Boot hatch frame fills with water

[TomE]

Yes, the OP has reported it to Lotus and has a warranty replacement on the way. That process will also have kicked off a review by Lotus of potentially affected cars already delivered, and of current production and/or supplier processes.

If it needs an immediate replacement on cars already delivered then they will be subject to a recall, as has already happened on the steering pump for a specific small range of VIN numbers. A Service Bulletin will be issued if it is something less time-critical. For most people that will be picked up at the next dealer visit, ie scheduled annual service or any other pre-booked service visit.

Review of production/supplier processes could result in a fix such as different QA on the gluing or different inspection of the finished item, for example during drench test. They might drill drainage holes on parts showing this issue while they find a permanent solution, rather than stopping production.

These are all regular approaches taken by most manufacturers when a customer issue is reported. At this stage it's not a cause for major concern.

 

[lion shf]

Will paint matching come into play on a brand new car?

 

[Grumpy]

Yes, the OP has reported it to Lotus and has a warranty replacement on the way. That process will also have kicked off a review by Lotus of potentially affected cars already delivered, and of current production and/or supplier processes.

If it needs an immediate replacement on cars already delivered then they will be subject to a recall, as has already happened on the steering pump for a specific small range of VIN numbers. A Service Bulletin will be issued if it is something less time-critical. For most people that will be picked up at the next dealer visit, ie scheduled annual service or any other pre-booked service visit.

Review of production/supplier processes could result in a fix such as different QA on the gluing or different inspection of the finished item, for example during drench test. They might drill drainage holes on parts showing this issue while they find a permanent solution, rather than stopping production.

These are all regular approaches taken by most manufacturers when a customer issue is reported. At this stage it's not a cause for major concern.

Simply drilling a hole where one was not designed to be would be a very amateur approach to a manufacturing fault. If water regularly makes contact with bare glass fibre it will penetrate the structure. Did Lotus actually suggest this could be a long term fix?

 

[TomE]

No, I gave it as an example of a possible solution, with no technical basis. The OP was told it by Lotus as a temporary solution until his new part arrives.

 

[Grumpy]

No, I gave it as an example of a possible solution, with no technical basis. The OP was told it by Lotus as a temporary solution until his new part arrives.

Ah OK, just dont want to get a black and decker on mine when it arrives !

 

[Lotus64]

The fact that if its rained you can’t just open the boot without water dropping in shows a lack of testing or engineering thought - could you really see that happening with any of the three brands above. All cars have recalls but I am just concerned that Plastic squeaks on boots, Frame filling with water, several test drives delayed due to warning lights, failed steering servo etc and thats on a very small number of cars - it is worrying. I really want this car to do well, hope these are the extent of incidents and I want mine to be delivered without faults!

Sounds like an American car ... lol

 

[Fasttoys]

The fix is easy just avoid rain & water. My Evora had an issue with water, I had to fix it by replacing moldings even though it was a new car. Still had issues around driver and passenger window. never Driven in rain much.

 

[Leonard]

The fix is easy just avoid rain & water. My Evora had an issue with water, I had to fix it by replacing moldings even though it was a new car. Still had issues around driver and passenger window. never Driven in rain much.

Says the man that lives in TEXAS
It's been raining here for 24 hours straight now

 

[Fasttoys]

Says the man that lives in TEXAS
It's been raining here for 24 hours straight now

Lol & Yep we need it, Fortunately my sports cars are toys. I am OCD so very few ever see the rain. When I would wash my Evora, water would get through the window seal with very low pressure. Lotus fix was to move the window further up into the seal. Welcome to Lotus.

 

[TomE]

Older Lotus cars had a reputation for leaking. Elises had stickers on the soft top warning that it wasn’t necessarily waterproof!

There was a condition called “Elan owners knee”, which was the ability to recognise an owner who drove their car in the rain from the two wet lines across the knees of their trousers from the leaking soft top head rail. I had one of the few non-leaking Elans and it was regarded as a production anomaly!

 

[virtualmacho]

Older Lotus cars had a reputation for leaking.

In this case, the Emira is not leaking, but holding the water that seeped in! Much better than me with my wine.

 

[scoates]

Had a lot of rain yesterday and checked my boot and so far it seems fine, no sloshing sounds or anything. Only one day so far though so will have to wait a little longer to see for certain if mine is affected.

I have noticed that the car steams up extremely easily though. Even just sitting in the car during the handover it steamed up and driving today only 20 min run I had to de-mist the windows 3 separate times so maybe water is getting in somewhere? Hopefully things will dry out the more I drive it.

 

[Cachaco131]

Had a lot of rain yesterday and checked my boot and so far it seems fine, no sloshing sounds or anything. Only one day so far though so will have to wait a little longer to see for certain if mine is affected.

I have noticed that the car steams up extremely easily though. Even just sitting in the car during the handover it steamed up and driving today only 20 min run I had to de-mist the windows 3 separate times so maybe water is getting in somewhere? Hopefully things will dry out the more I drive it.

You are simply too hot

 

[Porter]

Simply drilling a hole where one was not designed to be would be a very amateur approach to a manufacturing fault. If water regularly makes contact with bare glass fibre it will penetrate the structure. Did Lotus actually suggest this could be a long term fix?

1. I've seen drain holes drilled in a LOT of production cars. Just because you aren't personally familiar with the practice doesn't mean it isn't common or reasonable. Water inside a void? Get it out. Drain hole is the least invasive way to do that. Many cars have drain holes punched into frame and structural panels by design. But just because it's done in the factory doesn't mean it isn't any less arbitrary. A hole is a hole.

2. There's no glass fibre involved. As far as I'm aware there is no fibreglass used anywhere in this car, and no porous materials other than the upholstery.

 

[Carbuilder]

2. There's no glass fibre involved. As far as I'm aware there is no fibreglass used anywhere in this car, and no porous materials other than the upholstery.

Huh? What is the body made of then?

 

[Porter]

Huh? What is the body made of then?

Officially it's "composite" but that's mostly thermoplastic, I believe. I don't know what the mix is, but likely some sort of CFRP, AFRP, or GFRP.

None of those are "fiberglass" in the way that's understood by the public (wicking glass fiber plus resin). They are engineered composite plastics with some content mix of ultra-rigid microscopic material in suspension, to strengthen them. The fibers serve the same purpose within the plastic that rebar serves within concrete.

 

[VL3X]

Mostly thermoplastic, I believe.

Yeah, composite plastics IIRC. Page 16 of this Lotus Evora service doc provides more info. There's some confusion between sources. Some claim fiberglass as well.

 

[Porter]

Yeah, composite plastics IIRC. Page 16 of this Lotus Evora service doc provides more info. There's some confusion between sources. Some claim fiberglass as well.

The Evora used different materials, based on fiberglass mats, with pressure-infused resin as described in the doc there. Lotus made all of those body pieces in-house.

The Emira doesn't use that process. The Emira body panels are mostly made in China by a Geely partner.


FYI I updated my post above to add detail... https://www.emiraforum.com/threads/boot-hatch-frame-fills-with-water.2205/post-64894

 

[Carbuilder]

Officially it's "composite" but that's mostly thermoplastic, I believe. I don't know what the mix is, but likely some sort of CFRP, AFRP, or GFRP.

None of those are "fiberglass" in the way that's understood by the public (wicking glass fiber plus resin). They are engineered composite plastics with some content mix of ultra-rigid microscopic material in suspension, to strengthen them. The fibers serve the same purpose within the plastic that rebar serves within concrete.

However you want to describe it, the panels are "plastic" or resin, that is reinforced with....wait for it....glass fibre. Hence........fibreglass. It is a different process than the old hand layup method, but it is still basically fibreglass.

 

[Pugwash]

If carbon fibre is carbon fibre, shouldnt this be silicon fibre?