2005 LOTUS ELISE ECU

Passive Ilisation: The start button will operate only when the
security tell tale in the tachometer face is out. If the tell tale is
flashing, the engine is immobilised; Press once,
and for a full second, the larger of the two buttons on the trans
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mitter fob. The security tell tale will be extinguished. For further
information see ‘Car Security Alarm’.
WARNING ‘TELL TALE’ LAMPS A block of tell tale lamps is incorporated into the instrument
cluster to provide you with important information concerning the
operation of your Elise.
Bulb Check In order to check that the warning systems are operative, all
the tell tale lamps (except the ‘security’ tell tale; see Car Se
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curity Alarm section) should light for about 6 seconds following ignition switch on. If any lamp should fail to light, it is possible
that the bulb or warning circuit may be faulty; see your dealer
without delay.
Turn Tell Tale
When the left hand or right hand turn indicators are operating,
this green tell tale flashes in unison. A clicking sound may also be heard. If the tell tale fails to light, or flashes at an unusual or
irregular rate, check the operation of the turn indicator lamps
immediately.
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Instruments & Switches
46
TELL TALE LAMPS

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will also disable the engine coolant pump and result in rapid overheating; stop the engine as soon as it is safe to do so, and
summon assistance. If the drive belt is intact and the cooling
system unaffected, it may be possible in favourable daylight conditions, to drive a short distance to a repair facility, but do not, under any circumstances, allow the battery to become
completely discharged by continuing to drive.
Engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp
The engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is provided to
warn the driver that the engine management system has de
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tected a fault which may result in increased noxious emissions from the exhaust. In order to minimise emissions and potential
engine damage, various operational limitations may automati
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cally be applied. i) If the MIL lights continuously whilst driving, immediately reduce
speed and adopt a moderate driving style. Seek dealer advice
without delay and avoid all unnecessary journeys.
ii) If the MIL flashes, an engine misfire has been detected which is likely to cause overheat damage to the catalytic converter.
Slow down immediately and be prepared to stop.
- If the MIL then stops flashing, and is lit continuously, proceed with caution and seek dealer advice.
- If the MIL continues to flash, stop the car as soon as it is safe to do so, and switch off the engine. Seek dealer advice.
NOTICE:
Continuing to drive the car with a flashing MIL may
cause overheat damage to the catalytic converter, possible en
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gine damage, increased emissions, and impaired fuel economy and driveability.
In order to comply with emissions regulations, data regarding
activation of the MIL is recorded in the engine electronic control
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ler, and may be downloaded by Lotus dealers.
Security/RPM Tell Tale The security tell tale is located at the top of the tachometer
display, and indicates the status of the immobiliser and alarm.
• Tell tale out; engine is mobilised, and the alarm is off.
• Tell tale flashing; engine is immobilised, or alarm is armed
and engine immobilised.
For full details of the car security system, refer to the earlier
section ‘Car Security’.
Instruments & Switches
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INSTRUMENTS
Speedometer This instrument displays road speed in MPH, with a second
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ary scale in km/h.
Tachometer The t achometer indic ates engine speed in revolutions
p e r m i nu te. T h e e n g i n e m a n a g e m e nt sy s te m li m i t s t h e
m a x i m u m c o n t i n u o u s e n g i n e s p e e d t o 8 0 0 0 r p m o n c e

normal running temperature has been reached. Ver y shor t bursts up to 8500 rpm are allowed during maximum acceleration
through the lower gears. A 6000 rpm limit is imposed on a cold engine in order to
reduce possible damage from a harsh driving style.
NOTICE:
• The use of wide throttle openings and/or high rpm before
normal running temperature has been reached will result in
premature wear and should be avoided.
• Do not run the engine continuously at its maximum speed,
or allow overspeeding to occur on the overrun by downshift
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ing prematurely, as the high engine loads imposed could

result in catastrophic failure.
A red tell tale lamp in the top of the tachometer face lights at
high rpm (dependent on gear engaged) to warn that maximum
Instruments & Switches
51
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TachometerSecurity/ RPM tell taleSpeedometer

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engine speed is being approached. When exploiting full accel-
eration, gearchange upshifts should be made immediately the
tell tale comes on.
Note that this lamp also functions as a security system tell
tale (see ‘Car Security’). Recalibration of the speedo and tacho needle zero positions
will occur during a 3 second period following ignition switch on,
but if a needle becomes ‘stranded‘ outside of the re-calibration
range, the following procedure should be followed:
With the car stationary;
• Open driver‘s door;
• Press and hold trip reset button on steering column shroud;
• Turn on ignition.
LCD DISPLAY PANEL A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is provided below the
instruments in order to display fuel level, coolant temperature,
total mileage and trip functions. The panel is blank until the ignition is switched on.
Fuel Level Display An indication of the level of fuel in the tank is displayed in
the form of a bar graph at the right hand top of the LCD panel in the instrument cluster. When completely full (approximately
10.6 U.S. gall. {40 litres}), the display will show 6 black segments. As the fuel level falls, a white band will extend from the right to represent the empty proportion.
Instruments & Switches
52
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Trip distanceProportion of fuel remaining
Odometer Coolant temperaure

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Windscreen Washer: Two windscreen washer jets are provided,
one each side of the wiper spindle. Pulling the control lever to
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wards the steering wheel will operate both the washer pump and the wiper. When the switch is released, the wiper will continue
for a further four sweeps.
Horn The windtone horn, which functions at all times, is operated
by a button, embossed with a bugle symbol, in each of the
horizontal steering wheel spokes.
AUDIO EQUIPMENT Operating instructions for the unit fitted are contained in a
separate booklet supplied by the equipment manufacturer.

The audio set will operate for convenience without the ignition key, so in order to avoid draining the battery, take care to switch
off the set when leaving the car.
Aerial:
An analogue di-pole type radio aerial is routed inside the
front body for optimum performance, and to avoid the vandalism and accidental damage which may occur to external aerials.
Speakers:
Two rear speakers, with 90W peak, 30W RMS, are
mounted at each side of the cabin rear bulkhead trim panel.
Front speakers, fitted beneath each side of the dashboard top
panel are rated at 105W peak, 35W RMS.
Security:
Some audio sets feature a removable front panel, and
others a programmable security card. For details, refer to the
manufacturer’s literature.
Instruments & Switches
60
ohs150
HORN BUTTONS

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DRIVING CONTROLS
Foot PedalsThe clutch pedal, brake pedal and accelerator pedal are ar
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ranged in the usual positions, and are grouped closely together for ready access and refined driving technique.
WARNING: Do not attempt to drive the car without suitable narrow
soled, flat heeled footwear. Bare feet may inhibit the ap
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plication of full pressure to the brake pedal, and adversely affect your control of the car. Bare feet could also suffer
burns from sun heated metal surfaces in the car
Footwell Carpets
WARNING: It is essential that any floor covering in the footwell is
properly secured. Loose mats can interfere with the opera
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tion of the pedals causing possible loss of control and a crash in which you or others could be killed or seriously
injured.
The carpets fitted in the footwells of the Elise are secured by
two button screws at the rear, and Velcro strips beneath the front edge. Always ensure that the carpets are replaced and secured
correctly, and never fit any loose mats on top.
Clutch Pedal NOTICE:
• To avoid unnecessary clutch wear, do not, for more than
a few moments, slip the clutch to ‘hold’ the car on a slope;

apply the parking brake until ready to drive off.
• The clutch pedal must be fully depressed during each
gear shift.
• Do not drive with the left foot resting on the clutch pedal, as
rapid wear of the clutch components can result. A left foot rest
is provided for comfort and convenience.
Driving Controls
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Parking BrakeThe parking brake, which operates on only the rear wheels
is applied by a hand lever mounted between the seats. A red
tell tale icon in the instrument cluster warns of parking brake application (see ‘Tell Tale Lamps’). The brake should be applied by pulling up the lever with high
effort, and engaging the highest ratchet setting attainable. When
parking the car on a slope take the additional precaution of leav
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ing the transmission in first (facing downhill) or reverse (facing uphill) gear and steering the wheels towards the kerb.
WARNING: If the parking brake is applied when the brakes are hot
(e.g. after prolonged or frequent hard use), special care
should be taken to ensure that the parking brake is securely engaged in order to allow for any potential brake force
reduction as the discs cool. Failure to do so may result in
the car rolling away and causing an accident in which you
or others may be killed or seriously injured.
To release the brake, pull up the lever, press and hold the
release button in the end of the handgrip, and lower the lever fully.
Before driving off, always check that the parking brake has been
fully released, as confirmed by the tell tale icon being turned off,
or damage to the brake system may be caused. Note that the parking brake uses a cable mechanism to
apply the rear brake calipers, and is totally independent of the
footbrake hydraulic circuit.
Driving Controls
70
ohs138
PARKING BRAKE LEVER

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STARTING PROCEDURE & ENGINE BREAK-IN
WARNING:CARBON MONOXIDE - Be aware of the danger of carbon
monoxide! Never run the engine in an enclosed space. The
exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, a deadly gas
which is particularly dangerous, as being colourless odour
-
less and tasteless, its presence is very difficult to detect.
Before starting the engine, always check that the parking
brake is firmly applied, the transmission is in neutral, and as
an extra precaution, depress the clutch pedal. Switch off any
unnecessary electrical loads.
Starting a Cold or Warm Engine
The fuel injection and engine management system controls fuel delivery and engine settings under all normal operating conditions.
i) Insert the key into the steering lock/ignition switch and turn to
position ‘l’ to unlock the column. Before turning on the igni
-
tion; if the security tell tale in the tachometer face is flashing, mobilise the engine by pressing once, and for a full second,
the larger of the two buttons on the transmitter fob.
ii) Turn the key to position ‘II’ to switch on the ignition, and pause
for a moment to allow the fuel system to prime.
iii) Depress the clutch pedal as a precaution, and without moving
the accelerator, press the ‘Start’ button at the left hand end of
the dashboard to engage the starter motor. Release the button
as soon as the engine starts. Allow a cold engine to idle for
10 seconds before driving off, but if ambient temperatures are below freezing, allow the engine and screen heating systems
to warm up for a few minutes before driving.
iv) If the engine fails to start within 15 seconds, stop cranking
and pause for 10 seconds before a second attempt.
v) If further efforts are unsuccessful, contact your dealer or seek
other expert help.
WARNING:
An unattended car with a running engine is potentially
hazardous. Turn off the engine before leaving the car.
Starting & Engine Break-In
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