It is slowly becoming apparent that Lotus’s lack of response to the rattle issue in the shifter is due to one of the following issues. 1) They hushed the fix in order to hear complaints from owners to determine the extent of the problem. 2) There is something seriously wrong with the shifter and Lotus has decided to follow Fords example with the Pinto and listen to Bean Counters. (we already know about the shifter and it’s fatigue failures) 3) Lotus doesn’t really care or simply cannot afford a recall.
Well it's not a HUGE problem for most folks. Believe it or not but many don't even notice it at all as the car is so loud anyway. You can make the car Porsche / BMW quiet if you make it Porsche / BMW heavy too, easily. And if you eliminate that noise....as I did for some time...other noises become more noticeable...you can track those down...and find more. Ultimately....this is just not a library quiet car. Note that the shift console rattle or buzz is much quieter than the difference between AD07 and A048 tires...yet no one ever complains about the snow tire like noise A048s put out. You can easily hear A048 noise on the highway with the roof off and wind roaring around you. But the shift console rattle / buzz is not audible at such times. Also, if you have anything in the alloy trays or side cubbies you will hear lots of noise. If you line them with RS gummy stuff you can eliminate that noise and keep things from rattling or sliding nearly as much.

4) They are waiting to see how many of us will fix it ourselves with the BM shifter.
This won't do anything WRT any noises downstream. I'd like to see a subjective test between the Latest Lotus shift lever version 5 and the B&M....and with some playing around with knob weights. The extra weight of the latest lever (prolly comparable to the B&M now) helps shift action slightly...you can also put a heavier knob on your car whatever lever you use. ******Stan We would not be pursuing your input had you not offered it months ago.I know two owners[ that are initiating Lemon Law action because of this problem.Three times in shop and no fix...In fact, I would not be surprised if this issue were escalated (soliciting other owners) to a joint complaint against Lotus. These are the type of problems causing owners to flip cars after 6-9 months ownership..resulting in declining resale values.This doesn't do anyone any good and could have significant longterm implications for Lotus USA. If you can help.why wouldn't you.You have been very helpful with numerous other issues ,it does seem rather suspicious that you have completely backed out of this challenge.******

I've commented in the past. You CAN get rid of the problem. It requires a bunch of little things to be done, varies car to car, and may need a few attempts. There are even some changes to the gear box shift area that help - at the transaxle itself. At the moment there is no one-step / 100% fix / set-it-and-forget-it / now and forever forward option that does not require some fiddling around and perhaps an extra follow up effort or two. FWIW all of my tweaks had to be removed when I had my version 3 shifter replaced due to a snapped shift lever. (So I now have the noise back, and it's a bit different than the first time.) They had to replace the shifter, console, e-brake, e-brake and shifter cables and so forth all the way back to the gearbox. I'll add the stuff back, make the adjustments, and so forth when I have a chance. ******************************************
Thanks for taking time to respond... I wonder how many people that are having this noise issue have the stock exhaust? Just buy a stage II or and arqray from Sector111 and you may not hear those other noises

I can't hear any bothersome noises

I did pull my under-tray and when I put it back on I tightened all of the 8mm bolts first and then tightened the two allen bolts in the middle. I then went out for a test drive and found that I had a resonance at about 5k rpm. I then loosened all of the bolts, tightened the allens first and then the 8mm ones and it was gone. I realize this is a rather old thread, but I did a search on the shifter vibration "issue" after hearing it in a very pronounced fashion. I just bought the '05 car below and drove it home 250 miles over the weekend with the hardtop on. It is equipped with Argray exhaust and is a Sport and Touring package car. The shifter recall was accomplished.



I do love it, but the "buzzing" shifter noise (which correlates perfectly with RPM in my car) is somewhat annoying over time. Are there any new developments here? I don't recall hearing it in the new '06 I drove about a week ago. My '06 has it, although it is one of the first '06s, maybe they've solved it by now My rattle is between idle and 1500rpm. It is super loud. It is not fixed yet but the head Lotus tech said it is an oil cooler line in the right sill vibrating against the chassis. The rear clam has to come off to get to it. It is the loudest rattle by far I have ever heard. **************
I know two owners[ that are initiating Lemon Law action because of this problem.Three times in shop and no fix...In fact, I would not be surprised if this issue were escalated (soliciting other owners) to a joint complaint against Lotus.
These are the type of problems causing owners to flip cars after 6-9 months ownership..resulting in declining resale values.This doesn't do anyone any good and could have significant longterm implications for Lotus USA.

That is simply ridiculous. It's a hand-made British sports car for Christ sakes...

Pick up your marbles and go home boys. If I hear a rattle...I downshift & step on the gas! By the way, I dropped a quarter behind the passenger seat and it rattled like hell and was very difficult to find.

Finally got it out and THAT rattle was gone.

Now about that rattle coming from the roll bar.....



colin has got to be spinning in his grave.....

c'mon guys...the car was designed to be light. these complaints are amongst a few of the reasons that lotus were fearful of bringin the car here. i, for one, find the car to be remarkably free of "buzz" for the lack of insulation, etc. and i have the sport (no touring) package.

a buzz or rattle here or there is expected in the wonderfully-stiff alloy structure that we are riding in. go drive a formula ford and you will see how far lotus went to eliminate buzz and rattles, because this IS a road car.

if you are so terribly bothered, do this: make sure you don't have a stray pebble or whatever on your floor. I had a wicked buzz that cropped up ....'turned out to be the loose end of my schroth harness that had a plastic tab on it! moral: don't discount the obvious if you really want to search for a buzz! I know two owners[ that are initiating Lemon Law action because of this problem.Three times in shop and no fix... Good luck with that one. Every Lemon Law that I've seen has the limit to the number of fixes - for safety related issues. If you have a steering rack problem, they get three tries. If you have a brake system problem, they get three tries. If you have an annoying rattle, it's not a lemon... Unless it's the steering wheel rattling as it falls off, of course... I bought one of the very first 06 Elise from Newport European Dealer. drove it for 3,000miles, and now I have this noise for the past 5 months now. It is really annoying, sometime it get soooooo loud to the point I want to punch something. The noise comes from passenger side maybe bottom or back. it only happen when I drive the car after the first 5-10 minutes. When the noise is there, it comes around 3.5-4k RPM. 1-3k rpm is fine, 4k+ is fine, what can this be?? and relate to what?? Can anyone relate? I really love the car, but that noise are making me think why am I so unlucky to have that noise. Can anyone relate? I really love the car, but that noise are making me think why am I so unlucky to have that noise.
Honestly, nah...in my Fiat days, we always said any noise it makes indicates it's running and that's a good thing. After awhile, you get good at deciphering the "good" noises from the "bad" noises. A gear shift linkage rattle just indicates the gear shift is still attached to the transmission...

Tom colin has got to be spinning in his grave.....

c'mon guys...the car was designed to be light. these complaints are amongst a few of the reasons that lotus were fearful of bringin the car here. i, for one, find the car to be remarkably free of "buzz" for the lack of insulation, etc. and i have the sport (no touring) package.

a buzz or rattle here or there is expected in the wonderfully-stiff alloy structure that we are riding in. go drive a formula ford and you will see how far lotus went to eliminate buzz and rattles, because this IS a road car.

if you are so terribly bothered, do this: make sure you don't have a stray pebble or whatever on your floor. I had a wicked buzz that cropped up ....'turned out to be the loose end of my schroth harness that had a plastic tab on it! moral: don't discount the obvious if you really want to search for a buzz!
I'm the new Elise owner who brought this thread back from the dead. I am not so terribly bothered. In fact, I'm not bothered at all. I've owned just about every high performance sports car known to human-kind over the last 20 years, and I've seen it all.

I was very simply trying to become informed, and discover if there was a simple fix to what seems to be a shifter or cable linkage rubbing and vibrating against something. I take it there is not, and it's OK to just live with it.

That's all I wanted to know. I love the Elise, that's why I bought one. Thank you. For what it's worth, I had a very loud buzz around 2,000 RPM. It turned out to be a Tootsie Pop that had fallen under the passenger seat. Stop hard or corner hard and the buzz would go away for a while. Accelerate hard, and it would come back... For what it's worth. Every time I would shift into
3rd I would hear this rattling noise. When we looked
under the shifter housing it was clear that one of the
cables had an elbow like bend to it, causing the broken
plastic around the end of the upper connected cable
to rattle each time 3rd was shifted into. The next day
that cable broke and had to be replaced. Hope that isnt
what is causing the rattling. P.S. - It should be noted
that Lotus, under warranty, ordered the replacement of
the second cable as well, even though to the best of my
knowledge it wasn't broke. Perhaps they have been having
'defect' problems with that one as well. Griot's Garage sells a very long stethoscope with a cone on the end that is claimed to be able to sniff out the precise location of annoying sounds. I guess you would need a buddy for this. You drive while he sniffs around.
I'm thinking about getting it.

I've recently picked up the same noise, like a piece of tin vibrating, but it sounds like it's coming from behind me. At 4000 miles I had a short shifter installed and that's when it started. I bought one of the very first 06 Elise from Newport European Dealer. drove it for 3,000miles, and now I have this noise for the past 5 months now. It is really annoying, sometime it get soooooo loud to the point I want to punch something. The noise comes from passenger side maybe bottom or back. it only happen when I drive the car after the first 5-10 minutes. When the noise is there, it comes around 3.5-4k RPM. 1-3k rpm is fine, 4k+ is fine, what can this be?? and relate to what?? Can anyone relate? I really love the car, but that noise are making me think why am I so unlucky to have that noise.
Hi Tony, If you bring the car to me I might be able to find it .Ask for Don.
All the best, Don. Lotus tech @ Newport European Motorcar L.T.D. Okay Don, right now is May 17, 06 12:46pm, I'm on my way there right now!! Thank you very much!! Griot's Garage sells a very long stethoscope with a cone on the end that is claimed to be able to sniff out the precise location of annoying sounds. I don't know how you would do it with a moving car, but the stethoscope is a good tool. You use the long metal "probe" on the end. You touch various parts of the car with the probe and listen to the noises. I've been able to locate the noisy bearings (alternator), determine that the clicking noise was a tappet that need adjustment instead of something serious, etc.

You don't have to buy it from Groit's Garage either - they are common. Sears sells them (for $15 instead of Groit's $25) as do most auto parts stores that carry tools. Probably for even less at the discount auto parts chains sells them.