Evora "COMMS Failure" GT430

[OakMan]

Just to ask if any other owners have experienced their Evora not being able to restart at all and the warning on the right side dash display "COMMS Failure" showing?  

 

My car is a GT430 4.5 years old and 8,000 miles, I'm the second owner.

This happened with my my car 4 weeks ago.  I was travelling to a car event at Renishaw Hall near Sheffield, the fuel warning light came on (I knew it was low, was heading to a filling station - I didn't get there).  The car slightly spluttered then within a few 100 metres stopped.  I thought I had been totally stupid and allowed it to run out.  Walked over a mile to filling station, got a plastic can (thankfully they had them) filled it and walked back.  Put fuel in - it wouldn't start off the button, wouldn't even crank and "COMMS failure" on the the display. 

I won't bore you with the combined 6 over hour wait for RAC man and then the accredited recovery vehicle, save to say it was after 1am when the car was piggybacked away - pic below.

At the recent MLOC event (In my S1 Elise, I was a group leader on one of the Classic Runs) I met Jimmy @blindside who had come over from Northern Ireland in his, he's a terrific chap.  He sought me ought as he'd heard from my colleagues at MLOC about my 430 not being there, I was supposed to be taking my group in the Evora, my partner in the Elise. 

To tell me he had exactly the same experience on picking up his car from Edinburgh when he bought it new (their demonstrator with 800 miles on).  It was low on fuel on picking up - cheeky Scots not putting any in 😉.  He went to the nearest filling station a mile away, filled it  up, went to pay to then be greeted with not being able to start the car - no cranking and "COMMS Failure".  

Obviously being so close to the dealership they picked the car up and tried to fix the problem.  Here's where no one is totally certain what causes the situation - but after various attempts they decided to Recode the cars keys to the car, suspecting an immobilisation issue.  That did work for his car, all was well and he was able to get the car back to Ireland.  He said he now never allows the car to get low on fuel no less than 2 digits on the indicator, he's never had the issue again. 

My car has been at Chris Foulds up near me ever since.  They have been though everything electrical.  Finding that it is supposed to be 'exactly the same' fuse board, relays etc as a 400 - it ISN'T as confirmed by Chris Brown at the factory.  They replaced all fuses relating to fuel, starting etc.  They were able to get the car to crank, but not start with no fuel getting into the engine.  One fuse kept blowing which bizarrely is linked to the Subwoofer in the car - it has the factory original install sound system, an option on the 430's.  It hasn't had any modifications or upgrades (I can't even tell there's a sub installed and the door/dash speakers are rather poor and tinny sounding too - different thread I guess).  

The car is now due to go to JCT600 Lotus at Bradford for the key Recode on the factory system, let's see where we end up after then.

Watch this space......

[exeterjeep]

Searching comes up with others having the same thing mentioned on lotustalk.

A number talk of flat battery problems?

and even on TLF.

https://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/52657-help-needed-comms-failure-ems/

Also found this...may relate to earlier cars though.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2016/MC-10143133-9999.pdf

[OakMan]

Thank you that’s most appreciated. 
 

Mine had a new battery only a few weeks before.  It was on a Lead Acid battery when I bought it - previous owner had removed the Lithium one, no idea why ?  I did put on a new Bosch Lead Acid then. 
 

I’ve actually now just bought the correct Lithium Battery (ouch £££) to take it back to correct spec - it was on the new Bosch Lead Acid at the time it did the COMMS thing, it tested all correct and full voltage. 

 

Paul 

Edited July 20, 2022 by OakMan
Misspelling

[exeterjeep]

I had a problem with my lithium battery one day, although it was on charge think the boot was open slightly, caused the battery to disconnect itself from the car. Needed the push button reset above the battery Thought about changing to an ordinary battery, even bought the required battery clamp, but have not had a problem since with the lithium one.

Hope yours is just a simple issue.....

[blindside]

Very accurate summary of our conversation Paul & extremely frustrating for you. My problem was definitely key & immobiliser related. At the time Lotus produced new keys which had been recoded correctly. The experts at the factory 3 years ago knew what the issue was & how to sort it. I’ve not had a problem with starting since. 
Out of interest apparently the keys come from the early Ford Mondeo parts bin. Back in the day Ford owners had similar issues with them.

I hope that the techs at JCT600 manage to fix the problem for you. 🤞

[OakMan]

Hi Jimmy 

Thanks for replying - so glad I got the context right, nothing worse than over egging & chinese whispers !  That’s a really big help too. 
 

The car is now going to Central Lotus in Nottingham who we were talking to at Chatsworth.  I cannot praise Chris Foulds and Steve his mechanic (technician these days) highly enough.  They’ve had the car 4 weeks and tried so many different things it’s untrue.  
 

To cap it all, this morning he told me it’s a 5 amp fuse for the Subwoofer that keeps blowing whilst trying to start the car, they’ve put a bridged 5 amp in to protect it.  
 

Best bit is he’s taken the trim out of the rear offside behind the driver to inspect the Sub’s amp - There’s NO Subwoofer fitted !  With the factory installed Hi Fi option ticked 🤣🤣🤣. 
 

PS. I own a 1971 Sprint (since 1989)  & 1999 S1 Elise - nothings changed that much at Lotus 😁

PPS  I have a couple of pics to send you from the day at MLOC, will PM you on here   

 

[OakMan]

1 hour ago, exeterjeep said:

I had a problem with my lithium battery one day, although it was on charge think the boot was open slightly, caused the battery to disconnect itself from the car. Needed the push button reset above the battery Thought about changing to an ordinary battery, even bought the required battery clamp, but have not had a problem since with the lithium one.

Hope yours is just a simple issue.....

I’d asked Chris Foulds if I was ok keeping a Lead battery on it (I don’t understand electrics at all) he did say it was ok and it certainly proved to be the few weeks it was on prior to the issue. 
 

I will now have a top notch brand new Bosch battery spare - happy to offer to fellow owners on here.