The Lotus Grand Tourers

Had trouble starting recently due to a slow crank on a low battery. Got going eventually and all was ok.

Today I think I found the reason as I was able to remove the 36 year old key without pressing the key button release on the column, thus maintaining the aux circuits in position 1 energised.

Sneaky car!

I could do that trick with mine too. Then one day I couldn’t get the key out . Lots of wiggling and eventually after about 2 hours it was out.
I got my spare new ignition key barrel out to swap it and then realised the key has to be in the lock to remove the barrel - about another 2 hours to get the key in and turn.

My key has happily been able to slide in and out of the barrel at any position since I bought it - at the time 22 years / 125k miles old.

Whenever I take it to a garage for MOT / tyres the mechanic always takes the key back to the ACC position then removes it, even when I try to explain about the little button.

rbgosling wrote: ↑

Mon Aug 29, 2022 10:15

My key has happily been able to slide in and out of the barrel at any position since I bought it - at the time 22 years / 125k miles old.

Whenever I take it to a garage for MOT / tyres the mechanic always takes the key back to the ACC position then removes it, even when I try to explain about the little button.

Mine too. You can tell 'em until you're blue in the face but they still do it...