ON AUGUST 11, 2010 I TOOK MY 2005 LOTUS ELISE WITH 9105 MILES ON IT TO GET THE INSPECTION DONE. THE MAN DOING THE INSPECTION WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR. THE CAR WOULDN'T UNLOCK USING THE KEY FOB OR THE CENTER CONSOLE RELEASE BUTTON. TRIED BOTH WITH THE CAR RUNNING AND OFF. NEITHER WORKED. THE CAR WINDOW WAS DOWN, BUT THE WINDOW IS TOO SMALL TO GET OUT THROUGH. FINALLY, AFTER SEVERAL PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP, THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL THE PLUNGER UP ON THE DOOR AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT. I THEN DROVE THE CAR HOME, GOT OUT AND CLOSED THE DOOR. WALKED AROUND TO PASSENGER'S SIDE TO GET BELONGINGS OUT, AND THE CAR WOULDN'T LET ME IN. IT LOCKED AGAIN. WINDOWS WERE UP SO I WAS UNABLE TO USE PLUNGER. ONCE AGAIN, THE KEYFOB WAS WORTHLESS. HAD TO CALL SEVERAL LOCKSMITHS BEFORE FINDING ONE THAT WOULD UNLOCK A LOTUS. HEAT INDEX WAS OVER 100 DEGREES. COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY TO CHILD OR PET!! LOOKED ONLINE TO SEE IF A RECALL/BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED BUT FOUND NOTHING. I DID FIND A LOTUS FORUM WHERE PEOPLE WERE DISCUSSING THIS SAME ISSUE. MOST WERE RESOLVED BY REPLACING THE CDL (CENTRE DOOR LOCKING MODULE--PART #A116M6048F). I TRIED CALLING LOTUS USA TO DISCUSS THIS, BUT MY CALL WAS NEVER RETURNED. SINCE WE LIVE 3+ HOURS FROM THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP, I ORDERED A CDL. MY HUSBAND INSTALLED IT, AND NOW THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED. BEFORE THIS, I HAD NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE LOCKS. I STILL HAVE THE OLD CDL. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10350250