dealer allegedly updated the ECU and TCU to the most recent version immediately prior to my purchase but based upon the dealer's conduct in other areas I have my doubts. I am 4 hours from St. Louis and 5.5 hours from Atlanta which are my two closest dealers so it is no trivial matter for me to pop in to update the ECU and TCU.

Any input?

I still love the car but was a bit delusional to believe it to be a DD, especially in IPS guise. I am literally counting down the days until my MKVII Golf gets here so that the Lotus can sit in time out in the garage when it acts naughty and won't cramp our style to such a large degree.

 

[tbd_Evora]

Sounds like the throttle connector. Even if the connector is firmly settled that says nothing about the electrical contact within. See here: http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f170/speaking-connectors-229665/

It seems the Evora is ridden with poor connections within the engine bay.

 

[squidward]

Sounds like the throttle connector. Even if the connector is firmly settled that says nothing about the electrical contact within. See here: http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f170/speaking-connectors-229665/

It seems the Evora is ridden with poor connections within the engine bay.

I simply can't imagine how connectors being the source of problems on a vehicle. I mean automotive connectors should be (and are) mission critical applications, so you'd expect a very, very low failure rate if at all on such applications where safety is paramount.

 

[tbd_Evora]

I simply can't imagine how connectors being the source of problems on a vehicle. I mean automotive connectors should be (and are) mission critical applications, so you'd expect a very, very low failure rate if at all on such applications where safety is paramount.

You've expectations are right, but the came Lotus. It would seem they are sourced from Malaysia (or Lucas Electrics).

 

[AustinP]

Four years ago my '08 Exige had a severe "running rough, stumbling" issue that the dealer solved by using Stabilant 22 on the MAF and throttle body connectors. The problem hasn't returned since. I had never heard of Stabilant 22, but since it did the trick, I bought a bottle just in case. The stuff is stupid expensive but well worth it if it fixes the problem. Of course it won't help if the problem isn't related to the connectors, but it might be worth a try given your distance from a dealer.

Good luck,

 

[phaphaphooey]

Thanks for the input everyone. I may try the ziptie handcuff method that one dealer used to ensure that the throttle body connector remains properly seated.

 

[tbd_Evora]

Thanks for the input everyone. I may try the ziptie handcuff method that one dealer used to ensure that the throttle body connector remains properly seated.

As I said before, the connector is not the problem, its the contacts within that are the likely issue. All you're doing with the ziptie is bending the connector a bit, whhich may or may not enhance the pin's contact.

Here is a picture of a similar connector (not the throttle boy connector) that illustrates the way they connect. The connector body latches firmly, but the male and female contacts need to contact correctly. Issue with the Evora connectors is that the female part is poorly pressed and may not properly make contact to the pin.

To fix it yu need to open the red plastic cover and examine the individual contacts.

 

[CPA4S]

not really an IPS issue -

 

[phaphaphooey]

As my car would not shift out of third it certainly seemed like an IPS issue to me.

 

[CPA4S]

As my car would not shift out of third it certainly seemed like an IPS issue to me.

throttle connections in manuals have a strong tendency to also disable.

 

[ANUBIS]

Has your wife shifted with the paddles?
I am just asking, caus my "+" paddle gave wrong signals and the whole car was undrivable suddenly, falling back in "D" Mode always and showed strange kind of signs in the display.
The new paddle I have now is totaly different to the original one caus there is a real shift point you feel on your fingers while the old one was softly undefined till the connecting point.

 

[phaphaphooey]

She doesn't but I do. I remember reading your thread about the shifting paddle error. I use them every time and so far they work fine except for this one incident.

 

[Lckitty]

FYI, I'm told a new ECU/TCU software release is out as of 7/1/14. I'm in service getting it today.

 

[phaphaphooey]

Thanks for the info. Let me know if it makes any perceptible difference.

 

[jwilsonjx]

Thanks for the info. Let me know if it makes any perceptible difference.

What ever came of this? Both my 2014 IPS NA, and a friend's 2014 IPS NA are experiencing the same issue. Both cars are just under 3k miles. The dealer captured the info and sent it off to Lotus.

P0751 Shift Solenoid "A" Performance or Stuck Off
P1613 Forced Mechanical Limphome Position

 

[Lckitty]

I'm going with throttle body connection and TCU software.

 

[phaphaphooey]

Still happening intermittently. The closest dealer is 4 hours away and I haven't had time to take it in. Further, I am concerned that they won't be able to replicate the problem since it will act good while I am there and that as a result they will turn me away without fixing it and cause me to waste my time. The problem with many of the Evora faults is the intermittent nature of it all. The car usually fixes itself after a power cycle, only to screw up again a week or two later.

 

[jwilsonjx]

Thanks, the dealer had said they needed to capture a "freeze frame" of the data, before anything had cleared. I was able to get my car to them yesterday to capture this data (dealer is about 10 miles away). They were sending it off to Lotus for both vehicles since the error codes were identical. I will keep you posted with what they come back with.

 

[phaphaphooey]

Please do. My car has thrown the error since the last time I pulled it so the ECU should still have the freeze frame data on my car as well.

 

[RandyB]

I simply can't imagine how connectors being the source of problems on a vehicle. I mean automotive connectors should be (and are) mission critical applications, so you'd expect a very, very low failure rate if at all on such applications where safety is paramount.

Happens all the time, manufacture sends out specs and does not specify the type of connector, so one uses copper, the other something else. Years later the dissimilar metals starts building up a layer of corrosion and then one day the connection starts failing. This has happened on several cars I have had, funny thing is the very same problem happened on the connectors on my Jag.