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Recalls are issued under the terms of the Code of Practice on Vehicle Safety Defects and with the authority of the Vehicle Inspectorate.

Since purchasing my 111S Elise from new in August 1999 I have received three recalls. The first was to replace a fuel pipe clamp, the second to fit a plate behind the engine management computer to protect it from electromagnetic interference. The most recent recall affects all 111S Elise and involves the fitting of a misfire detection system.

There have been other recalls but as I have no direct experience of them I won't be covering them here. Amazingly it is very difficult to find up-to-date information on the internet, the best sites I've found are The Automobile Association Ltd and Fleet NewsNet (FNN) but neither are complete (at the time I produced this page no mention of the misfire detection recall had been posted).

My thanks to Joe and Frank at Williams Automobiles for putting up with me during the Misfire Detection System work and for allowing me to take the photos, also to Nick Adams of OLC explaining the purpose of the modification.

Jump to:

1. Fuel Pipe Connection Recall

2. Electromagnetic Interference Recall

3. Misfire Detection Recall

1. Fuel Pipe Connection Recall
There was a very small chance that a fuel pipe could leak and initiate an engine bay fire.
	The fuel line clamps were checked and replaced where necessary.

2. Electromagnetic Interference Recall

It was found that, in exceptional circumstances, electromagnetic interference could affect the Engine Management Computer, resulting in an engine misfire with consequent loss of power and an increase in exhaust emissions.

This recall involved the fitment of a metal plate placed behind the Engine Management Computer.

Engine Management Computer with EMI Shield

3. Misfire Detection Recall

The misfire detection system is being fitted to all 111S Elise because, although no more prone to misfires than the single coil and distributor system on the base Elise, the twin coil wasted spark ignition system on the VVC engine can allow a misfire on two cylinders which is hard for most drivers to detect.

When this occurs the unburned fuel gets through to the catalyst where it burns, creating additional heat in the cat which can lead to catalyst damage and, in the extreme case, excessively high temperatures in the bodywork around the cat. The misfire detection system monitors for any misfires and flashes the warning light on the dash to indicate there is a misfire. If it counts more than 100 misfires (I think) within so many engine cycles it automatically cuts the offending cylinder (and it's sister which shares the same ignition coil) to prevent the catalyst overheating. Switching off the car and starting again, having waited for the warning lamp to go off, will reset the car to four cylinders. If it again cuts onto 2 cylinders then the misfire is still present.

The misfire system has been designed to be sensitive enough to recognise a significant problem but without creating false alarms. It is not oversensitive; if it activates there is something wrong.

The Misfire Detection System

Here is the misfire detection system. Actually, its more than that, as Lotus is also taking the opportunity to replace the exhaust mounts during this recall.

The system comprises the computer (bottom right), plus its wiring harness (top).

Four silicon exhaust mounts can also be seen (bottom left).

Fitting

This takes around 2½ hours. The system makes use of the 'spare' Tell Tale lamp on the Stack instrument panel - calling it the "Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)".

The Tell Tale is connected to the system via an unused connector located behind the nearside rear wheel. It's the grey connector in the centre of the photo opposite.

The system connects into the existing engine management wiring loom without the use of splices or crimps, it's a professional looking job when complete.

The Computer in Operation
Pictured here is the computer mounted inside the luggage compartment, well out of the way near the wheel arch.
In normal operation the Tell Tale will be out. A flashing Tell Tale indicates there is an intermittent misfire which is not sufficiently severe to require cylinder de-activation. If the Tell Tale stays on a persistent misfire has been detected and the relevant two cylinders are shut down.
If the misfire is no longer detected the light will extinguish and four cylinder operation reinstated. If the Tell Tale again lights and engine problem still exists; two cylinder operation has been enabled again allowing you to drive the car to your dealer for fault diagnosis.


	If you're interested ... the computer is manufactured for Lotus by EFI Technology.

Owner's Handbook Update

Your dealer should stick a sheet containing the following text onto the inside front cover of your Owner's Handbook. It's copied here for completeness.

Replacement Exhaust Mounts

At the same time that you get the misfire detection system fitted, four rubber exhaust mountings are replaced by blue silicon ones.

If you take a look at the photo you can see one of the new mountings in place.

The mountings have a circular hole through the centre into which the exhaust bracket passes. Apparently the original mounts wear so that the hole becomes oval, allowing movement in the exhaust system and further weakening of the mounts.