Exige S3 loose drivers seat thread

[PeterSweden 60]

Hello

Only issue with my brand new car - feel like the drivers seat is a bit loose sometimes. When hard breaking it sometimes moves a couple milimeters. Any ideas?

[PaulLF1 136]

They nearly all do this!

Design fault.

Solution was to bolt the seat in a fixed position.

There is a thread about it somewhere. I'll see if I can find it and post the link.

[PeterSweden 60]

Thanks

But thats not acceptable. They have to fix it on warranty. 

But please send the link!

 

 

[Seriouslylotus 388]

21 minutes ago, PeterSweden said:

 

. They have to fix it on warranty. 

 

 

Good luck!

An attempt will be made, even a new seat runner fitted.

The fault will return very very quickly sadly.............

[PeterSweden 60]

Is that true? Does really every car have the same problem?

[Kristof Thys 94 1 Vehicles]

Yes, they'll replace the seat runner.... Problem will be back in 500 kms...

Do a search, I've posted how to bolt the seat in a fixed position.

[PaulLF1 136]

http://wiki.the playground.org/a/Seat_frame_adjustment

[MartynB 238]

I actually did that (the 'playground' fix) a couple of weeks ago. It is quite a faff, but does work. I thought it might as I had the same problem with runners in the Caterham, which are a similar design and had done a similar fix with some success.

I found the trickiest parts to be getting some of the bolts out that hold the seat to the runners, where access is limited, then also getting the runners to line back up with the chassis holes when reinstalling the seat. Fiddly

Once I got it all back together, I thought it was unsuccessful. Still had a wobble. Gah!

Then I sat in it and the seat and it actually clicked into place. Doh! Now the wobble is pretty much gone.

The caveat is, I'm an engineer. My wife and I built a Caterham. I'm good with tools and spatial reasoning. Not everyone is, so I can't recommend this job to everyone. Some people will have to go via dealers, warranties etc to get a replacement that is nice and tight.

The issue here is the tightness of the fit of the stamped steel sections of the runners. Ideally when new they should be quite stiff, so that as they bed in they ease up without becoming loose enough to wobble/rock.

[NickEng 22]

Has anyone tried the Tillett seat runners? I'm considering swapping to a Tillett B5, but I need to keep adjustment so my girlfriend can drive the car. If I can have a better seat, on runners that are tight, and gain a bit of room I'll be a happy chap. 

[Mark030358 471]

my new 380 sport started after 300 miles. I've lodges a complaint but the SQUEAK is far far worse

 

cheers

Mark

[stephenwhyte 1,430]

Can you not pack some sort of foam padding under the seat to stop it moving and also muffle the noise of any squeak?

It is unacceptable for a car at this money to have this as a wide spread known fault - surely it's time Lotus stepped up with a permanent fix!

[PeterSweden 60]

59 minutes ago, Mark030358 said:

my new 380 sport started after 300 miles. I've lodges a complaint but the SQUEAK is far far worse

 

cheers

Mark

What will you do?

I have had 3 Elise (my 01, 04, 12) and no problems with the seat

I will send a mail to this guy. 

 

Andrew French

Field Service Engineer & Customer Service

LOTUS CARS LIMITED, Hethel,Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 8EZ, England

T: 01953 608437 | E:[email protected]

 

[PeterSweden 60]

44 minutes ago, PeterSweden said:

What will you do?

I have had 3 Elise (my 01, 04, 12) and no problems with the seat

I will send a mail to this guy. 

 

Andrew French

Field Service Engineer & Customer Service

LOTUS CARS LIMITED, Hethel,Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 8EZ, England

T: 01953 608437 | E:[email protected]

 

I have sent him a mail now.

[stratosboy 38 1 Vehicles]

I went through all the same procedure Peter, and someone from Lotus Customer service checked my seat complaint out at my local dealers, agreeing it needed replacing, it was and fault is still there. Eventually, if you keep complaining about it as I did, you will get a message that there is no fix for this well known problem. Yes you're right this is absolutely not acceptable from Lotus, but then what do you do? - car is fantastic otherwise. Eventually I may do the permanent fixed seat fix, but for now, have learned to live with it.

Its a shame as this is very poor service from Lotus, it lets them down.

 

[PeterSweden 60]

Ok. Will see what they say then. I cannot understand why this should be an issue on a 80 000 euro car.

Btw... Why didnt I have the problem on my 3 Elise? Should be the same construction?

[stratosboy 38 1 Vehicles]

I hope you can get this resolved, please let us know how you get on.

I think you were just lucky with your S3 Elise, when I was having mine done for the second time! - I tried all the seats in the Elise and Exige models in the showroom and everyone of them rocked!  Evora's don't have this problem as they have a different seat runner. 

 

don't let this spoil your enjoyment of a fantastic car Peter, hope you enjoy it.

 

[PeterSweden 60]

Ok! Thank you.

But isnt there an aftermarket kit that can fix it? Since it seems to be such a big problem?

Btw. Didnt the S2 Elise suffer from the same problem? Are they different compared to S3? I have had 2 S2 and 1 S3.

[stratosboy 38 1 Vehicles]

sadly in my experience it seems to be the newer S3 models where this is a problem, - having had S1 Elise and S2 Exige, neither had this problem.

[2GOOD 84]

Common problem on vx220's if the driver sits towards the back of the seat travel (furthest from the wheel)

[Mark030358 471]

I'll just keep talking it back... three year warranty...

if no fix then I am assuming you can claim compensation under sale of goods act I.e. Fit for purpose/ known defect. When I bought my first V6 from new had the clutch flywheel etc all changed... I was not fooking happy...

 

cheers

Mark

 

[PeterSweden 60]

8 hours ago, Mark030358 said:

I'll just keep talking it back... three year warranty...

if no fix then I am assuming you can claim compensation under sale of goods act I.e. Fit for purpose/ known defect. When I bought my first V6 from new had the clutch flywheel etc all changed... I was not fooking happy...

 

cheers

Mark

 

Thanks

Is yours loose?

[Mark030358 471]

It just squeaks like a banshee at the moment, does not appear to be loose.

 

[MartynB 238]

Mark, just check that at least part of your squeak isn't the seat belt buckle receptacle rubbing against the seat. When done up, the receptacle tends to rub against the back of the cutout in the seat side bolster.

I tracked a loud squeak I had down to that. I just put a tiny bit of trim dressing on the rubbing faces. Squeak gone. YMMV

[Mark030358 471]

Hi Marytn,

I'll check that when I'm home, thanks. Guess velco will work... Still rather shocking though...

 

cheers

Mark

[PeterSweden 60]

I will mail Lotus CEO regarding the seat issue.

Hasnt anybody done that yet?!?

"You should always talk to the head"