Engine warning light on new 111R
Discussion
Have had my 111R (Sports Racer) for about 7 weeks now and twice the engine warning light has come on (constantly on, not flashing) accompanied by an almost total loss of power. Each time the car has "recovered" by me just turning off the engine and waiting 5 minutes. Yesterday was driving through town with the car fully warmed up when I stopped at a red light. Suddenly the engine started to rev up and down all on its own (up to about 2500 rpm and down again) and when the lights went green I could not go more than 30 mph - I guess the engine management system had cut all power. The car has about 2300 miles on the clock and does of course get driven in a spirited fashion from time to time but nothing silly. Yesterday I had driven it for about 30 miles at normal speeds before this happened.
Does this happen to anyone else? Is this one of those Elise idiosyncrasies or am I right to be both worried and if I am honest, a bit disappointed? I live a long way from my nearest dealer (150 miles – yes the North of Scotland is a great place to drive an Elise but there are some drawbacks) so it’s not just a matter of popping over for a chat. My gut feel is that the car should go back for a thorough check up but I wanted to check here first since getting it back is not a simple operation and means I am minus Elise for some time!
Any thoughts?
Does this happen to anyone else? Is this one of those Elise idiosyncrasies or am I right to be both worried and if I am honest, a bit disappointed? I live a long way from my nearest dealer (150 miles – yes the North of Scotland is a great place to drive an Elise but there are some drawbacks) so it’s not just a matter of popping over for a chat. My gut feel is that the car should go back for a thorough check up but I wanted to check here first since getting it back is not a simple operation and means I am minus Elise for some time!
Any thoughts?
Welcome to PH if I haven't said that already previously. No not be disheartened. This has happened before.
Send an email to Beachbum - he had this issue and researched it fully. There is a solution iirc that doesn't need a trip to the dealer.
Edited to add that he might be at the Gurston sprints today. There is a thread on this elise forum a couple of months back on this. Try a seach for MIL, though this topic has a few suggestions.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=216692&f=15&h=0&hw=mil
>> Edited by shangani on Sunday 23 April 10:46
Send an email to Beachbum - he had this issue and researched it fully. There is a solution iirc that doesn't need a trip to the dealer.
Edited to add that he might be at the Gurston sprints today. There is a thread on this elise forum a couple of months back on this. Try a seach for MIL, though this topic has a few suggestions.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=216692&f=15&h=0&hw=mil
>> Edited by shangani on Sunday 23 April 10:46
Thanks for the advice. I have now found and read some of the previous posts on this topic. Sounds like the same sort of problem. I should also mention that my dealer recently fitted a Pipercross Viper inductiom kit to my car for me and that yesterday was the first time in a while that I filled up with SuperPlus (103p per litre - can you believe it?.
Don't know if that is relevant at all.
Don't know if that is relevant at all.
I think, but i am not sure that this is a problem specific to newer 111R's with the the DBW throttle. I think i read that a remap sorted this.
You really should get your code read to work out exactly why your light is coming on. There may be another garage that can read your code. I think its OBDII. Some one clever will be along shortly I'm sure.
Re your pipercross. Did you have any time to enjoy it? If so is it worth it?
You really should get your code read to work out exactly why your light is coming on. There may be another garage that can read your code. I think its OBDII. Some one clever will be along shortly I'm sure.
Re your pipercross. Did you have any time to enjoy it? If so is it worth it?
Hi Olly
This is of little direct use to you, but I haven't noticed a hint of that on my new SR. Very similar in terms of both mileage covered and driving style from what you've said
So there would indeed seem to be a problem - maybe an inherent one that you've seen already and mine's just a matter of time..?
Hope you find a solution soon... when you do, please post and I'll bookmark for future reference!
Cheers!
This is of little direct use to you, but I haven't noticed a hint of that on my new SR. Very similar in terms of both mileage covered and driving style from what you've said
So there would indeed seem to be a problem - maybe an inherent one that you've seen already and mine's just a matter of time..?
Hope you find a solution soon... when you do, please post and I'll bookmark for future reference!
Cheers!
Hi all,
I've been having the same issue with my 111R and I've got a Piper Cross induction system fitted, I hope for their sake that's not what has caused these issues as I'm now contacting Lotus as I've had very bad experience with the Lotus dealer who haven't been able to fix the problem
The lotus field engineer ended up having to visit the dealer's and downloading the latest software/program I think this is becoming to much of a coincindence if you ask me
Contact your local dealer, well if they can fix it
Boggy
>> Edited by boggy on Sunday 23 April 17:57
I've been having the same issue with my 111R and I've got a Piper Cross induction system fitted, I hope for their sake that's not what has caused these issues as I'm now contacting Lotus as I've had very bad experience with the Lotus dealer who haven't been able to fix the problem
The lotus field engineer ended up having to visit the dealer's and downloading the latest software/program I think this is becoming to much of a coincindence if you ask me
Contact your local dealer, well if they can fix it
Boggy
>> Edited by boggy on Sunday 23 April 17:57
I have definitely read in a couple of places now that there is a lotus remap available/needed for the 06 DBW cars.
Mine was one of the first of these cars (picked it up beginning of Nov last year) and died after a few hundred miles with MIL light on. Dealer diagnosed a faulty MAF and replaced this.
Am not convinced its 100% right though. Idle seems to flutate between 600 and 900 and when I put my foot down a long way at low revs it doesnt feel right, kind of too lean. Admittedly Im only doing this to hear the noise from the induction kit so thats probably bad driving, a light throttle at low revs will be just as quick.
Cant be bothered doing battle with the dealer as the car is perfectly drivable and only used for special occasions / trackdays and these problems dont really affect it then. Am waiting for next service or new tyres by which time hopefully it will be a well know standard problem for them to fix.
Anyone on here had the remap? Or been told anything offical about it?
Simon
Mine was one of the first of these cars (picked it up beginning of Nov last year) and died after a few hundred miles with MIL light on. Dealer diagnosed a faulty MAF and replaced this.
Am not convinced its 100% right though. Idle seems to flutate between 600 and 900 and when I put my foot down a long way at low revs it doesnt feel right, kind of too lean. Admittedly Im only doing this to hear the noise from the induction kit so thats probably bad driving, a light throttle at low revs will be just as quick.
Cant be bothered doing battle with the dealer as the car is perfectly drivable and only used for special occasions / trackdays and these problems dont really affect it then. Am waiting for next service or new tyres by which time hopefully it will be a well know standard problem for them to fix.
Anyone on here had the remap? Or been told anything offical about it?
Simon
simonk said:
Boggy, looks like i was posting at the same time as you. I can confirm my car has been unaffected (ie not quite right but no MIL light) by the pipercross kit. No worse, no better.
Simon
We might all have to contact Pipercross as my car seem's to running the same as Simon's
>> Edited by boggy on Sunday 23 April 18:11
simonk said:
Boggy
The pipercross made no difference, car was like it at 1500 miles when it went on and its still like it now at 4500 miles.
Did you misread my post or have i just misread yours?!
Simon
Ok sorry Simon, sorry I'm so angry about this whole saga, just want the car to run as it should we've only done 3600 miles and it's caused us a lot of trouble
Boggy
Thanks for all the useful info everyone. Sounds like I'm not the only one out there with this type of issue. Also I think I am right in saying that this issue only started after I got the Pipercross viper induction kit fitted. Could just be coincidence but who knows. For the record did anyone else have the MIL light on and also have a huge loss of power? I could probably handle the light thing but I was on a bloody dual carriageway and was stuck at 35mph. Fairly serious sense of humour failure!
Anyway the dealer is going to phone me back today so we shall see what they have to say.
Boggy, let me know how you get on. Sounds like you and I are both in the same place regards frustration about this. Ironically I finally decided to buy a Sports Racer instead of a 911 only because I was assured that the 111R reliability was now spot on. Have to say that if these issues carry on I can see the Porsche dealer getting at least an exploratory call in the next few weeks.
Lets hope the dealer can sort this out properly.
Anyway the dealer is going to phone me back today so we shall see what they have to say.
Boggy, let me know how you get on. Sounds like you and I are both in the same place regards frustration about this. Ironically I finally decided to buy a Sports Racer instead of a 911 only because I was assured that the 111R reliability was now spot on. Have to say that if these issues carry on I can see the Porsche dealer getting at least an exploratory call in the next few weeks.
Lets hope the dealer can sort this out properly.
Olly, sounds like the ECU is detecting something it doesn't like and switching the map to 'limp home mode'. You'll need the code of the fault logged in the ECU to determine that.
Were I going to buy an aftermarket piece of kit for my 'yota engine I would be very, very wary of this one now. I'm not impressed that most of the Lotus dealers seem to be still peddling them when there are known issues with other cars as a result of fitment.
Overall, I wouldn't be worried about the reliability of the 'yota lump. I only know of one which was lunched and that was dealt with under warranty IIRC.
Were I going to buy an aftermarket piece of kit for my 'yota engine I would be very, very wary of this one now. I'm not impressed that most of the Lotus dealers seem to be still peddling them when there are known issues with other cars as a result of fitment.
Overall, I wouldn't be worried about the reliability of the 'yota lump. I only know of one which was lunched and that was dealt with under warranty IIRC.
I have to say that my Dealer was very keen to get one fitted to my SR when it had the 1k service
Whilst I was pretty taken with the comedy value, they wouldn't deal, so I didn't have. I've certainly felt since that it was a 'wise' move... though not 100% sure why. Maybe this is indeed the reason..?
I have to say that during the last three months, this is pretty much the only time I've heard about this problem however (Boggy's may have occurred before then) so if it was screaming issue, I guess we'd hear about it every week..?
S Works speaks the truth though - he is wise of thought! I'd agree that an ECU read is in order first up
Whilst I was pretty taken with the comedy value, they wouldn't deal, so I didn't have. I've certainly felt since that it was a 'wise' move... though not 100% sure why. Maybe this is indeed the reason..?
I have to say that during the last three months, this is pretty much the only time I've heard about this problem however (Boggy's may have occurred before then) so if it was screaming issue, I guess we'd hear about it every week..?
S Works speaks the truth though - he is wise of thought! I'd agree that an ECU read is in order first up
The yota lump is very reliable normally, the one thing to note is that it comes with a very clever ECU, this has been the route cause of the delays in the US for all the aftermark superchargers etc. If the ECU finds anything out of range by more than about 5% it goes into safe mode to protect the engine, sound like the intake might be causing the same thing?
As far as I'm concerned Pipercross or Lotus need to take responsibility for this, my gut feeling is that this might be a mixture of the two this is Cleary down to either lack of testing or an intolerant Ecu I brought a Induction kit that cost £300 paid an extra £100 for fitting and put my trust in a reputable well known company, if Lotus dealer's are fitting them and there's Cleary a problem then they must look into this
Since I've had the Ecu upgrade touch wood mine's been Ok but I'm still very un-happy that I've had to go through all this trouble just to get the car to run as it should have done in the first place, See attached
www.pipercross.net/newsletters/lotus_1104/
To add a point thou I can't see how this would cause these issues, all it's doing if anything is providing better air supply than the standard box ? it doe's sound cool as well
Boggy
>> Edited by Boggy on Tuesday 25th April 12:46
Since I've had the Ecu upgrade touch wood mine's been Ok but I'm still very un-happy that I've had to go through all this trouble just to get the car to run as it should have done in the first place, See attached
www.pipercross.net/newsletters/lotus_1104/
To add a point thou I can't see how this would cause these issues, all it's doing if anything is providing better air supply than the standard box ? it doe's sound cool as well
Boggy
>> Edited by Boggy on Tuesday 25th April 12:46
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