Intermittent failure to start

[Six Speed Stephen]

This happened to me once. But it was because my passenger held the starter before I had my clutch in. Then it refused to start. We got out, shut down the car, locked, unlocked went back in and it started just fine.

 

[Blackthought_]

This happened to me once. But it was because my passenger held the starter before I had my clutch in. Then it refused to start. We got out, shut down the car, locked, unlocked went back in and it started just fine.

What do you mean held the starter?

 

[Eagle7]

I'm at 1k miles..... I've had car not start after it was unlocked 4x so far.... had to turn alarm on/lock the car....I sat it it....then unlocked...opened the door,then tried to start..... some times it starts, sometimes I had to repeat the cycle 3x bfr it would start..... annoying but never has to call for a tow yet.....

Some idiosyncrasies of lotus electronics.....?

If I remember right, somebody else had something like this, and after taking to the dealer they found a loose ground connection somewhere. Try checking the main connections at the battery (which is easy to do) and make sure the connections are tight.

 

[Jjrho]

What do you mean held the starter?

Yah.... what do u mean? Did he try to push the start/ON switch before you pressed the clutch in ?

 

[Jjrho]

Oh, btw.... how can you just turn the car ON, without starting thr engine ? You know, if I just want to relax under a shade with radio ON, etc...

Help...

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

Yah.... what do u mean? Did he try to push the start/ON switch before you pressed the clutch in ?

What do you mean held the starter?

Yeah, that's what happened. We got into the car, he got excited and held down the ignition before I had my foot on either pedal, and then the car wouldn't turn on.

 

[Jjrho]

Oh ok... then what did u do to get it started ?

 

[GetawayDriving]

This happened to me for the first time today, at 3,000 miles.

For clarity, I've had the cold start stalling issue, but that has weirdly gone away. It did it consistently for a couple of weeks, and then stopped. It did stop with a new tank of fuel (I only fill it with Mobile 93 or Shell 93). Has been starting strong every morning now. That's a different issue though.

But today, I went for for a drive and then pulled over in a parking space to take a phone call. I turned the engine off but the infotainment remained on and was on the call for about 20 minutes. After the call, I went to start and nothing happened. It was like I was just pressing the ignition button without pressing the brake, turning only the accessory position on. Everything came on like normal, it's just the engine didn't start. No noises aside from maybe a single faint click. No warning messages or errors or engine lights.

I tried various things for 5-6 minutes. Lock, unlock, get out of car, lock, unlock, etc. I called Lotus service and said I might need some assistance and then 30 seconds later it fired up like everything was totally normal.

At the time I assumed that I confused the immobilizer somehow, but I don't really know. It's been fine for the rest of the afternoon.

 

[Jjrho]

This happened to me for the first time today, at 3,000 miles.

For clarity, I've had the cold start stalling issue, but that has weirdly gone away. It did it consistently for a couple of weeks, and then stopped. It did stop with a new tank of fuel (I only fill it with Mobile 93 or Shell 93). Has been starting strong every morning now. That's a different issue though.

But today, I went for for a drive and then pulled over in a parking space to take a phone call. I turned the engine off but the infotainment remained on and was on the call for about 20 minutes. After the call, I went to start and nothing happened. It was like I was just pressing the ignition button without pressing the brake, turning only the accessory position on. Everything came on like normal, it's just the engine didn't start. No noises aside from maybe a single faint click. No warning messages or errors or engine lights.

I tried various things for 5-6 minutes. Lock, unlock, get out of car, lock, unlock, etc. I called Lotus service and said I might need some assistance and then 30 seconds later it fired up like everything was totally normal.

At the time I assumed that I confused the immobilizer somehow, but I don't really know. It's been fine for the rest of the afternoon.

Yup, exactly what happens to be randomly...although mine was after I came back to the car after it was locked then unlocked.... but seems to happen when the cat is warmed up.... not on cold start at home.....

Annoying....

 

[PGL]

Coming up on 500 miles, two weeks after taking delivery. One issue I've had multiple times is a failure to start - the symptoms are a bit strange.

I haven't been able to figure out a complete reproduction scenario yet, but what happens intermittently is that I will go to unlock the car, get in sit down seat belt on, and hit the start button in the car - only nothing happens. The infotainment is somewhat on, but the car doesn't start. It feels very similar to what happens when the battery is dead.

However, if I get out of the car, lock it - wait a few seconds, unlock and then repeat the same procedure - the car starts up just fine.

It's happened 3 times so far, enough that I feel like a have a common "fix" identified.

1) Is anyone else experiencing this?

2) I wonder if it's some kind of issue where the car doesn't see the key as being inside the car somehow?

Hi. I haven’t read thru to see whether what I’m about to write has been covered but I’ve a similar issue and have been advised it’s a known issue being worked on. Fix is to (I couldn’t believe it either) open and shut drivers door twice then lock and unlock car twice using fob. Looking forward to that fix…

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

Following up on my previous comment, this happens now about 25-50% of the time even with my foot depressing the clutch.

The solution was to get out of the car, lock/unlock and it starts up immediately.

Pretty frustrating but it's in for service now.

 

[Rupes]

Following up on my previous comment, this happens now about 25-50% of the time even with my foot depressing the clutch.

The solution was to get out of the car, lock/unlock and it starts up immediately.

Pretty frustrating but it's in for service now.

The lock/unlock function probably primes the fuel pump the same way holding the start button for a few seconds would do. That’s my guess anyway.

 

[Jjrho]

Had this issue several times.... I just sit in the car n look, unlock n open the door n close.... n usually it starts again.... annoying AF.... how stupid that lotus can't even figure out some thing this mundane.... smh

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

The lock/unlock function probably primes the fuel pump the same way holding the start button for a few seconds would do. That’s my guess anyway.

Apparently Lotus are aware of this issue and a software update is being installed to fix it.

 

[MoBoost]

I just stay sitting in the car; lock, wait a few seconds, then it starts. Last night I didn’t bother to unlock it before starting. I’ve sent this info to my dealer. I asked them about Lotus addressing this and am waiting on a response.

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

Apparently LotusHQ don’t know what exactly is causing it - but that disconnecting the dashcam solves the issue. May be related to brake control module and the electric system.

Obviously not a long term solution but they recommend I unplug the dash cam after parking until they have a fix.

 

[IRN_M8DEN]

Got hit with this yesterday for the first time at 750 miles. Click sound but nothing else. Waited 5 minutes, locked, unlocked, locked unlocked, on the key fob and it started right up. Waiting to for the code to get infinite lives like in Contra.

 

[scc.131.fe]

Got hit with this yesterday for the first time at 750 miles. Click sound but nothing else. Waited 5 minutes, locked, unlocked, locked unlocked, on the key fob and it started right up. Waiting to for the code to get infinite lives like in Contra.

First step, take out the ECU and...

 

[seriously]

First step, take out the ECU and...

View attachment 50331

And don’t insert all the way when you push it down.

 

[JimyFloyd]

I had this last year and lost the car for ~5 months. It's now done it again just over a month ago and they have my car (and I have a shite CLA180) it is also in for replacement doors as they both were bubbling up.

Apparently it is a software issue (again) but I don't udnerstand how it could be fine and then suddenly come back again, it's not as if these update over the air. Mines done 3.3k and is a March 2023 car based in the UK.