CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ..............................................................
6
2. SAFETY INFORMATION ..................................................7
3. REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS
.................................. 10
4. CAR IDENTIFICATION
....................................................15
5. SEATING & SAFETY REST
RAINTS
Seats .................................................................
17
Seat Belts .................................................................
18
Seat Belt Precautions ................................................
19
Airbag Safety System .....................................................
21
Airbag Tell Tale ..........................................................
23
Airbag Deployment ....................................................
24
Child Restraints ..............................................................
26
6. KEYS & CAR SECURITY ALARM
Keys .................................................................
29
Car Security Alarm ..........................................................
30
Transmitter Fobs .......................................................
30
Engine Immobiliser ....................................................
31
Valet Mode ................................................................
31
Arming the Alarm .......................................................
32
Disarming the Alarm ..................................................
33
Emergency Disarming/Mobilising ..............................
33
Intrusion Sensing ......................................................
34
Manual Activation of Siren .........................................
34
Transmitter Fob Battery Replacement ......................
35
Programming Additional Transmitter Fobs ................
36
Disconnecting Car Battery ........................................
36
7. ENTRY & COMFORT
Central Door Locking ......................................................
37
To Unlock From Outside ............................................
37
To Lock From Inside ..................................................
37
To Unlock From Inside ..............................................
38
To Lock From Outside ...............................................
38
Lights On Buzzer ............................................................
40
Interior Rear View Mirror .................................................
40
Door Mirrors .................................................................
40
Interior Lamp .................................................................
41
Sun Visors .................................................................
41
Door Windows ................................................................
42
Manual Windows .......................................................
42
Electric Windows .......................................................
42
Contents
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10. DRIVING CONTROLS
Foot Pedals .................................................................
66
Footwell Carpets .............................................................
66
Clutch Pedal .................................................................
66
Footbrake .................................................................
67
Anti-Lock Brake System .................................................
67
Parking Brake .................................................................
70
Gear Lever .................................................................
71
11. STARTING PROCEDURE & ENGINE BREAK-IN
Starting a Cold or Warm Engine .....................................
72
Idle Speed .................................................................
73
Engine Break-In ..............................................................
73
Engine Special Features .................................................
74
12. EXTERNAL OPERATIONS
Fuel Requirement ...........................................................
75
Fuel Filling .................................................................
76
Front Service Access Panels ..........................................
78
Engine Cover/Trunk Lid ..................................................
79
Child Entrapment ......................................................
80
Removable Roof Concept ...............................................
81
Soft Top Roof Fitting ..................................................
82
Soft Top Roof Removal .............................................
84
Hard Top Roof Fitting ................................................
85
Hard Top Roof Removal ............................................
90
13. SERVICING & MAINTENANCE
Bodycare .................................................................
93
B
ody Features ...........................................................93
Paint Care .................................................................
94
Ventilation .................................................................
94
Paintwork Polishing ...................................................
95
Washing .................................................................
95
Soft Top Roof ............................................................
96
Windscreen Cleaning ................................................
96
Alloy Road Wheels ....................................................
96
Upholstery Cleaning ..................................................
97
Seat Belts Cleaning ...................................................
97
Footwell Cleaning ......................................................
97
Owner Maintenance ........................................................
98
Engine Oil Level Check .............................................
99
Engine Oil Change ..................................................
100
Oil Filter ...............................................................
102
Used Engine Oil ......................................................
103
Contents
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To use the belt, sit erect and fully back in the seat before
taking the buckle tongue in the outer hand, and drawing the belt through the top slide, pass the belt across the body and
push the tongue into the buckle lock at the inboard side of the
seat, until a positive ‘click’ is heard. Pull on the belt to check for correct latching and ensure that the belt fits snugly against the body with all the slack taken up by the reel. The belt should be
worn low across the front of the pelvis, and across the chest and shoulder. The belts are released by pressing the red button on the
buckle lock, and will retract automatically for tidy storage and
to permit easy access to the passenger compartment.
Seat Belt Precautions
WARNING:
• Be sure you and your passenger always wear seat belts and wear them properly. Not wearing a seat belt
correctly, increases the chance of serious injury or death
in a crash, even with airbags.
• On fastening the seat belt, ensure that no part of the belt is twisted, or is entangled in the door or seat
mechanism.
• Seat belts are designed to bear upon the bone structure
of the body and should be worn low across the front of
the pelvis, and across the chest and shoulder. Wearing
the lap section of the belt across the abdominal area must be avoided.
• Improperly positioning the seat belts can cause serious injury or death in a crash. Ensure the seat belts are
correctly positioned before driving.
• Pregnant women should always wear seat belts to protect
both themselves and the unborn child. The lap belt por
-
tion of the belt should be kept as low as possible across the hips. Consult your doctor regularly to check if you
should drive.
• The shoulder portion of the belt must never be worn beneath the arm, or behind the back.
• Each seat belt assembly is designed for use by one
occupant of adult build, and should not be used by
children unable to meet the requirements set forth
herein.
Seating & Safety Restraints
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Behaviour: It is essential that the behaviour of any child trav-
elling in the car is such that they remain correctly seated and belted, and it is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that
this occurs.
The following wording has been included to comply with
National Highway Traffic Safety Authority requirements,
however;
WARNING: Lotus str ongly recommen ds that you do not fit any type
of child seat into the Elise due to the risk of death or seri
-
ous injury if the c hild is too close to the dashboard when
the airbag inflates.
Procedure for Proper Fitment of For ward- Facing Child
Seat
A utomatic Locking Retractor: The safety belt for the passen-
ger’s seat is equipped with an automatic locking retractor that
must be used for securing a forward-facing child restraint sy
s-
tem. When activated , this retractor allows you to securely fas
-
ten the child restraint system.
Activating the Automatic Retracto r:
1. Pull the passenger seat safety belt completely
out . At this
point, the locking mechanism is activated.
2.
P lace the forward-facing child seat in the passenger seat,
using the safety belt to secure the child seat,
fo llowing the
instructions that come with the child seat
.
3. Insert the safety tongu e into the buckle and make sure that
it is properl y latched.
4. Allow the safety belt to retract until it is tight on the child seat.
You may further tighten the belt by pulling on it to allow more of
it to retract. Check to make sure the child seat is secured, and
that the belt is snug and will not pull out.
Releasing the safety bel t and child seat:
1. Unbuckle the safety belt. 2. Remove the child seat.
3. Make sure that the belt has fully retracted. At this point the
automatic locking feature is disengaged.
Seating & Safety Restraints
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KEYS & CAR SECURITY ALARM
KeysA single mechanical key operates the manual door locks
(see also ‘Doors’ and ‘Central Door Locking’), combined igni
-
tion switch/steering lock, and engine cover. The head of the key incorporates a push button activated key hole light to facilitate
operation in the dark. A duplicate key is supplied with the new car and, on receipt,
should be separated and kept in a safe place for use in an emergency. The mechanical key code is printed on a plastic
tab which should be removed from the key ring and the number recorded safely with the car documents. This number will be
required when ordering a replacement, or any additional keys
from your dealer. Ensure that a spare key is available at all times to guard against becoming stranded.
WARNING: Never leave the car unattended with the key in the igni
-
tion switch, especially if unsuper vised children and /or animals are in the car. Dangers can arise from window
operation and other electric controls. If the engine is running, operation of the car’s controls could cause an
accident and result in death or serious injury.
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Keys & Car Security Alarm
29
MECHANICAL KEY
Push button
Keyhole light
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ENTRY & COMFORT
WARNING:
• In very hot/cold territories, or under conditions of extreme solar heating, be aware of exposed metal surfaces in the
cabin. Take suitable precautions to guard against burn
injuries from hot or cold metal.
• Unlocked doors can be dangerous. Young children who get into unlocked cars may be unable to get out.
Always lock your car whenever you leave it.
Central Door Locking (CDL) The central door locking (CDL) operates on the driver’s and
passenger’s doors in conjunction with the security alarm system.
For full details of the alarm system, see page 30.
To unlock from outside: To unlock the doors from outside, press once, for a full second,
the larger button on the transmitter fob. The alarm will be dis
-
armed and both doors unlocked. Press the exterior lock button and pull open the door using the fingergrip below the button. If
the door is swung fully open, a spring detent mechanism on the hinge will aid restraint of the door for convenience whilst entering or exiting the car, but the door should be manually held in windy
conditions, or if the car is parked on a slope.
From inside the car, pull the door firmly shut using the recess
provided at the top of the door trim panel.
WARNING: Before closing a door take care to ensure that no persons
or objects will be trapped to avoid injury or damage.
To lock from inside: If it is desired to lock the doors from inside the car, for example
to deter highjack attempts, press the right hand side of the CDL
rocker switch on the front of the gear lever shroud to lock both
doors with or without the ignition switched on. Alternatively, the
doors can be locked individually by depressing the button at the rear end of each door sill.
WARNING: Whether locked using the rocker switch or sill buttons,
Entry & Comfort
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WARNING:
• Do not push or tow the car unless the key is first used to unlock the column and is then left in the lock. With
-
drawing the key will cause the steering to lock.
• Never remove the key from the ignition switch or turn off the ignition while the car is moving. Withdrawing the key
will cause the steering to lock and may cause an accident
resulting in serious injury or death.
• To reduce the risk of theft, or danger to a child remaining in the car, always remove the key when leaving a parked
car.
Engine Start Button An engine start button is located at the left hand end of the
dashboard, alongside the lighting switches, and is backlit when
the ignition is turned on. The button is operative only with the ignition on, and engages
the engine starter motor for as long as the button is pressed. Release the button to stop engine cranking.
For the correct engine starting procedure, refer to later sec
-
tion ‘Starting Procedure’.
NOTICE: Pressing the start button when the engine is running may damage the starter mecha
ohs147Engine start button
Instruments & Switches
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Oil FilterThe canister type oil filter is vertically mounted at the front
of the engine, and is accessible from beneath after removal of
the engine bay undertray. The filter should be renewed along
with the engine oil, at intervals specified in the Maintenance
Schedule.
WARNING:
• Engine oil is hazardous to your health and may be fatal
if swallowed.
• Take all suitable precautions to guard against scalding
from the hot oil.
• Prolonged and repeated contact with used engine oil may cause serious skin disorders, including dermatitis
and cancer.
• Use protective gloves to avoid contact with skin as far
as possible and wash thoroughly after any contact.
• Keep out of reach of children.
Remove the filter by turning in a counterclockwise direction,
if necessary using an oil filter wrench, and dispose of safely
(see ‘Used Engine Oil’). Ensure that only a Lotus specified filter is fitted, as parts with
identical outward appearance can contain different internal
features. Before fitting a new filter, clean the mating face on the engine, and smear the new seal on the filter with clean oil. Add
ohs129
ohs135
SUMP DRAIN PLUG
OIL FILTER
Servicing & Maintenance
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