Sorting out some niggles.

[Phlissy]

I left my 2016 Evora 400 with Howards Lotus in Weston-Super-Mare today, as it's still under Lotus warranty 'till April and I'd like to get a few niggles sorted out. Specifically...

1. MOAR (Mother of All Rattles😂). I try not to notice the odd squeak or rattle. Almost every car has 'em, and I certainly didn't go into Lotus ownership expecting zero NVH. In fact, I quite like the raw character. But, the dash in my Evora takes the pee. It rattles really loudly, it's not right.

2. The boot lid very occasionally refuses to open. I hear the unlock mechanism do its thing, but the lid refuses to open. Then after a while it inexplicably complies and opens just fine. I've noticed that the emergency release cable isn't stowed where it should be, so there's something wrong there. I didn't touch it, it was like that when I got it. Honest 'guv.

3. The HVAC fan motor starts to 'chirp' after about 30 mins at low speed. Sounds like a fan blade is rubbing or something. I've tried to ignore it, but it's really annoying! So I either have to turn the fan off and get misted up, or turn the fan speed up and ruin my hair. 😋 I dislike both options.

4. ARB bushes are complaining with knocks and creaks. Lube please!

5. Finally, the dreaded bloody Sparco seat creak. 😡 Lotus surely rues the day they chose these seats! I've tried to ignore this one too, but as so many other Evora owners have clearly discovered, it does tarnish my enjoyment of the car when it creaks like an old wooden pirate ship on every right-hander!!

I really hope Howard's are successful in sorting these things out, especially the creaks and rattles. The ARB noise is easy of course, but I'm interested to see how they deal with the HVAC fan, dash and seat. I really, really love the car. But I have to admit that I'm trying hard not to be one of those new Lotus owners that bemoans build quality rather than embracing the driving experience. Unfortunately the current chorus of creaks is just too much!

I'll let you know how it goes. 🤞

[Gashead1105]

Dash on mine was the cubby by the steering wheel - a nut wasn't actually done up. Greg at hangar 111 sorted it in 5 mins with a long Allen key. Just needed to get the right angle. 

However the hvac seems to have recently developed the same noise that you describe above! 

ARB bushes are also the same... 

[philcool]

Hope you get satisfaction as I unfortunately find it hard to justify the move from my Exige S2 as although it has a few squeaks and rattles everything works a treat and has done since purchase 5 years ago with only a new radiator needs in that time.

So I find it hard to spend a fair amount of money  for arguably a step up to an S3 Exige or Evora which is a shame.

Keep us posted on the outcome 

[Jacko]

Watching......mine has the strange boot opening  idiosyncrasy, not bad for rattles although it seems to require the windows dropping a few mil  ....again annoying.

Quite agree, didnt expect rattle free with 'stiff' Lotus...............but @ £70+k we really ought too......

Again, dont get me started on the stereo......but again, I didnt give that bit a second glance on order/purchase ......wind the windows down,rattle free,glorious noise......😎😍

[Whitey]

Most of that can be sorted quickly and  under warranty and are easy fixes. The only one I have had is the ARB knock and have had the bushes replaced twice - very cheap if you have to pay.

Mine is a 2010 NA that I have had for 7 years. I know the Sparco seats in the 400 were prone to creaking but there is a fix for that - as there is for the boot lid - the bump stops probably need adjustment, that's all.

Everything you have listed is easily fixed, so don't lose faith.

Should've bought an S1  

 

 

 

[au-yt]

Phil when and hopefully they do sort the niggles, it would be good to know what they did to sort them.

 I’ve a 2016 400 but as it was a long term dealer car there isn’t any thing other than a dash creak at 100ks on coarse surface roads, I borrowed some stethoscopes for my wife to hunt for it😏

[Phlissy]

@Whitey yes regarding the boot bump stops. I met @Bibs recently and he gave my boot nipples a twist which improved it. 😳 I think the emergency release cable needs a look though.

Howards have booked it in for a week, so they appear ready to have a good rummage about! In the meantime for a courtesy car I have a Nissan Puke, and it's grim. So after just one day I'm dying to get back in my Lotus, creaks and all! 🤣

[Bibs]

44 minutes ago, Phlissy said:

I met @Bibs recently and he gave my boot nipples a twist which improved it.

I hope I didn't come across as too eager, to help.

[Phlissy]

6 minutes ago, Bibs said:

I hope I didn't come across as too eager, to help.

Not at all. It was most lovely and confirmed my hopes for life in the Lotus community. 🤣

[TomE]

You're not driving it right if you can hear rattles and fan noise rather than revs and exhaust note!  

Seriously though, those should all be easily resolvable things.  Despite what some people say about build quality on the earlier cars, my 2011 Evora S has been mostly free of rattles and odd noises.  I just have the fairly common clutch release bearing "diesel" rattle - easily solved by keeping the revs over 2500!

[Simon Bateman]

19 hours ago, Phlissy said:

I left my 2016 Evora 400 with Howards Lotus in Weston-Super-Mare today, as it's still under Lotus warranty 'till April and I'd like to get a few niggles sorted out. Specifically...

1. MOAR (Mother of All Rattles😂). I try not to notice the odd squeak or rattle. Almost every car has 'em, and I certainly didn't go into Lotus ownership expecting zero NVH. In fact, I quite like the raw character. But, the dash in my Evora takes the pee. It rattles really loudly, it's not right.

2. The boot lid very occasionally refuses to open. I hear the unlock mechanism do its thing, but the lid refuses to open. Then after a while it inexplicably complies and opens just fine. I've noticed that the emergency release cable isn't stowed where it should be, so there's something wrong there. I didn't touch it, it was like that when I got it. Honest 'guv.

3. The HVAC fan motor starts to 'chirp' after about 30 mins at low speed. Sounds like a fan blade is rubbing or something. I've tried to ignore it, but it's really annoying! So I either have to turn the fan off and get misted up, or turn the fan speed up and ruin my hair. 😋 I dislike both options.

4. ARB bushes are complaining with knocks and creaks. Lube please!

5. Finally, the dreaded bloody Sparco seat creak. 😡 Lotus surely rues the day they chose these seats! I've tried to ignore this one too, but as so many other Evora owners have clearly discovered, it does tarnish my enjoyment of the car when it creaks like an old wooden pirate ship on every right-hander!!

I really hope Howard's are successful in sorting these things out, especially the creaks and rattles. The ARB noise is easy of course, but I'm interested to see how they deal with the HVAC fan, dash and seat. I really, really love the car. But I have to admit that I'm trying hard not to be one of those new Lotus owners that bemoans build quality rather than embracing the driving experience. Unfortunately the current chorus of creaks is just too much!

I'll let you know how it goes. 🤞

Mine is a 2018 model and has had a few niggles to resolve.

When really cold I do have some rattles that come from inside around the roof or rear panel area.  These seem to go after 5 miles or so once everything has warmed up and expanded a bit.  Also I had a loud creaking which transpired as the roof lining rubbing against the windscreen surround.  This was rectified with a small piece of foam to space the lining out from the glass.

I get round the boot issue by applying some light pressure under the middle spoiler at the same time as pushing the release button on the fob.  I suspect I could wind down the rubber stops and achieve a similar result, but haven't got round to it yet.  It's certainly reluctant to release when just pushing the door release button and I got the feeling when I mentioned it to Silverstone that they are all a bit like that.

As for the seats........they were a challenge.  As documented by many before me, the noises are generally either from the rear/sides of the seat under the (empty) airbag covers or from the seat base itself.  Check first to see if you have the extra rear brace on the seat base, which is noticable as a steel bar view able from looking down by the rear seat footwell back at the seat.  Mine did have the brace, but was diagnosed (in the end) as a faulty seat frame and has been replaced and (touch wood) has been ok since.

I'm hoping my seat base had a manufacturing fault, because at less than 13 stone, I'd like to think I'd not broken it after only 6000 miles!!  I do get in and out of the car a bit like an old pensioner now as a result and avoid stressing the seat as much as possible, which I know is bonkers, but if it stops the problem returning and all that...... 

 

[Phlissy]

5 hours ago, TomE said:

You're not driving it right if you can hear rattles and fan noise rather than revs and exhaust note!  

Agreed! My current favourite creak fix is the window-down+floor-it combo.

@Simon Bateman That's good info regarding the seat, thanks! I've been trying to collate and summarise pertinent info from the lengthy threads on the topic, so I can send it to Howards. I'm not sure how familiar they are with the issue, and I want to make sure they're fully informed. I think I'll just send them your overview! 👍

[Phlissy]

Small update... The lovely chaps at Howards tell me they have two modified seat frame bases on order, as requested by Lotus. So I'm feeling hopeful for a creak-free Evora very soon! And well done Lotus for cutting straight to a known solution rather than playing TADTS games. 👍 Tailgate fixed too, no news yet on the rattly dash or chirpy HVAC.

Whatever the outcome, I'll be delighted to hand this courtesy Nissan Puke back. 🤮 I'm such a spoilt brat. 😂

[Phlissy]

OK, I collected my Evora 400 from Howards today. And I'm delighted to say that they have achieved 'SSSH'... Sparco Seat Silence Heaven! It turns out that neither of my seats had the revised base with the brace, so Lotus supplied two which Howards fitted and the difference is like night and day. Blummin' brilliant. 😁😁😁

And as for the other niggles, the mother of all rattles in the dash turned out to be a loose dash mount. Apparently there was a metal-on-metal connection which had come adrift and Howards rectified, so my dash is now completely silent. The boot lid is sorted (although I think you actually achieved most of that at the pub @Bibs, ta), and the ARB bushes are well-lubed and no longer groaning. Just like... No, I'd better not go there. 😬😂

The only niggle not fixed is the 'chirpy' HVAC fan. That did get a TADTS outcome, but to be fair the guys at Howards did go to the trouble of actually confirming for themselves that 'they all do that', by warming up the HVAC on a couple of other 400's and having a listen. Honestly, I'm not really bothered. Now that the rest of the creaks and rattles are fixed, the car feels so much more solid and robust.

I feel like it shouldn't make so much difference to the driving experience, but I have to say that for me, it really does. On my drive home I found myself 'making due progress' 😳 much more eagerly and focusing on nothing else other than enjoying the handling and the glorious sounds that I want to hear, rather than anticipating the noises that made the car sound like it was about to fall apart.

As you can tell, I'm well chuffed. Great result. Well done Lotus for unhesitantly supplying revised parts, and well done Howards for such great service. 👍 Blimey, I'm glad to get my Lotus back!

[au-yt]

Great news indeed, I’d love to know exactly where the dash mount issue was I have a creek that is only at certain road surfaces and speed that sounds like had plastic slipping on hard plastic.

I am doing a full track day at Bathurst on Mt Panama in early feb through the local dealer

https://www.simplysportscars.com/en/events#lotus-cars-australia-track-days

And  full team of the dealer tech team is there as support, so I should be able to get some clarification on the dash and seat.

[Bibs]