
8.  INSTRUMENTS & SWITCHES
  Ignition Switch/Steering Lock ..........................................
44
  Engine Start Button .........................................................
45
  Warning ‘Tell Tale’ Lamps ...............................................
46
    Bulb Check  ................................................................
46
    Turn Tell Tale .............................................................
46
    Seat Belt Tell Tale ......................................................
47
    Brake Tell Tale ...........................................................
47
    Oil Pressure Tell Tale ................................................
47
    Low Fuel Level Tell Tale ............................................
48
    ABS Tell Tale  ............................................................
48
    High Beam Tell Tale ..................................................
48
    Airbag Tell Tale ..........................................................
48
    Battery Charging Tell Tale .........................................
48
    Engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp  ...........................
49
    Security/RPM Tell Tale ..............................................
49
  Instruments   .................................................................
51
    Speedometer  .............................................................
51
    Tachometer  ...............................................................
51
    LCD Display Panel  ....................................................
52
      Fuel Level Display  ...............................................
52
      Coolant Temperature Display  ..............................
53
      Odometer ............................................................
53
      Trip Recorder  .......................................................
53
  Dashboard Switches  .......................................................
54
    Parking Lamp Switch  ................................................
54
    Headlamp Switch  ......................................................
54
    Lights-on Buzzer  .......................................................
55
    Hazard Warning Lamps Switch  .................................
55
    Instrument Illumination  ..............................................
56
    Auxiliary Power Socket  .............................................
57
  Column Switches & Horn  ................................................
58
    Headlamp High/Low Beam/Flasher/Turn Indicators  .
58
    Windscreen Wiper/Washer .......................................
59
    Horn     .................................................................
60
  Audio Equipment  ............................................................
60
9.  HEATING, VENTILATION & AIR CONDITIONING
  Air Conditioning ..............................................................
61
  Air Re-circulation  ............................................................
62
  Heater Temperature  ........................................................
62
  Fan Speed   .................................................................
62
  Air Distribution  ................................................................
63
  Engine Bay Ventilation  ....................................................
65
Contents
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    Engine Compartment Fuses ...................................137
    Footwell Sited Fuses  ...............................................
138
  Headlamp Alignment  .....................................................
139
  Bulb Replacement  ........................................................
142
    Headlamp Bulb  ........................................................
142
    Front Turn Indicator Lamp Bulb  ...............................
143
    Side Repeater Lamp Bulb  .......................................
144
    Rear Lamp Cluster Bulb  ..........................................
144
    High Mounted Stoplamp Bulb  .................................
144
    Licence Plate Lamp Bulb  ........................................
144
    Interior Lamp Bulb  ...................................................
145
    Side Marker Lamp Bulb  ...........................................
145
16. LIFTING & TOWING
  Towing Eye  ...............................................................146
  Towing a Trailer  .............................................................147
  Car Tie-Down   ...............................................................
147
 Lifting Your Car .............................................................148
  Fuel Tank Undershi
eld ..................................................149
17. A
CCESSORIES
  Accessories & Modifications .........................................150
  Storing Your Elise  .........................................................
152
18. RECOMMENDED LUBRICANTS
  Engine      ...............................................................
153
  Transmission   ...............................................................
154
  Br
akes & Clutch ............................................................154
  Engine Coolant Additive  ................................................
154
19. TECHNICAL DATA .......................................................155
20. WARRANTY INDEX .....................................................161
21. ALPHABETICAL INDEX ..............................................188
     
Contents
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NOTICE: DO NOT push or tow start the car; or turn off the igni-
tion at engine speeds above idle; or run the fuel tank dry: Any  of these actions may damage the catalytic converter.
Before driving the car:
•  Check tires for damage, wear and proper inflation.
  Under-infla-
tion causes increased rolling resistance and uses more fuel.
 
(Please refer to the section in this handbook on tires, page 115).
•  Check  all  windows,  mirrors  and  lights  are  clear  and  unob
-
structed and all lights are correctly working.
•  Check  that  the  engine  cover  and  front  body  access  panels 
are correctly latched;
•  Adjust  the  seat  and  mirrors,  and  familiarise  yourself  with
 
the controls.
•  Check  all  instruments  and  warning  lamps  (‘tell  tales’)  are  reading correctly.
•  Ensure that both driver and passenger are properly restrained 
by their seat belts.
Care of the Environment By  virtue  of  its  light  weight,  simple  content,  constructional 
process and fuel efficiency, the Elise has a low environmental im
-
pact compared with many road cars. All drivers should, however, 
be  aware  of  the  effect  of  motor  car  exhaust  emissions  on  the 
environment and drive in a way which minimises pollution by:
•  Anticipating  traffic  flow  to  avoid  needless  acceleration
 
and braking.
•  Using the highest suitable gear.
•  Switching off rather than idling for long periods.
•  Driving off as soon as it is safe to do so; it is not necessary or  beneficial to the engine to allow extended idling from cold.
•  Having the car serviced regularly as a poorly maintained car  will use more fuel; have any engine faults attended to imme
-
diately.
•  Considering  the  need  to  use  the  car  for  very  short  journeys.
The emissions produced by an engine are many times greater 
when cold than when warm.
Safety Information
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CAR IDENTIFICATIONThe Vehicle Identification Number (V.I.N.) is a unique 17-digit 
number  used  to  identify  the  car  for  warranty,  spares  order
-
ing  and  administrative  purposes.  For  reference,  the  number  may  be  viewed  from  outside  the  car  at  the  left  hand  bottom 
corner  of  the  windscreen.  The  number  is  also  printed  on
 
a  label  stuck  to  the  inside  of  the  chassis  sideframe  alongside 
the driver’s seat. It is repeated on the certification label on the 
driver’s door jamb. This label contains tire pressure information. 
The chassis frame is stamped with the V.I.N. in the right hand  front wheelarch area, viewable with the front wheels turned to right full lock.
It is essential that the complete V.I.N. is quoted in any corre
-
spondence concerning the car, or when ordering spare parts. 
   VIN LABEL ON DOOR JAMB  VIN LABEL ON CHASSIS
Car Identification
15
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• Drivers airbag circuit;
• Passenger airbag circuit;
• Seatbelts pre-tensioner circuit;
• Internal componentry of the sensor and diagnostic module.
As a bulb and circuit check, the tell tale will light briefly when 
the ignition is switched on, and then go out. If the lamp lights at  any other time, a fault in the airbag system is indicated, which 
should be rectified without delay by your Lotus dealer.
 WARNING: If the airbag tell tale does not light up as the ignition is 
turned on, or remains lit for more than a few seconds, have 
the fault rectified immediately by your dealer. Ignoring the 
tell tale can result in serious injury or death if the airbags  do not inflate when needed.
Airbag Deployment If a crash or collision causes the airbags to inflate, you may 
see what looks like smoke, but is actually powder from the airbag 
surface used to aid smooth deployment. Although the powder is  not harmful, people with respiratory problems may experience 
some temporary discomfort. If this occurs, get out of the car if  possible as soon as it is safe to do so. After  airbag  deployment,  the  airbags,  seat  belt  tensioners 
and electronic control unit must be replaced by a Lotus dealer 
or other suitably qualified organisation. Component parts of the airbag system are located in various 
sites around the car. Any technician working on the car should  be  advised  that  the  car  is  fitted  with  airbags  to  allow  suitable 
precautions to be taken.
 WARNING:
•  For up to 20 seconds after the ignition has been turned  off  and  the  battery  disconnected,  an  airbag  can  still
 
inflate if improper servicing occurs. You can be injured 
if you are close to an airbag when it inflates. 
•  Airbag  system  components  should  be  serviced  only  by  an  authorised  Lotus  dealer.  Do  not  work  on  the  airbag 
system yourself.
•  The  disposal  of  used  airbag  units  is  subject  to  stringent 
Seating & Safety Restraints
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Disarming the AlarmTo  disarm  the  alarm,  press  once,  and  for  a  full  second,  the 
larger  button  on  the  transmitter  fob.  This  command  will  be 
acknowledged by:
-  1 flash of the hazard warning lamps;
-  Extinguishing of the security tell tale.  If the alarm had been triggered during the last armed period, 
the disarm command will be acknowledged by the hazard lamps 
flashing 4 times, and the buzzer sounding 4 times. The security  tell tale will then flash a code to indicate the triggering source:
-  1  pulse  flashing:  door,  engine  cover/boot  lid  or  body  front  access panel.
-  2 pulse flashing: movement detected in cabin by microwave  sensor.
-  4 pulse flashing: tampering with ignition circuit.
-  6 pulse flashing: interruption of battery supply.
  The  coding  will  be  deleted  when  the  ignition  is  next  turned 
on.
Emergency disarming /mobilising If the transmitter fobs are lost or damaged, the alarm system 
owner’s  unique  PIN  may  be  used  to  disarm  the  alarm  and/or 
mobilise  the  engine  provided  that  access  is  available  to  the 
cabin. Follow the transmitter fob programming instructions (see 
page 18) from step 3.
Keys & Car Security Alarm
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Intrusion SensingA  microwave  sensor  is  mounted  behind  the  cabin  rear 
bulkhead trim panel, and is able to detect substantial physical 
movement within the cockpit, and trigger the alarm. Microwave 
transmissions  are  blocked  by  metal  objects,  so  it  is  important  not to shield the signal by placing such items on the bulkhead ledge.
If  desired,  the  alarm  may  be  armed  without  the  intrusion 
sensor or battery interruption circuits being active by arming the 
system in the usual way with the transmitter larger button, and 
within 20 seconds, pressing the smaller button twice.
Manual Activation of Siren To enhance personal security, with the system in a fully armed 
state (after 45 second arming period), the siren may be manually 
triggered by pressing the transmitter smaller button. The siren 
will sound and the turn lamps flash for 15 seconds. To stop the  siren, press either of the two transmitter buttons.
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Keys & Car Security Alarm
34
Microwave sensor
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-  Release  both  buttons;  the  fob  tell  tale  should  come  on  con-
stantly.
-  Press  the  larger  button  for  one  second  (the  fob  tell  tale  will 
flash). Synchronisation is complete.
Programming Additional Transmitter Fobs Two  transmitter  fobs  are  provided  with  the  new  car.  If  one 
transmitter  is  lost  or  damaged,  a  replacement  should  be  ob
-
tained  immediately  from  your  dealer,  and  programmed  to  the  car alarm controller using a functioning transmitter fob and the 
system  owner’s  unique  Personal  Identification  Number  (PIN). 
Up to 4 transmitter fobs can be matched with the alarm system,  but all fobs must collectively undergo the single programming 
operation:
1.  Press,  simultaneously,  both  buttons  on  a  transmitter  fob  until  the  fob  tell  tale  stops  flashing  (approx.  10  seconds).
 
On release of the buttons, the fob tell tale will light.
2.  Repeat operation (1) for ALL the transmitter fobs required to 
operate the system.
3.  Turn  the  ignition  on  and  off  3  times  within  7  seconds;  the 
security tell tale in the tachometer will light for 3 seconds.
4.  Enter the PIN: Immediately the tell tale goes out, switch ON  the ignition and count the number of security tell tale flashes 
until equal to the first number of the PIN, then turn the ignition 
OFF, then back ON again.
5.  Repeat  operation  (4)  for  the  remaining  3  digits  of  the  PIN,  remembering to turn the ignition OFF and back ON after each 
code number. 
  Note:  If  at  any  time  a  mistake  is  made  when  entering  the 
PIN, turn the ignition OFF for 10 seconds and re-commence  entering the PIN.
6.  If  the  PIN  is  correct,  the  security  tell  tale  will  be  lit.  Test  op
-
eration of each transmitter fob.
Disconnecting the Car Battery If  the  battery  is  to  be  disconnected,  refer  to  the  ‘Battery’ 
section  later  in  this  handbook  which  includes  the  following  precaution:
-  Before disconnecting the battery, ensure that the alarm system 
is disarmed and mobilised.
Keys & Car Security Alarm
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