This Gorgeous Lotus Evora Has SEVERE Toyota Issues

[@TheCarCareNut]

Nice car! Not familiar with the Evora itself but being a 2GR around that time period there was a wave of 2 electrical gremlin causing things that may be what’s going on with this one. First the ABS ecu shorts out the can network and usually it either kills the engine or everything stops responding. Other thing are some of the junction connectors that the can network pass through especially ones coming from a terminating resistor would have loose pins and intermittently have an open circuit. I commend you for sticking with diagnosis instead of the parts cannon. Try disconnecting the module method when the problem happens especially the ABS usually easy to access on most Toyota models doesn’t look like it on the evora. Another symptom of the can network short is gauges would drop and come back up. Best wishes and happy new year.

[@NavalWarfare1]

If anyone might know, it’s you. You taught me TONS about my Toyotas. Thanks AMD, and a happy & healthy new year to you and yours.

[@JJF1973]

I second that!

[@H0neyGh0st]

A crossover episode between these two channels, especially on a car like an evora, might actually make my brain explode.

[@russmanhi]

TCCN and Daniel-san teaming up?!! THAT would be supercool!

[@Beer_Dad1975]

It's a lovely car indeed, I've driven a couple of Evoras on the track and they are fantastic - BUT - who specs one with an automatic? An American I who can't drive a manual I guess? That just ruins it for me sorry.

[@Itstime2029]

I had an identical lotus. Similar problem. Turned out to be a loose ground wire to the ECU. When the engine got hot, the loose ground would vibrate and loose contact. I remember because of how pissed I was after 3 weeks of the car being at the dealer. The mechanic found the loose ground when he started removing the harness to replace it

[@MrHamlet]

I came here to say this. Had the same issue.

[@SiCrewe]

Sounds legit'. No experience with the Evora but I DO have quite a bit of experience with V6 conversions (using the Camry V6) for the Toyota MR2 and problems with those - everything from non-starts to misfires - would often end up being a bad earth. Due to the nature of an engine-swap, people would test-fit things and then, if everything looked okay, they'd tighten up all the bolts and that's when earths get missed or just nipped up with a pair of pliers. You could check continuity with a multimeter and it'd give a reasonable reading so you'd assume the earth was okay but then you'd undo the bolt, give the various crimps and post a rub with wire wool, put it back together and tighten the nut up with a socket and the fault would be gone.

[@CJ-ty8sv]

Yep grounds bad grounds can wreak havoc, especially on Bonded chassis cars like the Evora. and cars that have long distances between the Battery and low voltage equipment (basically all the power train controls) and high amperage equipment too. Many cars have had issues simply because of bad grounds and many have burnt to the ground too because of bad grounds, especially MR2's as SiCrewe probably knows.

[@SiCrewe]

@@CJ-ty8sv Good point regarding the bonded chassis. Presumably, Lotus fitted earth-straps to link various parts of the chassis and ensure there's a good earth all around the vehicle? Just to add to my previous post, you CAN'T just rely on a multimeter to test earths. When the car's parked a loose earth can be making good contact and you'd never know there's a problem but when the car's moving there'll be vibrations which cause intermittent faults and causes chaos for the electronics. I guess, on the Evora, it might be a good idea to (temporarily) run lengths of wire directly from the -ve battery terminal to various earth points, take the car for a test-drive and if the problem doesn't appear you know there's an earth fault somewhere between the battery and wherever you've got the temporary wire connected.

[@CJ-ty8sv]

@@SiCrewe Yes, it is likely that Lotus does have straps to link sections together but they are still at the disadvantage with the Aluminum chassis though. While aluminum, generally speaking is a pretty good conductor (though not as good as steel), Aluminum oxide is an insulator and being that exposed raw aluminum starts to form an oxide layer within minutes of being exposed to oxygen, surface contact linking straps have their limits. Now I'm sure that they likely used straps that have some sort of teeth that bite into the material that break through the oxide layer that forms but if the fastener attaching the link becomes lose enough at any point that can allow air to get down in where the teeth bit in, an oxide layer will start to form, thus rendering that strap basically ineffective. And yes, I 100% agree, running temporary wires to ground (earth) components can be a good way to determine any issues in regards to grounding / earthing.

[@scheusselmensch5713]

Over many decades of troubleshooting electrical (and getting pretty good at it), it continuously amazed me how often electrical problems were actually mechanical problems. By mechanical, I mean loose nuts and bolts on grounds and positive junctions, and individual pins/various connectors that didn't make a secure "mechanical" joint. As far as actual electronic components actually losing their smoke, that hardly ever happened. Also, if someone had been there before me poking around I could count on a half dozen or so pin receptacles being buggered up by having a pick shoved in them thereby assuring a crap connection.

[@brokensmilephoto]

I worked in the fork truck industry for a while, and the tech's I worked with always said "oh, it's the battery causing this issues." 1 out of 20 times they may have been right. Reality was they were just to lazy to properly diag something. Drove me crazy because working for a large plant, you'd get the same trucks back every week or even the next day for the exact same issue.

[@nigel.w]

It was sad to see Magic Mike depart, but I am constantly impressed by Daniel-San and Grimes, and the very methodical approach at Omega. This team seems to work particularly well together. And of course that is all a reflection of the Wizard, his management, his expertise/experience and his vision, along with the mutual respect that is clearly evident.

[@safffff1000]

How does the wiz ever find such talented people?

[@johnhufnagel]

@@safffff1000 IIRC, in all 3 cases they contacted him and wanted to join his shop.

[@scott8919]

​@safffff1000 He's the Wizard. After so many years working in an industry, I'm sure it's combination of knowing what to look for and getting a good feel for their personality and problem solving skills.

[@will89687]

@@safffff1000Maybe they find him because of his reputation!

[@lincolnmarklt]

Ok

[@MyViewToronto]

Lotus using Toyota engines is one of the smartest moves by Lotus.

[@EvoraGT430]

Shame TOyota never fully bought Lotus.

[@Milkmans_Son]

Toyota using Yamaha engines wasn't a bad move, either.

[@-ac-8296]

and yet the Toyota parts are the problem with the Lotus...

[@Milkmans_Son]

@@-ac-8296 Computer controls are Lotus

[@-ac-8296]

@@Milkmans_Son did you watch the video?

[@jeffboyer8214]

Wire by wire . He said down shift. A key factor. Engine movement. Pulling on a harness. Or transmission computer getting disconnected or open ground. Just a few thoughts I have. If you have access to a dyno, you could see it in a shop other than on the road, but it doesn’t simulate road movement well. That is a nice car, for sure.

[@CJ-ty8sv]

My money is on it being a ground issue. Grounds can wreak havoc on any car but its especially true on Bonded chassis cars and cars where the battery is rather far from ground sensitive equipment (two things the Evora has working against it).

[@TheQuestionableGarage]

Such a cool and awful car all at once! Glad I was able to give a little guidance on it, sometimes the tiniest bit insight can be the trick to finding the solution. That’s why I always say We are smarter than Me.

[@carywhozawhastit2024]

This goes to show great diagnostics make great shops. You guys amaze me with your hard work and dedication!

[@CB12345]

I agree, they are doing a better job at repairing and fixing cars than many shops out here, especially car dealership service shops.

[@SquiggyWigginz]

The car is still not fixed

[@clardy01]

Scotty Kilmer is smiling somewhere in Tennessee right now 😆

[@joshuagibson2520]

And drunk. Guaranteed.

[@10RRASK]

And making love to a 1994 Celica

[@VincentVader]

@@joshuagibson2520 you're drunk

[@joshuagibson2520]

@@VincentVader naaah. But I am fixin to smoke one. Scotty is a drunk. Literally, a drunk.

[@josueramirez8300]

@@joshuagibson2520dont forget crack. That man has definitely has to be high on something

[@1183newman]

I had one of these and the plug on the throttle body from the harness often comes loose due to how tight the harness is (no slack). It would cause the car to go in limp mode and throw codes. Easy fix to just push the connector on tight and remove codes. Zip tieing the connectors on sorted the issue essentially and it is a common problem. Not exactly the same issue but if it is connected to the harness then check all the connectors make sure they are on fully and not coming loose.

[@Zuiyo1974]

I appreciate the constructive attitude and pride for your work. Please continue setting these excellent examples for others who don't take their job seriously enough.

[@ianmontgomery7534]

We had a problem with a Ford territory here in Australia and the Canbus was putting it in limp mode when you pushed the accelerator hard, We gave up on it and gave it to the local ford dealer. The way they fixed it was to replace the plugs and the coil packs. They couldn't explain what was wrong but it was the second they fixed in the same way - just as well the same tech was still there from the first one six years ago!

[@bassplayer2011ify]

Oh, Lotus never change. The vanity plate also gave me a chuckle “My Prius”.

[@markphinney3152]

Hope you guys can get it figured out! Will watch for an update. and looking forward to driving my 2013 Lotus Evora S *manual* transmission in the spring! 😂

[@martinda7446]

Yum yum!

[@mescko]

Why would you want a Lotus with any other transmission?

[@dth2brny121]

This Toyota issue is the main reason why I'd be better off with a MANUAL TRANSMISSION, above all else! 💯

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

@@mescko - I've had tons of sports cars with manuals (Miata, Corvette, 911, 928S, MX-6, BMWs, etc) and I'm tired of shifting, that's why. Dream car right now is a new 911 C4S with PDK and PTS.

[@MrPabsUk]

I had an Evora about 10 years ago, was wonderful from a driving perspective, & practical, as I managed to get 3 friends home from the pub in it!

[@ischafer567]

Poor friends who had to get in the back. There is so little space in there, you have to chop of your legs to sit there. 😂

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Yeah, when I think of practical, the first vehicle that comes to mind is a Lotus.

[@MrPabsUk]

Well, compared to an Elise it is@@OMGWTFLOLSMH , my Dad brain can justify it as a "family vehicle" 😁

[@mikethompson2593]

The only common problem with the camry with the same engine is the alternator failing causing random problems.

[@Vincent-ke5zn]

I really love and respect that you and your mechanics care about customers and their vehicles like doctors care about their patients

[@redspecial2000]

The old joke- what does Lotus stand for? Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious.

[@chrismayer3919]

FWIW at least it’s a GOOD looking pile of scrap iron…

[@SiCrewe]

I came REALLY close to buying a Lotus Esprit back in the 1990s, when they were pretty cheap. Put down a deposit on the car after work one night, went out for lunch the next day and on the way back to work I realised I was following "my" Lotus along the road (turned out they'd taken it to a local detailing place to get it cleaned for me) when it slowed down for a junction, the reversing light came on momentarily, the car skidded sideways and then coasted to a stop. Bye bye gearbox and/or differential. Gave the mechanic a ride back to the dealership and he swore he didn't select reverse but he DID notice that he had to help the shifter move from 5th to 4th gear so it might've been that the linkage broke so gearbox couldn't move across the gate, thus selecting reverse (straight back from 5th) instead of 4th (across and back from 5th). Offered to buy the car at a reduced price but the dealership refused. Later on, I heard that they scrapped the car and parted it out instead of repairing it. 😞 On the bright side, I ended up buying an E39 BMW 540 and that car was a TANK. One of the nicest, most reliable, most capable cars I've ever owned.

[@freddunaway2777]

An alternative when discussing what can break on a Lotus: Lots Of Things, Unusually Serious.

[@mrlong6267]

FORD: fix or repair daily..lol

[@chrismayer3919]

@@mrlong6267 DODGE; Dad’s Old Dead Garage Experiment 🤣

[@ngtflyer]

Great video! Yep, Lotus has been using Toyota engines and transmissions for many years. I LOVE the license plate! Got a kick out of it.

[@marcuscoquer5958]

Also the first Toyota twin cams were copied from Lotus.

[@phaphaphooey]

I had an identical Evora right down to the exterior color (Nightfall Blue) and had these same issues. The wiring harness is known to cause these issues and needs to be replaced or it will eventually render your automatic Evora undrivable. Thankfully mine was done under warranty as it is a terrible job.

[@deangiacopassi1951]

Looking forward to seeing the final diagnostics and fix. Great cars. I think my next sports/GT car will be an automatic, I have too much pain in my left leg to do much shifting.

[@larryp.450]

Check the loose ground wire to the ECU. Fairly well know problem, with a fairly straightforward solution.

[@herrunsinn774]

Well, that was 15+ minutes of video that reached the same conclusion as the previous shop... "We think it's the wiring harness, but we are not sure." How was this any different than what the customer experienced at the previous shop? 🤔

[@Friss213]

You can get the Lotus 20/20 software for $20 for an hour to scan and read the codes across all the systems and erase them. Its a basic version so it doesn't give you as much information as the dealer version but it can talk to the Lotus specific systems. Also the wiring harness for these is pretty well known to cause issues as well so that is where my money would be (and was once you said it was a 2013 IPS)

[@dodgedemon840]

I got to work at a dealership who bought out a small lotus dealership,only had like 6 left,we had a lotus S 6spd manual supercharged,crazy fun

[@mxss115]

I briefly drove a 2010 scion Xb that had that exact same issue. It was driving fine, then one day it would just drop to neutral and it would not go back into drive till after disconnecting the battery. That was the 4 pot with a 4 speed auto, but very similar issue.

[@jblyon2]

Someone else mentioned it being the ABS module taking down the CAN bus. I would not be at all surprised if both of these had the same ABS module in them (likely different part numbers though if the mounting/connector is different).

[@galo911]

Maybe a bad cap in the transmission module ?

[@MrMeoow91]

the first mistake was buying it as an Auto…

[@georgieliverpol]

And the second is driving an auto

[@dailytherapy7597]

Meh. The evora autos aren’t bad .

[@davidedwards4125]

I have a Lotus Elise, had it 23 years. Trashed round many a race track, many Alpine mountain passes, pile of (very amateur) race trophies. Many many amazing memories. As a Brit lotus is just “the” brand of all time, bond, F1, etc

[@franklast7955]

The Toyota 4cy allowed you all those miles

[@davidedwards4125]

@@franklast7955 sorry, should have said mine is an S1 so it’s got a Rover K Series engine. Never sold in the US, notorious for HGF but mine has mods to reduce risk and is 160 spec.

[@drew699]

@@franklast7955K series is Rover engine.

[@AdamBuckley1964]

Same for mine, S1 with the 'crappy' Rover engine. Still going strong after 27 years, daily use for 7 years, then trackdays and European trips.

[@isaacsorensen8377]

My dad's girlfriend has a Highlander with the same engine and transmission. 300k+ miles and still running like new. Once you get the problems fixed, will drive for ages.

[@imunknownsource8696]

Dude.... This is lotus.... Sure that thing use Toyota engine but another part take from another manufacturers..... Owned by Geely company...

[@markboyce1001]

Did you check the transmission module, they get a short in them,it will work perfect than it will produce a short, knock it out of gear,to reset, you disconnect the power, battery, it will reset and work perfect, as you drive , it will produce a short in the electronics, and will throw the transmission back in neutral, and will not shift until you disconnect the battery, power, to reset the module, we seen these replace in those years of Toyotas.

[@Blowinshiddup]

You know what? My 2006 Pontiac Vibe (Toyota Matrix rebadge) was an AMAZING machine. It survived 450,000km as my ride for going up to the mine site west of town. Its demise was basically due to lack of decent snowplows, trying to go 50km in 6 inches of heavy wet crap... the trans got too warm a few times. At least it wasn't disguised as a "supercar"...

[@davidestate]

I watch a lot of videos from a man called Diagnosis Dan. He is the KZbinr that diagnosis electrical problems, module errors and so on. Many shops send their car to him because he checks and finds the problems. In this story, he would use the scope, and tackle the first problem where a module is connected. I would also check the transmission and to see what it's actually doing and the module with controls it. If the client has already flushed the transmission and replaced the fuild, you can take that one out however I remember Alex having this same problem with his transmission in one of the Mercedes videos and he took the transmission module apart and replaced all the parts. Hopefully you don't have to come to that but home you do find the issue after see what happens and testing the module which controls the transmission.

[@Santoshlv426]

Lotus did undertake internal engine development as opposed to 100% buyouts with the Esprits of the 70s, 80s and the final esprit of 1998 with the latter being an original Jenson. The Esprit engines were heavily developed by lotus and the esprits were lotus at its best. By far the 1983 was a stunner !

[@604h22a]

Happy new year wizard and the folks at omega 👏

[@DLNix]

I have 3 Evoras currently and owned 6. I rebuild and repair these and can tell you 100 % it's the engine harness. It's not a Toyota made harness and Lotus had numerous updates to harness. It was made by european company and had quality issues on early Evoras. I have IPS on a new harness and friend on 3rd harness and no issues in 5yrs since. Can replace in car but AC compressor must be removed otherwise have to splice in a few wires.

[@wil687]

Thank you I have a 2021 GT and may need the harness my self, still checking around the engine to make sure nothing else is causing the issue, I’ve had the car for 2 years and the only complaint before was hesitation which I replaced the Maf sensor and break switch, the car ran fine until recently

[@garyleibitzke4166]

Not only Lotus, but the older Jeeps sourced parts from many sources. It wasn't uncommon for the same year/model to use different distributors and alternators. They also used a Buick V6 and a Pontiac I4. In many models they also used GM steering columns.

[@davidbeckenbaugh9598]

The parts bin. Right. 3 years ago, I was getting into my mail truck at the post office when I saw something 'odd'. I was thinking "Naw. That can't be. The odds of a match are just incredible..." So I took out my ring of keys, selected the key to the ignition on my 2006 Dodge Cummins truck and slipped it in. I did not even have to 'jiggle' the key. It turned with 'ordinary' resistance, an EXACT match. A Chrysler ignition switch in an S10 derivative GM sourced truck. And so amazing that my truck key matched it. Now, what are the odds on that?

[@DerrickOil]

😂 AMC=all makes combined

[@Racerman27410]

Not jealous of trying to find the issue. I had a 2016 Camaro SS that would roll the window down when the door was opened as it is supposed to do... but never roll it back up.... many weeks at the dealer ... factory engineer came in and was stumped. one random day it gave the mechanic a gear position indicator switch fault so out of frustration he replaced it and voila the window started working again! These can-bus system gremlins really are a nightmare to work on. i like the KISS method. Just a hunch but since its knocking out of gear check the shift paddles and clock spring at the steering wheel. Moving electrical parts are the first things i like to look at. Good Luck!!

[@WhittyPics]

I know you guys like hard facts and firm answers. No guessing.

[@FSAPOJake]

Just goes to show. Even with a Toyota powertrain, you aren't avoiding British exotic car maintenance costs and headaches with one of these things.

[@unclefista]

Yeah, you're getting Japanese replacement costs though, luckily.

[@chappell721]

@@unclefista not entirely true. Drivetrain pieces are going to be Toyota obviously, but Lotus developed their own engine management. Sensors, coils, etc. are cheap if you can get the equivalent Toyota part, things like an engine harness or an ECM are going to be $$$. I had a friend with an Elise. He ended up selling it after 6 months or so because of all the electrical issues he was running into.

[@fleurdewin7958]

@@unclefista Partially true . if you ask Wizard , I bet he will charge European exotic car labour rates instead of Japanese/American cars.

[@butt_cheeks269]

They should have done what Toyota did and use BMW parts...

[@kris8742]

@@butt_cheeks269 Out of the frying pan into the fire.

[@michaelpickarts7683]

I'm assuming how much of a expensive frustrating headache owning a collaboration vehicle with 2 or more import car manufacturers can be. Beautiful car tho!

[@ColinHardy-s8j]

I used to be a bus driver here in England and we had a similar problem with one of our Scania buses. It turned out the problem was a screw. They decided to fit infotainment systems to the buses and when they fitted the video to this bus they screwed the brackets to a bulkhead and one of the screws touched a wiring harness to the gearbox. Over time the screw contacted the wire causing it to short intermittently. It took Scania nearly a year to find the fault.

[@MarkoVukovic0]

With such low miles you'd think Lotus would come to the party on this issue, that's barely run in 🤣

[@jeffzekas]

Yeah, that’s the biggest problem with the mechanics here locally, they just guess at the problem and throw parts at it, rather than actually diagnosing it.

[@stoneman8110]

The problem is that mechanics fully know the problems, and they aren't honest and will tell you lies just so the bill goes up .

[@stevenemert837]

Your comment at 2:30 that the diagnosis takes hours and hours reminds me of the times in the mid- to late 70's and early 80's when I was a mainframe computer field engineer. I'd be working an issue and the operator or a manager comes up to me to ask, "When will it be fixed?" A couple of times I said, "15 minutes after I find the problem!". Generally an honest but frustrated answer, but one that was generally not well received.

[@Schooner316]

Love the "My Prius" LP. That is HILARIOUS!

[@ImpalaSS08]

The Wizards bill will be $8000 too with all the “diagnosis”. 😂😂😂

[@eddieredmann3]

This is why I want a third-gen V6 Exige. It's got that Camry engine. Now to find one.

[@EvoraGT430]

It's also a Lexus engine.

[@jeffrey88888]

I had a 2001 Toyota Celica GT and that color is "Carbon Blue Metallic" since Lotus used the Toyota parts bin. The round vents in that Lotus are also from the Toyota Celica parts bin

[@rjbiker66]

Celica vents? Aren't the vents of alfa/Ford models?

[@GTC4cam]

Nightfall blue metallic

[@ΧΡΗΣΤΟΣΧΡΗΣΤΟΥ-λ5φ]

What a beautiful car this will be with a manual transmission ... Hello from Greece Happy new Year

[@kobra6660]

L - lots O - of T - trouble U - usually S - serious

[@jake_of_the_jungle9840]

This is still one of the few exotics that is slightly obtainable by regular guys. I used to want a 308 or 355/348 when they were 45-65k but now they are close to 100k and for that money I just don’t see how it’s worth it

[@EvoraGT430]

They're fantastic, too. Read EVO Car of the Year 2009 to see what it beat. Hint: amazing cars were bested.

[@AaronSmith-kr5yf]

Kinda funny how the original 1980's MR2 was basically the up-option sporty FWD/transverse Corolla powertrain and suspension setup. Just moved behind the driver's seat into the middle of the car. The Evora(and Elise) are pretty much the same idea. This is the same engine/transmission/suspension layout as my FWD 2014 Lexus ES350, just moved behind the driver lol. Also Mr Danielson is cute as hell, love those big hairy Popeye forearms lol.

[@katywalker8322]

Some early spy shots of that MR2 were at Lotus (presume they were doing some development work). There were a few theories that it was a new Lotus.

[@bulletmagnetLG]

Glad my Evora S Sports Racer is a manual!😃 But great to see some Evora content and how thorough you guys are at trying to resolve the issue. Looking forward to a success story in the next update. No pressure!😂

[@drunvert]

Who would buy an automatic?

[@supers0nic77]

Soon as he said "automatic" , my mind immediately said "problem"

[@Anon.G]

@@drunvertif you plan to track the car

[@drunvert]

@@Anon.G true

[@ericdawson845]

ECM on many Toyotas and Lexus seem to suffer from heat/cold cycling issues. I sent my ECM off to a place in ?Indiana and they fixed it. The symptoms sound VERY similar to the issues in this car and the dealership also told me 9k USD to repair! Yikes.

[@HotDogMcKoy]

I figured out the problem, it has the wrong transmission

[@chrisd924]

Happy New Year guys and thanks for all the great content in 2023... Looking forward to many more in 2024.

[@godchi1dvonsteuben770]

It's gotta be bad code in the ECU. The clutch actuator(s) control module(s) is (are) glitching, and that means the ECU firmware needs an update patch so it can properly control the clutch actuator(s) control module(s)... Contact Lotus, they should have a patch you can download to reflash the ECU. Btw, no Google involved, that was off the top of my head, tyvm 😎

[@BA-xj9ew]

Glad to Daniel-san worked his way back in Wizzy's good graces. Grimes has received all the Wizzy love lately.

[@risinbison1106]

Lambos, Ferraris, Bentleys, fords, Chevys and Lotus….I’m continually amazed and the variety of cars the Wizard diagnoses.

[@Sappy6517]

ha i love that the plates say "MY PRIUS" Thats something i would do

[@Abesta83]

Had a similar issue on a rav4. Dealer replaced instrument cluster, removed port installed alarm system and sold customer an ecu. Turns out it was one pin at a can junction losing contact, killing the speedometer, electric steering and AC compressor. The cost was nothing but diagnostic time and bending a pin to make contact once found.

[@gsmith207]

love it Wizard! nuttin easy just takes common sense from an awesome mechanic. happy new year to you and Mrs. Wiz. Love you guys! cheers from Maine!

[@Alfonsodag]

You showed us the problem in the video, stuck out like a sore thumb. The car body is bonded together, not welded. That car is going to have ground problems all over the place. Like my Hyundai Accent with ground lugs anchored to painted surfaces with black anodized bolts. Duh, what were they thinking?

[@kiiwii11]

love the old school style filming and vibe of the wizard. straight outta the eighties

[@Sixstringbassist503]

Best Car Wizard intro EVER.

[@jimmyjimjims7483]

You've probably got a bad drive-by-wire throttle body sensor, more than likely the gas pedal assembly itself (it COULD also be the throttle body itself) but my money is on that drive-by-wire pedal.

[@kennycunningham8721]

I still after watching so many of your videos can't believe it I know you have a great shop and smart tech's but the way you come across as the one and only places that can work on cars and I don't believe this at all. I have been in the automotive industry since the age of 13 and I have been to Nashville auto and diesel classes for two years and attended a auto tech school in Pikeville Kentucky where my dad went for a year. I am a descent tech but to hear you there is only one shop in the whole lower 48 that can fix car.

[@michiganporter]

This sure is a pretty nice car! Love the look and body lines! A real head turner!

[@clarkleakins879]

The Evora frame epoxy looks same as used to bond Tesla aluminium frame/body panels. The Evora appears to be a streached Elise. As with todays cars, so many wiring harness connectors, the FEMALE pins are known to be not properly seated. Unfortunately, the auto manufacturers rarely quality inspects these connectors. Very frequently, poor connection can give strange faults. The male pin is unable to click/lock into the female socket because the female wing tabs not fully seated/gripping the internal plastic connector. There is a special tool to remove/inspect the female socket, depending upon the pin size. I doubt that a specific wire is bad, just a connector on one wire. Daniel noted that it happened to him during downshift. Check the paddle shifter connector. Check the brake connectors/switches. CANBUS systems are often programmed to, will often default and shut down the car during unscheduled events, in order to protect hardware and firmware. The software/firmware doesn't have an instruction/self check/diagnosis code for every possible event. Thus the battery disconnect reset method.

[@TheEulerID]

My Ford Focus went crazy with lights, codes and cutting out. That was due to failing solder joints in the instrument cluster connector due to the lead free solder being prone to cracking. The CAN bus was going mad. It is a known fault, and very easy to fix, but intermittent electrical problems affecting the ECU and the CAN bus system can be the worse to diagnose.

[@McBeamer94]

Didn't even know Toyotas have problems, tbh! 🤣

[@georgebettiol8338]

Sadly even Toyotas have issues - one being the dreaded variable valve timing VVT gear on some Camrys and Corollas - which needless to say - is pain to replace.

[@imunknownsource8696]

BMW = hold my electronic....

[@marvinmartian7281]

Happy new year Mr Wizard

[@gikigill788]

As Top Gear said, LOTUS stands for Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious.

[@andrewb8744]

Guessing the customer had to agree to an open chequebook? Sounds like a costly exercise!

[@stephenjackson6515]

Happy new year mr and mrs Wizard and everyone else, from England.

[@tashriquekarriem8865]

Man that’s a good looking automobile ❤❤

[@EvoraGT430]

Even better to drive.

[@Dakiraun]

Ha.... love her plate. Happy New Year guys! Thanks for all the fun and informative videos in 2023.

[@SquiggyWigginz]

Her plate.

[@Dakiraun]

@@SquiggyWigginz - thanks, corrected it.

[@steveflor9942]

His license plate made me chuckle. My Prius - a Gen 2, 2005 - owned since new. Ran for 14 years before a part failed. It has had NO problems. Zero. Still runs perfect.

[@MastertechNick]

I was a Toyota master from 2004-2020 and I don't recall many harness issues. I do recall trans fluid would wick up the harness from the transmission and could work itself all the way up into the PCM. That would be the first connector I checked. But common harness issues that required the entire harness to be replaced.... That's news to me.

[@Fevebblefester]

I had to laugh when Ms. Wizard made the remark about the door threshold. It brought back memories of a fellow that I knew who had a Lotus Europa back in the 70’s. I got in it once but had to crawl out on hands and knees it was so wide.

[@vplph]

There is a great video from his dutch gentlemen @Diagnosedan where he diagnoses a car that cuts when it reaches normal running temperature. It i a long story and it appears that after multiple dealer related parts replacements... Dan (with his teen son) discovers a plastic tube with wires inside situated along the exhaust. This plastic tube is missing a mounting clip. When hot the tube elongates and the wires' insulation burns against the exhaust and shorts, eventually cutting the car.

[@nostric4237]

Happy New Year Daniel-San and Grimes. :) The guys deserves a cake for their effort in 2023.

[@VincentVader]

Who'd buy a Lotus with an Automatic? If it was a manual, no issue.

[@604h22a]

Less issues *

[@volvo09]

​@@604h22a manuals are far less failure prone, as long as you can use a clutch properly.

[@dailytherapy7597]

Many don’t want the expensive clutch replacement. The auto isn’t bad in the evora .

[@mattl6584]

The problem is the owner decided to get a Lotus with an automatic transmission, which is sacrilegious. I guess some of the blame will be on Lotus as well.

[@kelechithots]

If I had my way most cars would have manual transmission with only '' special editions" using automatic. I think the recent extensive manufacture of cars with automatic transmission is to have EASY built in OBSOLESCENCE.

[@JStryker7]

Have you seen the clutch replacement job?

[@MikeL-FL]

@@kelechithots Better to have built in obsolescence in the future then to buy a new car with a transmission thats already obsolete. Thats what manuals are in 2023/2024; antiquated and obsolete. You cannot outshift a computer.

[@tacomas9602]

​@MikeL-FL that's not the point for many of us. My tacoma takes a good amount of time between shifts especially with the 2TR rev hang and a tired clunky R155F. BUT, I LOVE driving it. It's like a tractor. Dependable and stout. Auto scum!

[@poguemahone5476]

​@@MikeL-FL Lotus design philosophy is about driving experience. Colin Chapman's motto for lotus was to always add lightness, and autos are always heavier. Lotus are exactly the opposite of straight line numbers. They're built for the apex, not the straight. Buy a lambo and tell yourself it has good handling if you want top trumps numbers to brag about. 😂

[@itstheweirdguy]

I hope that not only you figure it out, but you find something interesting that would help anyone trying to figure out this model

[@AtypicalDriver]

Stoked to see more lotus content!! Beautiful evora!

[@dagamer667]

Here in California we don't get much rain. But whenever we do get lots of rain, we always get a rush or customers at the store with two kinds of complaints we don't see other times of the year. One is obvious - wipers don't wipe. Another one being wacky electrical issues when rainwater gets into places not meant for it. And this will happen on older vehicles when rubber seals harden and settle, and start letting water or wet air in. And most manufacturers are way too cheap to use weatherpack connectors in the interior. A lot of techs out there like CANBUS because it really cuts down on the amount of wiring in the vehicle. But the downside is that automotive CAN networks have almost no fault tolerance and one misbehaving module can bring down or screw up an entire network. Permanent codes do wash out with about a month of fault free driving and in this case they are performing exactly as intended and leave a trail of clues pointing to an electrical issue and the entire CANBUS littered with network errors. Fingers crossed that it's just one module that's gone bad vs the wiring harness itself. Repairing harnesses is a real toss up, because even a slight change in resistance or impedance can cause gremlins. Especially in any spot that goes through a wide temperature range.

[@ocker2000]

Nice review of this car. But I was disappointed the video did not end with a final resolution. But thanks for the tour.

[@bakhteria]

Try the brake switch at the brake pedal. It’s a $12 Saab part. It’s connected to the IPS transmission. Trust me.

[@johnjohnmcclane1818]

Hard to trust someone who can't spell 'brake'.

[@tacomas9602]

​@@johnjohnmcclane1818 Some who struggle with mechanics may not struggle with words and those who struggle with words may not struggle with mechanics. Not everyone is a fucking genius.

[@myers546]

First thing that I thought of... Replaced two in my Evora, causes all sorts of weird faults 👍. Low voltage can also be an issue, especially since these love to drain batteries

[@dB_944]

@@johnjohnmcclane1818 just like “Camero” 😊

[@peterduxbury927]

@@johnjohnmcclane1818 Or even Bacteria

[@JasPlun]

Very good video one of the best in awhile IMO:P We need more actual diagnostic mechanics in the world today. Majority are just parts changers guessing what the problem is and swapping parts running up astronomical bills. Some might say Wizard's prices are high, but I I would argue they are well worth it and cheaper in the long term. I always think about time when I have a vehicle go into a shop for repair. Time is money and you do not want to waste it. I would gladly pay higher for a mechanic that can tell me exactly what was wrong and what had to be done to fix it. I do not want to hear we changed all these parts only to find out it was something else:P

[@KRAMITDFROG]

I do not doubt it. I bought a Lotus Elise in 2005. Other than the stick shift that broke clean off, i only had two problems with it: the engine and the transmission. Both are Toyota pieces and what led me to go forward with my purchase versus another car. That's the only reason i got rid of it. I wasn't going to pay $5K to fix a car under warranty that would soon be out of warranty. Lotus likes to blame early failures on the owner (they blamed one of the first broken shifters on a guy because he autocrossed his car even though it was a shear plane at the base of the shifter) and then the issues magically go away as failures pile up and they start covering things (my stick got covered and there was a recall).

[@John-px2ki]

Permanent codes will clear themselves once the computer sees several drive cycles without seeing the fault that causes them. Most of the time it's either heat cycles or possibly a long ride.

[@semiretired86]

great licenseplate and great way to mock the Prius very Clarkson like

[@SquiggyWigginz]

Hard to believe that in all of Ohio, a huge state mind you, the no one with a Prius had registered "MY PRIUS".

[@HypocriticYT]

Many shops don’t employ competent mechanics with strong electrical/electronic knowledge.

[@cogboy302]

Handy that Lotus started using Toyota engines and transmissions. I swapped an Exige 6 speed transmission, fitted with a Quaife ATB and a lower final drive, into my 1984 Toyota MR2 Mk1 rally car.

[@jorgeirizarry5971]

You need to call Scott Kilmer and do a colab on this car. That'll be very entertaining. Having Scott reviewing this thing and laughing will be priceless.

[@ROMANS3-25KJV]

Jorge, are you saved? We all have sinned (Romans 3:23 KJV). All unsaved sinners will end up in the eternal lake of fire (Revelation 21:8 KJV). The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV). Getting water baptized DOESN'T save us (1 Corinthians 1:17 KJV). We are saved by grace through faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV). Once we are saved, we CAN'T lose our salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV).

[@thomasstrickland0]

Had this problem on a Toyota Sienna. I unplugged the ABS module, and everything was fine. Ended up being a bad ABS module.

[@TRUTH4U2NO]

Padde shifter switch blown ground or wire or module. Key on shift gear measuring resistance from paddle toward trans.

[@robertoooooo]

I love your videos, it really breaks down the diagnostic process. Thank you wizard.

[@johnmichaelkarma]

That would be the door sill. Jambs are the vertical sides of the opening of a door. jus sayn' 😎