Spinney Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 My previous 2 Lotus have been supremely reliable cars apart from a couple of very minor glitches, so I had no reason to expect anything less with the purchase of my Evora last September. However, it’s beginning to look as though every time I use the car now, a new problem rears it’s head. ☹️ After two attempts, my failed aircon is now fixed but then on a recent trip to France, I had the window drop fault and unexplained gearbox and cruise control faults. Then yesterday, after a very enjoyable run to the Goodwood FOS, on the way home I noticed the engine will not rev above 4K. I was in Sport mode and as I pulled out to overtake a car, changed down using the paddles and floored it. At 4K rpm it was like hitting a hard limiter, forcing me to change up much sooner than was ideal, or safe. Given how the previous gearbox problem is still unexplained, I’m starting to become nervous about this car and what the longer term reliability will be like after the warranty expires. When it’s running well, I love this car, but I’m losing confidence that I can take it on a decent run without finding yet another problem. I’ve been a committed Lotus fanboy for 60 years, so have had my share of ‘niggles’ with various cars over the years, but after my 2 most recent Lotus cars, I’d really hoped that was a thing of the past. So, yet another trip to B & C coming up. I do hope they won’t be getting sick of the sight of me. ☹️ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibs Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 On 07/07/2019 at 09:51, Spinney said: I do hope they won’t be getting sick of the sight of me. They won't, they get paid for the warranty work. Is you spanner light on? Was the car up to temp? Quote 88 Esprit NA, 89 Esprit Turbo SE, Evora, Evora S, Evora IPS, Evora S IPS, Evora S IPS SR, Evora 400, Elise S1, Elise S1 111s, Evora GT410 Sport Evora NA For forum issues, please contact the Moderators. I will aim to respond to emails/PM's Mon-Fri 9-6 GMT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy1969 Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 The "4 k limiter" could be a subsequence of the "engine check" light on and a corresponding issue (sometimes a "real" fault, sometimes a "just update the software and everything fine again" issue from my experience...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arregueti Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 I think I understand exactly how you feel... Following on Willi's comment above and though I am not sure whether it will help you, I have had something similar for the first time very recently. After doing this (red lights coming in the dash and cutting injection at 5,000 rpm) it went back to normal, when I shut off and restarted the car. Then, suddenly a "engine check" light appeared and it threw a code stating that the car is running lean... I decided not to use it more and I am taking my car to Komotec tomorrow. Fingers crossed it is nothing serious (for both you and me). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinney Posted July 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 There are no dash lights that shouldn't be there, it was very definitely up to temperature and switching off, leaving for a few minutes then restarting hasn't made any difference either. I've always been careful to make sure the engine oil is good and hot before giving it the beans on all my cars and I know about the blue temperature light, so not that either. Annoyingly, it was supposed to have had a full system reset when I took it in only last week for the auto gearbox fault although I'm not sure if the rev limiting problem was immediately apparent as I had a slow drive home and then down to Goodwood a couple of days later, so didn't open it up until returning home after the FOS. I did plug in my OBD2 reader and although it does now show a fault, unfortunately my reader isn't fully compatible, so won't tell me what that fault is. Interestingly, I also plugged the reader in after returning home from France when I had the gearbox issue but it showed no faults at all then. Mind you, maybe that was to be expected and it would only show a fault on the transmission control unit in that particular case. I'm finding it all very frustrating and whilst I'm fully aware any new car can have its problems, hence the warranty period, I've not really had any issues of note with any of my new cars, including Lotus, for the last 25 years or so. I've always put it down to my extraordinary mechanical sympathy but maybe I've just been very lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au-yt Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 This is disappointing to read however I along will be following to see what they find. I ave been looking for a decent OBD2 reader that can actual read and cancel codes. If it makes you feel better I couldn't wait to sell a 456M Manual 2000 build FERRARI which had issues every time I drove it. and it only had 30K on it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinney Posted July 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 It obviously happens and the one car of mine that currently holds the record of least reliable, by a long way, was a BMW 528 I owned back in the mid 90’s. Lovely car when it was running properly, with a gloriously sweet straight six engine. Unfortunately it spent more time at the dealers with a loooooong litany of faults, than in my hands. I couldn’t get rid of the sorry thing soon enough. It was the first and last Beemer I’ve ever owned and thereafter my daily cars have always come from the Audi and Mercedes stables, great cars every one of them. I just hope my GT410 doesn’t end up as my latter day 528! Oh well, I’m away for 3 weeks now so won’t think about it too much until I can get it into B & C upon my return. Watch this space for updates. 😃 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueg33 Posted July 20, 2019 Report Share Posted July 20, 2019 I had similar, code showed running lean. Lotus say it's caused by a loose afm plug, the official fix is cable tie the plug in. Silverstone did that for me, all is now fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au-yt Posted July 20, 2019 Report Share Posted July 20, 2019 2 minutes ago, blueg33 said: I had similar, code showed running lean. Lotus say it's caused by a loose afm plug, the official fix is cable tie the plug in. Silverstone did that for me, all is now fine. That explains the zip tie on my 400. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arregueti Posted July 20, 2019 Report Share Posted July 20, 2019 5 minutes ago, blueg33 said: I had similar, code showed running lean. Lotus say it's caused by a loose afm plug, the official fix is cable tie the plug in. Silverstone did that for me, all is now fine. Yes, that was my car’s fix, too. I thought it only concerned the 4xx cars but it seems to be the same issue for all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueg33 Posted July 20, 2019 Report Share Posted July 20, 2019 On mine the plug felt as tight as it could possibly be, but obviously not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinney Posted July 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2019 What and where is the afm plug please? If it’s readily accessible, I’ll take a look when I’m back home at the end of the week to see if it has a cable clip. Any chance of a pic please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au-yt Posted July 22, 2019 Report Share Posted July 22, 2019 (edited) I think there is a factor service letter on this issue. Yes it’s very easy to get at. On the left of the picture you can see the plug with a the zip tie second picture is without the zip tie. Edited July 22, 2019 by au-yt Added picture 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinney Posted July 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2019 That’s great thanks, I’ll take a look at mine when I’m home to see if it has a cable tie already. I’ll still need to get it in to B & C though as my OBD2 reader won’t clear the error. Think I need to investigate one that will work with my car. Oddly enough, it seemed to be compatible with my V6 Exige, but maybe things have moved on a bit in the ensuing 4 years before my Evora was built. I would like to find a suitable reader so I can sort out seemingly simple faults like these myself without the hassle of driving over to the dealers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au-yt Posted July 22, 2019 Report Share Posted July 22, 2019 (edited) The 400 ECU Im told is a lotus designed and programed unit so I’ll be interested to know which OBDII unit will work if any. Edited July 22, 2019 by au-yt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techyd Posted July 22, 2019 Report Share Posted July 22, 2019 AFM (air flow monitor??) - I wondered that myself, usually I see it referred to as the MAF sensor (Mass Air Flow). RE the OBD - The Lotus WILL be OBD2 compliant so any device that supports these protocols will be compatible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinney Posted July 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 22, 2019 2 hours ago, Techyd said: AFM (air flow monitor??) - I wondered that myself, usually I see it referred to as the MAF sensor (Mass Air Flow). RE the OBD - The Lotus WILL be OBD2 compliant so any device that supports these protocols will be compatible Hmmm, that’s interesting. Certainly the one I have worked well with my Exige but doesn’t seem to work with the Evora. It will show there’s an error but won’t tell me what it is nor will it clear it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au-yt Posted July 22, 2019 Report Share Posted July 22, 2019 Just because the car is OBDII compliant doesn't mean an off the shelf OBDII reader will reset it or be able to read the codes or reset any. The EVORA S is different from discussions with a friend with one. I have asked the Australian company Harrop about upgrading the 400 supercharger to one of there more efficient units and they told me that at this point in time the 400 ECU cannot be hacked because the 400 sytem is different to earlier models. Having written all this try asking Komo-Tec as they may have a something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueg33 Posted July 23, 2019 Report Share Posted July 23, 2019 I have a wifi OBDII reader bought from Amazon, it works fine with the Evora S, I can read the codes, save them and clear them as well as getting live data etc. I use 3 apps for the phone: InCarDoc, Car Scanner, FourStroke. They are all the free versions and all have pro's and cons. Car scanner is the best one for dealing with engine codes. None of them can read any codes from the IPS gearbox as far as I can tell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arregueti Posted July 23, 2019 Report Share Posted July 23, 2019 I use OBDLink (Wifi for iOS in my case) on all my cars following the recommendation by @TBD a few years ago. It has its own app for iOS and works smoothly on the Evora S. http://www.obdlink.com/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au-yt Posted July 24, 2019 Report Share Posted July 24, 2019 Thanks for the insight, the Jury is still out on what will work for the 4xx series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinney Posted July 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2019 Anybody care to be the first to jump in and buy one for their 4xx then let me know if it works???😉😁 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin P Posted July 24, 2019 Report Share Posted July 24, 2019 I bought a cheap one that I’ve used to clear codes on my 400. @C8RKH also has a Bluetooth one. I can’t get st mine at the moment, but sure Andy will have details. I think that there will always be some codes that the dealer will need to reset, but not I’ve not had one. 1 Quote Blessed with the competence to be a slave to the incapable. Currently without a Lotus, Evora 400 Hethel Edition in Racing Green with Red leather and 2010 Evora N/A in Laser Blue and 1983 Lotus Excel LC Narrow body in Ice Blue all sadly gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM C8RKH Posted July 24, 2019 Gold FFM Report Share Posted July 24, 2019 Yup, I have a BT one linked via Torque Pro. Works a treat on VX220, Evora NA and Evora 410. Get real time sensor info on my phone and can read and rest loads of codes, but not thinks like Airbag light. OBDLink MX 426101 ScanTool Professional OBD II Also worked perfectly on my sons Corsa and wifeys Qashqai. 1 Quote I came into this world screaming and covered in someone elses blood. I'll probably leave it in the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinney Posted July 24, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2019 Brilliant ta, I’ll take a look for one when we’re back home. 👍 My existing reader is a good few years old now, maybe as much as 10 years, but it did read my old V6 Exige ok, my daily and the wife’s SLK. Not that I’ve actually needed it on the last 2 and I only plugged it in out of interest to see if it worked with them. ETA Ah, just looked at this online and it appears not to be compatible with Apple iOS. ☹️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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