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

[Speedy Emira]

It's no good I can see a hole in it.

It's ugly but we can't see it and it is too hot to go o without aircon.

 

[Jincook]

Many members are surprisingly having issues with their air conditioning. Reading through their experiences makes me feel fortunate that my car's problem seems minor in comparison.

My A/C started vibrating when it's on at complete stop, regardless of the A/C speed. Initially, the whole car vibrated more than usual, so I thought it might be normal. However, at one point, I heard what sounded like a fan hitting plastic near the odometer. I took the car to the dealer, but they couldn't find anything wrong, so I had to pick it up three days later without any repairs done. When I picked it up, I showed the service supervisor the issue, and he acknowledged the sudden vibration after turning on the A/C. He said he would get back to me, but it's been two weeks and I haven't received a call yet.

Is anyone else experiencing the same issue as I am? It's frustrating to have such a problem in a car that costs over $100K.

 

[seriously]

Many members are surprisingly having issues with their air conditioning. Reading through their experiences makes me feel fortunate that my car's problem seems minor in comparison.

My A/C started vibrating when it's on at complete stop, regardless of the A/C speed. Initially, the whole car vibrated more than usual, so I thought it might be normal. However, at one point, I heard what sounded like a fan hitting plastic near the odometer. I took the car to the dealer, but they couldn't find anything wrong, so I had to pick it up three days later without any repairs done. When I picked it up, I showed the service supervisor the issue, and he acknowledged the sudden vibration after turning on the A/C. He said he would get back to me, but it's been two weeks and I haven't received a call yet.

Is anyone else experiencing the same issue as I am? It's frustrating to have such a problem in a car that costs over $100K.

I have something similar. It’s clearly a fan of some kind hitting something in the front area of the car. But it is only present when cold starting and is inconsistent. Also seems to disappear pretty quickly, so really minor. But clearly it’s not right. It’s just not a huge deal. I would still like it fixed as I’m sure it’s something simple like torquing something down correctly.

 

[silent cilantro]

Not as sad as you’ll be when you actually see it:

View attachment 46757

A sheet of rubber stuffed up under the screen.

Complete with a channel to collect water.

And if access is required to the fusebox it’ll have to be dragged out and stuffed back in afterwards.

I didn’t like the look of it so tidied mine up:

View attachment 46825

Are the plastic covers re-installed after the shield is put in place? Or is this the final result?

 

[Speedy Emira]

I have something similar. It’s clearly a fan of some kind hitting something in the front area of the car. But it is only present when cold starting and is inconsistent. Also seems to disappear pretty quickly, so really minor. But clearly it’s not right. It’s just not a huge deal. I would still like it fixed as I’m sure it’s something simple like torquing something down correctly.

Looks like the cover over my patio set which from day one was doomed to having sags full of water.

 

[Citizen]

Many members are surprisingly having issues with their air conditioning. Reading through their experiences makes me feel fortunate that my car's problem seems minor in comparison.

My A/C started vibrating when it's on at complete stop, regardless of the A/C speed. Initially, the whole car vibrated more than usual, so I thought it might be normal. However, at one point, I heard what sounded like a fan hitting plastic near the odometer. I took the car to the dealer, but they couldn't find anything wrong, so I had to pick it up three days later without any repairs done. When I picked it up, I showed the service supervisor the issue, and he acknowledged the sudden vibration after turning on the A/C. He said he would get back to me, but it's been two weeks and I haven't received a call yet.

Is anyone else experiencing the same issue as I am? It's frustrating to have such a problem in a car that costs over $100K.

I feel more fortunate since I live in dubai and my ac works perfectly cross fingers since the beginning

 

[Ryder35]

Picked up my i4 yesterday. Same issue. I assumed that the i4 would have the fixes already but apparently not!

 

[I.am.Duke]

I have an A/C issue that doesn't seem covered anywhere: My A/C only blows in "defrost" mode - it only blows onto the windshield. My car has been at the dealer for over a week while they wait for Lotus to "get back to them" - Has anyone else had this issue and has it been resolved?

 

[Kimmax]

I have an A/C issue that doesn't seem covered anywhere: My A/C only blows in "defrost" mode - it only blows onto the windshield. My car has been at the dealer for over a week while they wait for Lotus to "get back to them" - Has anyone else had this issue and has it been resolved?

It's the same issue. AC electrical box and or resistor is fried / shorted by water ingress. It can block control of the direction control motors inside of the dash. New & sealed electrics will fix it.

Mine were stuck blowing to the feet and additionally blew exclusively hot air. Car basically wasn’t drivable due to the heat in the cabin

 

[emirahl]

It's the same issue. AC electrical box and or resistor is fried / shorted by water ingress. It can block control of the direction control motors inside of the dash. New & sealed electrics will fix it.

Mine were stuck blowing to the feet and additionally blew exclusively hot air. Car basically wasn’t drivable due to the heat in the cabin

We had the exact same problem, actually the car is really not drivable but we had to do it. Happenend in Scotland on the way back to Munich. No dealer could help. "I can you book in in 4 weeks was the main answer."
So we drove more than 2000 km in that condition. Open window, closed window, jacket on jacket off, as the car decided when you got frozen or bbqed.
My wife and myself got sick with aching throat, coughing etc.
On the last leg of the return trip we passed by the dealer I bought the Emira. His answer, you can leave the car here.
We did not leave it behind as we made already 1600 km in that condition, so we decided we can handle the last 400 km as well.
Conclusion: On a 2000 km distance through whole Europe not one single dealer was helping, means if your car is not drivable you have to end your journey and trailer it home. No other solution, sad but fact.

 

[Kimmax]

We had the exact same problem, actually the car is really not drivable but we had to do it. Happenend in Scotland on the way back to Munich. No dealer could help. "I can you book in in 4 weeks was the main answer."
So we drove more than 2000 km in that condition. Open window, closed window, jacket on jacket off, as the car decided when you got frozen or bbqed.
My wife and myself got sick with aching throat, coughing etc.
On the last leg of the return trip we passed by the dealer I bought the Emira. His answer, you can leave the car here.
We did not leave it behind as we made already 1600 km in that condition, so we decided we can handle the last 400 km as well.
Conclusion: On a 2000 km distance through whole Europe not one single dealer was helping, means if your car is not drivable you have to end your journey and trailer it home. No other solution, sad but fact.

Uh it’s a little late for that, but one could have pulled the fuse on the fans, flap actuators, etc.

Sad no dealer figured that. Probably would’ve been a temporary fix to your situation

 

[I.am.Duke]

It's the same issue. AC electrical box and or resistor is fried / shorted by water ingress. It can block control of the direction control motors inside of the dash. New & sealed electrics will fix it.

Mine were stuck blowing to the feet and additionally blew exclusively hot air. Car basically wasn’t drivable due to the heat in the cabin

Cars been in the shop for 2 weeks. I knew Lotus service was terrible - I just wasn't fully prepared - or didn't want to believe - it could be this bad. I'm told it might be a month, because well, "its Lotus".

 

[ManaseEmira]

Like most of you in this thread, I too have succumb to this very same despair. My Emira has been in for 5 days. Started out as the 1st 1500km service (Which was told as a 1 hour process). Unfortunately, any/all software updates did not fix the non-cooling issue. I was told today, that it could be an additional 5 days, to locate the 'Resistor' at the bottom of the frunk, under everything.
Here's where my Lotus dealership guys pulled off the Superman move... While my Emira is up on the hoists... I was graced with this pretty 'Hethel Yellow' thing in the meantime... Love on Lotus

 

[I.am.Duke]

Cars been in the shop for 2 weeks. I knew Lotus service was terrible - I just wasn't fully prepared - or didn't want to believe - it could be this bad. I'm told it might be a month, because well, "its Lotus".

update: My car has been in the shop for one full month. No fix yet.

 

[Davebeats]

update: My car has been in the shop for one full month. No fix yet.

Which dealer? Any indication what the hold up is?

 

[Speedy Emira]

Hopefully mine was fixed before it went off to the body shop. I’ve had no air con all Summer which was unbearable when we had the really hot weeks.

 

[I.am.Duke]

Which dealer? Any indication what the hold up is?

presitige imports in Miami - seems like a bit of trouble shooting with Lotus plus a general lack of attention since the dealer isn't fully committed to Lotus...they seem like they will get to it when they feel like it - Im extremely frustrated.

 

[Whitey]

Are the plastic covers re-installed after the shield is put in place? Or is this the final result?

Yes they are, so if installed correctly by the dealer all you see when you open the frunk is the plastic covers which are detachable by turning the plastic retaining fasteners. The finished job is actually quite neat and your resistor pack shouldn’t get any water ingress in the future.

 

[drummingj]

I drove 1.5 hours to Lotus Kent today with a similar issue - no air blowing from the fans, despite the GUI saying they were on.. Cabin has been getting really hot during the day and the windscreen getting steamy at night... so driving with the windows down all the time..

They looked at it for a short while and said yeah its the Resistor that needs replacing... seems to be the same problem as everybody else is having but despite this we don't have the foresight to hold any stock so we'll order one in for you.... oh and it's going to be a 2 day job as it'll take 9 hours ... so in total thats gonna be 3 journeys back and forth and 9 hours of wasted time on this

How can this resistor take 9 hours to replace? can anybody confirm that it actually is this time consuming?

and also, how on earth can an English car manufacturer not have a rain-proof car 2.5 years after launching it?!

 

[emirahl]

My resistor was changed already. Problem remains. Today I got all available software updates, including the one for the HVAC resistor,
problem remains. Now they want to replace the A/C ecu.
Garage got the information from Lotus that it is a known problem for my VIN number, but they were not informed.
On Saturday we want to start to the Dolomites and still not having an aircon. As mentioned earlier it is unbearable to get bbqed and frozen every couple of minutes.
I am at a piont of giving up now. Problem is not solved within 4 months.
However, un-repaired you can not sell it and repaired you should not sell her anymore.
Kind a tricky.