Air con known issue -no fix yet [EDIT: now with official fix]

[lukemonkey]

Has anyone on here had the air con issue and had it resolved/still waiting on lotus?

Air con worked for 2 days, failed, took it to service, they reset it, but explained its a known fault lotus are working on and it would probably go again. It did a couple of days later.

Doesn’t need regassing and battery is fully charged .

Would be good to know who else has been told this and if anyone has had it resolved.

Love the car about from this small issue though

 

[Roland]

Has anyone on here had the air con issue and had it resolved/still waiting on lotus?

Air con worked for 2 days, failed, took it to service, they reset it, but explained its a known fault lotus are working on and it would probably go again. It did a couple of days later.

Doesn’t need regassing and battery is fully charged .

Would be good to know who else has been told this and if anyone has had it resolved.

Love the car about from this small issue though

Hi,
I think I had no air con from pick up from the factory. Could get in to 2 I’d my local dealer (live Stone Staffordshire) rang Central Lotus Nottingham in within 3 days, last week, fixed within 30min code/software update, it’s like a new car. Give them a call
Roland

 

[hml_xy]

I can confirm that my AC is faulty as well. It failed before, dealer did a reset of some errors, AC worked for about an hour.

The car went back, gas and all hoses etc were checked (all good) and the reset brought the AC back for a couple hours.

Out of a sudden it started working again (for to me unknown reasons), which again only lasted for about an hour. And now its dead ever since.

Driving the car at these temperatures is no fun unless with windows fully down (which is not feasible as a daily - phone calls etc.)

I asked my dealer to put pressure on Lotus but apparantly there is no fix for it yet.

I remember some members had early AC issues which got sorted by B&C if I'm correct. Does anyone know what was done or were these also only temporary fixes?

 

[Roland]

Morning,
I had mine fixed about 4 weeks ago at Central lotus Nottingham. It took them 20mins, code/software update. If not in their area I am sure they can advise, they are really helpful and real specialists.
Roland

 

[hml_xy]

Morning,
I had mine fixed about 4 weeks ago at Central lotus Nottingham. It took them 20mins, code/software update. If not in their area I am sure they can advise, they are really helpful and real specialists.
Roland

Thanks Roland! Have you used the AC for more than a couple hours since then if I may ask. Because that was done to mine as well and it has failed again (and again).

 

[Roland]

Hi,

Since the repair, its been on constantly and worked without fail.

Roland

 

[Mousetrail]

Similar problem with no aircon cooling from the beginning. Caffyns Ashford initially explained that it was a known problem with factory having "over pressurised the coolant" so booked in for few weeks later and told ok to keep driving. However we broke down with an alarming engine bay bang which resulted in a flat bed of shame to Caffyns two weeks ago with what I'm told is a siezed Aircon compressor. I'm hoping that the advice to keep driving hasn't damaged the car more deeply? Two weeks later and progress seems painfully slow having taken 10 days to get parts delivered and I'm now told that the workshop progress is blocked by a car awaiting a battery that is occupying a ramp? Sadly my new car sits in the back of the carpark waiting which is somewhat frustrating having waited almost two years to collect from Hethel. We also have the wiper issue but apart from the terrifying first drive home down the M11 in torrential rain, hasn't detracted from what is otherwise an amazing driving machine! I will update with progress..... both mechanical and customer service.

 

[Kimmax]

My better half complained getting dizzy after turning the AC on two times now and I may remember the same on an occasion (keep in mind this could be biased) so I ordered a Freon detector. AC seems to be working fine otherwise, but not really trusting Lotus on this..
I’ll let you know if something turns out to be leaking.

 

[Mousetrail]

Aircon now working following replacement compressor. It had siezed. I get the impression that this is a common problem and a friend's Emira is in next week as Aircon has stopped cooling.

 

[koorby]

My aircon and engine overheating failures are now resolved. It turned out to be water ingress corroding the wiring loom junction box at three terminals which controlled all the cooling aspects of the car including aircon. The dealer has Jerry-rigged a solution with paste and tape until Lotus HQ can tell them what parts to order to replace things.

In the meantime I try to avoid any heavy rain or pressure washing at the front of the car where the wiring and loom is under the bonnet.

 

[Kimmax]

Which probably means there is more than one place that’s not water tight, since I don’t think a junction box in the front repeatedly destroys a O2 sensor in the back..

 

[EFE]

I don’t think we need to lay down our jet washers quite yet. Responsible use on low power and directed with care. Snow foaming and wheel cleaning, again with care and attention to jet power, distance and direction.
I only use a very low powered jet washer and I can clean my Caterham without water ingress!

 

[FlashingBlade]

I had an issue with my aircon yesterday, which coincides with the first warm day following a week of constant rain.

Driving along the A1 and went to turn up the aircon and it cut out altogether. I turned the settings up to max fan and lowest temperature and nothing. Drove it this way for about 20 minutes (with the window open) and it comes back to life.

Then, a few hours later, I went o unlock the car and the aircon starts at full wack before I've got into the car and turned the ignition on. I'm thinking mine might be an electrical/system glitch but we'll see.

 

[koorby]

Drove the car for the first time in two weeks following heavy rain, it was a warm sunny day.

Alas! The aircon and the fans refused to work. I mean, ZERO fans working no matter what setting, fan speed or if auto was selected. Restarted the car from cold and same thing happened.

So I suspect the heavy rain has yet again ingressed into the wiring loom and junction box and broken the heating/cooling functions.

I’m really losing confidence in this car at a rapid pace. No aircon, no fans, dodgy wipers that won’t speed up in heavy rain, ABS/ESC function that fails intermittently….. basically the car is not roadworthy.

I’ve received two recall letters from Lotus for the wipers and the A-pillar airbag fault but my Lotus dealer is waiting on parts (and the new loom) from Lotus HQ.

Meantime the car sits in my driveway unused.

A Cayman GTS 4.0 PDK is beginning to look like the better option now, sigh…

 

[FlashingBlade]

Do you know roughly when your car was built? Mine was June/July 23 and the dealer told me the issues with the wipers and airbag had been resolved. I also asked about the wiring loom and he said they'd fixed this one too but I'm not convinced. Odd behaviour with the AC and windows etc could be symptoms of water ingress.

 

[jcyl]

I had an issue with my aircon yesterday, which coincides with the first warm day following a week of constant rain.

Driving along the A1 and went to turn up the aircon and it cut out altogether. I turned the settings up to max fan and lowest temperature and nothing. Drove it this way for about 20 minutes (with the window open) and it comes back to life.

Then, a few hours later, I went o unlock the car and the aircon starts at full wack before I've got into the car and turned the ignition on. I'm thinking mine might be an electrical/system glitch but we'll see.

I have similar issues

Fan always worked without issues. However air cooling sometimes randomly fails intermittently while driving - can be anything from 1 min to 5 min of no cool air and the fan simply blowing hot air.

It’s weird.

 

[jcyl]

I have similar issues

Fan always worked without issues. However air cooling sometimes randomly fails intermittently while driving - can be anything from 1 min to 5 min of no cool air and the fan simply blowing hot air.

It’s weird.

Oh yes. And the recirculation function doesn’t seem to work. Even with the button ON, the car is still sucking in exhaust / smells from outside.

 

[FlashingBlade]

Mine hasn't do it again (yet) but I've only managed to put about 500 miles on the car since collection. I do think it might be a water ingress issue. I'm planning on using it more regularly from week after next so we'll see.

 

[MikeP]

Has anyone on here had the air con issue and had it resolved/still waiting on lotus?

Air con worked for 2 days, failed, took it to service, they reset it, but explained its a known fault lotus are working on and it would probably go again. It did a couple of days later.

Doesn’t need regassing and battery is fully charged .

Would be good to know who else has been told this and if anyone has had it resolved.

Love the car about from this small issue though

New to forum.
Just run in.
Air-conditioning is intermittent but using demist even for a second seems to kick start it into action.
Is this the same issue.
Love the car thoug.

 

[Porter]

Was there ever any resolution to these AC problems for anyone else in this thread? @koorby ?

I don't understand how it's even possible for an auto manufacturer to buy a wiring loom from a supplier in 2023 that isn't inherently waterproof. Assuming that is the issue.