Exterior lighting: turn signal: flasher unit
- Component
- Exterior lighting: turn signal: flasher unit
- Manufacturer
- LOTUS CARS LTD
- Vehicles affected
- 78
- Reported to NHTSA
- 2011-11-03
- Owners notified
- 2011-12-19
Defect description
LOTUS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 ELISE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 2010, THROUGH FEBRUARY 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE VEHICLES WERE FITTED WITH TURN SIGNAL MODULES WHICH WERE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE REVISED FRONT HEADLIGHT CONFIGURATION WHICH INCLUDES THE INTEGRAL FRONT LED TURN SIGNAL UNITS. THE INCOMPATIBLE MODULE MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS CAUSE ALL THE LED TURN SIGNAL LAMPS TO FLASH AT AN ERRATIC FREQUENCY WHEN THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH IS DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, IN THE EVENT THAT EITHER A FRONT OR REAR TURN SIGNAL LAMP FAILS TO ILLUMINATE OR DOES NOT FLASH AT THE CORRECT FREQUENCY WHEN OPERATED, THE REMAINING FUNCTIONING SIGNAL LAMPS ON THAT VEHICLES SIDE AS WELL AS THE INSTRUMENT TURN TELL TALE LAMP WILL NOT FLASH AT AN INCREASED RATE AS INTENDED.
Safety risk
THE DRIVER WILL NOT BE VISUALLY ALERTED TO THE FACT THAT ONE OR MORE OF THE VEHICLES TURN SIGNAL LAMPS IS NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Manufacturer remedy
LOTUS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TURN SIGNAL MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 19, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LOTUS AT 1-800-245-6887.