Important Question

How does the accelerator pedal control the engine:- ? Is it connected by wire? Or does it control the engine by a sensor electronically? BTW this is for an NA Thanks

Edited by christurbo, 19 November 2005 - 07:03 PM.

Just found THIS


Has anyone else had this problem where the accelerator pedal stops working - engine idles fine???

If so how did you get it fixed???

Thanks

Chris

[PS. Not loving the VX ownership thing at the mo ]

Confusingly, the phrase is "Drive by wire" – taken from the aeronautical "fly by wire" meaning done by electrics rather than hydraulics or whatever. So, there is no throttle cable like a cable to a pushbike's brakes, it is done electronically. Goes for N/A and VXT. HTH Edit to say that Lotus are finally making the move to "drive by wire" on the 2006 Elise/Exige, so my 2005 Exige is the simple stone-age type stuff

Edited by speedyK, 19 November 2005 - 07:41 PM.

drive by wire (electronic wire)

Damn too slow

Wish it was more simple like the Lotus - at least you can just get the wire replaced. See my post above - looks like a common prob???

Wish it was more simple like the Lotus - at least you can just get the wire replaced.

See my edit above about the 2006 Lotus

At least if it breaks its meat and veg stuff I dont know where to start with my problem - suppose It will have to be booked into Lookers. But I want some ammunition about what is actually wrong - so they cant throw a list of things that need replacing costing me $$$

You can argue, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", but

theorectically drive by wire is more simple (in the elegance and efficiency of the concept, rather than the details) and is, supposedly, maintenance-free...

Well mine is broke. Was stranded in the middle of Brum in the christmas shopping rush - in the lane right next to the Bull Ring

Well mine is broke.

I had surmised that – hence the use of "theoretical"

OTOH, when I was a wild 17yr.old, I drove my mum's HA Viva and got through several throttle cables as well as clutch cables (yes, they were wire too). So the good old mechanical solution is not 100% either. I didn't exactly cosset it though – it was so slow you could drive it flat out almost everywhere and it was on three wheels more often than not

middle of Brum in the christmas shopping rush - in the lane right next to the Bull Ring

Hmm... not fun at the best of times, let alone if your car packs up with something stupid like this.

Hope you get it sorted quickly.

Cheers bud. Going to take sensor out tomorrow and clean all surfaces. If this doesnt work then its going in

I dont know if anyones interested as its quite a common problem, but here's an update. Took the connector out of the accelerator potentiometer sensor. I gave the connections a clean, put the connector back in. Reset ECU. Started the engine fine, but the light came on and no accelerator response again! tried this 3 times and it didnt work! Went back under pulled connector out and popped it back in this time wiggling it around. Reset ECU. Started engine - throttle response spot on. This suggests that it is a connection issue with the connection from the connector to the sensor. If you think about it the ride on the VX is very stiff, not a surprise if the vibrations and bumps loosen connections? If the connection is lost for a brief moment the ECU will freak out and shut the sensor down due to safety reasons. So... to hopefully fix it I pulled the connection out again, and with a sharp pointy knife I pushed the clip connectors [on the black bus that slip over the spade connections on the sensor] tightly together, as there was a minute gap between all of them. When I pushed it back in it felt much more snug and didnt move at all, before locking it into position with the red slide clip. I reset the ECU. Started OK, accelerator response spot on! Took it for an hour blast through all road/traffic conditions and all seems fine. Im not counting my chickens - going to see how she is over the next few days. As a precaution for other problems over the winter I have ordered the badboy water ingress engine cover, and have sprayed all electrical connections inc the ECU with WD40 to displace moisture and water [after drying it out first]. Lets see how this works <fingers crossed>

Sounds promising. Dud connection is more likely than component failure. Here's hoping

OTOH, when I was a wild 17yr.old, I drove my mum's HA Viva

What memories! My first car was an HA Viva. Cost me £60 - and yes, I was robbed!

I dont know if anyones interested as its quite a common problem, but here's an update.

Took the connector out of the accelerator potentiometer sensor. I gave the connections a clean, put the connector back in. Reset ECU. Started the engine fine, but the light came on and no accelerator response again! tried this 3 times and it didnt work!

Went back under pulled connector out and popped it back in this time wiggling it around. Reset ECU. Started engine - throttle response spot on.

This suggests that it is a connection issue with the connection from the connector to the sensor. If you think about it the ride on the VX is very stiff, not a surprise if the vibrations and bumps loosen connections? If the connection is lost for a brief moment the ECU will freak out and shut the sensor down due to safety reasons.

So... to hopefully fix it I pulled the connection out again, and with a sharp pointy knife I pushed the clip connectors [on the black bus that slip over the spade connections on the sensor] tightly together, as there was a minute gap between all of them. When I pushed it back in it felt much more snug and didnt move at all, before locking it into position with the red slide clip. I reset the ECU. Started OK, accelerator response spot on!


Took it for an hour blast through all road/traffic conditions and all seems fine.

Im not counting my chickens - going to see how she is over the next few days.


As a precaution for other problems over the winter I have ordered the badboy water ingress engine cover, and have sprayed all electrical connections inc the ECU with WD40 to displace moisture and water [after drying it out first].

Lets see how this works <fingers crossed>

always interested

hope it goes ok

Hi my mate's did this and when it went into the dealer it needed a new ecu .It use to do the same and then just packed up .I think it cost about £900ish for them to replace it and it's never done it since .Hope yours is ok are you still on mloc?

Yes mate still on MLOC! LEW1S on there biught my Liz Well its been out for 4 individual runs today and alls fine. I'll update you in a weeks time [bear in mind it has failed at least once each journey since I bought it]

Damn too slow

really??..i thought it was chosen because! of its fast responce

hope all start's going well mate (good luck) jack harry01