Low Battery. Auto shut down

[drummingj]

Unless the engine is running, it seems I can’t keep the infotainment / music playing in my car for more than a few minutes before it says
‘low battery. System will auto shut down’

Is anybody else familiar with this?

 

[Andy H]

Unless the engine is running, it seems I can’t keep the infotainment / music playing in my car for more than a few minutes before it says
‘low battery. System will auto shut down’

Is anybody else familiar with this?

I was sat in stationary traffic on the motorway the other week with the engine off and the infotainment on for 30+ minutes without getting that message. However, I did have the car on the trickle charger for the previous week. Could it be that your battery capacity was sub-par at the time? I used to get a similar message in my M3 when it had been left in the garage for a a while.

 

[Eagle7]

Many of the factory batteries seemed to be marginally up to the task. Since the Emira came out, especially in the U.K. who got the very first and early production cars, many of the early electrical issues it seemed were due to inconsistent battery performance. When I got my car here in the U.S., I immediately replaced the factory battery with this one from GRP:

Antigravity T6/L2 Lithium Car Battery For Evora/Evora S/400/410/GT/Emira

A direct fit replacement lightweight battery for all 2009+ Evora's and 2022+ Emira! ONLY use a Lipo rated battery charger with these batteries or damage can occur. Not available for shipment outside the U.S or Canada, sorry. T6/L2 OEM Automotive Case size (directly replace stock battery)...

www.gregsraceparts.com

It fit perfectly and was easy to install. I put it on a LiPo trickle charger when I first got it to make sure it had a full charge. I haven't used the trickle charger since, and that's been since early May. The car has sat for up to a week and a half without being started, and starts right up, no problem.

The AntiGravity battery isn't cheap and we shouldn't have to buy a new battery to get proper battery function for the car, but if you buy one, not only does it work like a champ, you save weight. It's 29 lbs (13 kg) lighter than the factory battery.

 

[mikeee]

I get this issue too.
Only about 2 minutes of listening to audio with the engine off and the Low Battery Auto Shutdown message.

Is this by design and you can only use infotainment with the engine running or does it suggest my battery has an issue?

Or is there a way to keep the audio / infotainment running with the engine off?
It’s useful esp while installing new speakers etc or tweaking audio settings to not need the engine running!

 

[geoffbland]

is there a way to keep the audio / infotainment running with the engine off?

Does Convenience Mode do this? Not tried it myself just reading the manual.

 

[mikeee]

I can find no way at all of listening to audio / using infotainment with the engine off - surely it must be possible? Plays for about 2 minutes then the Low Battery - auto shut down message.

Even tried plugging the trickle charger in, but it still happens…..anyone?

 

[virtualmacho]

I can find no way at all of listening to audio / using infotainment with the engine off - surely it must be possible? Plays for about 2 minutes then the Low Battery - auto shut down message.

Even tried plugging the trickle charger in, but it still happens…..anyone?

I encountered this when breaking in my speakers. Didn't look much into it and just drove a total of 50 hours listening to white noise I do not recommend it !

 

[CarGuy11]

Is there a way to stop car from turning on radio when opening door? Hate my phone connects when just retrieving something from vehicle.

 

[Steve24]

Is there a way to stop car from turning on radio when opening door? Hate my phone connects when just retrieving something from vehicle.

Agreed.
Drives me nuts that it doesn’t remember whatever your last settings were.

 

[Whitey]

Is there a way to stop car from turning on radio when opening door? Hate my phone connects when just retrieving something from vehicle.

Yes, it’s in the settings menu and detailed in the manual. Mine used to auto connect and then I found the menu!

 

[CarGuy11]

Yes, it’s in the settings menu and detailed in the manual. Mine used to auto connect and then I found the menu!

Hmm didn't see this. Are you talking about CarPlay? Then you'd have to manually connect phone to car every time you wanted it connect when driving.

 

[scv]

Yes, it’s in the settings menu and detailed in the manual. Mine used to auto connect and then I found the menu!

need help: which manual- owners, infotainment, other? and which page for "settings menu"? Thanks...

 

[MAX FPS]

I can find no way at all of listening to audio / using infotainment with the engine off - surely it must be possible? Plays for about 2 minutes then the Low Battery - auto shut down message.

Even tried plugging the trickle charger in, but it still happens…..anyone?

I think you need to try a real battery charger, and if that doesn't work replace the battery.
When I received my Emira at the end of April, it had been produced in October 2024 and sat at ports and dealer lots for 6 months. The manual says to use the trickle charger or you could have starting problems after only 18 days. Lotus even gives you one, though 4 amps is a fairly weak one.
When my car was first delivered just getting it over to my driveway and shutting it off the first time I got that "Low battery - Auto shutoff" warning. The Lotus manual says something really important that helped me out with not only the Emira, but also my Porsches' "weak" batteries that I also keep on trickle chargers:

The Lotus manual also says to charge its AGM battery to 12.8 volts. I have an antigravity SC-10 charger that I put on the new Emira - it read about 50% charged and only 12.3 volts!

I've learned from my Porsche and others on the Porsche forums that low batteries, combined with the high demands of the computer systems these days, can cause all kinds of crazy faults. They usually resolve themselves on "reboots". So I've been keeping the Porsche on a NOCO Genius 5 trickle charger. But it wasn't until I got the Antigravity SC-10 AND read that bit above in the Emira manual that a trickle charger doesn't "top up" a weakened/discharged battery. That was a revelation. When the NOCO trickle charger said my Carrera's battery was '100%' - throwing the Antigravity on it it took another 30 minutes of charging before it said full.

I'd grab yourself a good charger+maintainer (the SC-10 does both but there are many brands) and see if you can bring that battery back. Unfortunately AGM batteries once discharged are often "weakened". Mine already doesn't stay topped up just from frequent driving, but I've never had the low battery warning again.

 

[mikeee]

As well as the Auto shutdown message I also get this one too now despite the car being in regular use and also often on charge overnight.

Battery needs replacing? Covered under the 3 yr warranty?

 

[MAX FPS]

As well as the Auto shutdown message I also get this one too now despite the car being in regular use and also often on charge overnight.

Battery needs replacing? Covered under the 3 yr warranty?

I'd try a good charge before assuming it needs replacing, though if even after a good charge and maintaining and/or regular driving you still get messages like this, and your dealer isn't farther than the cost of just buying a new battery, then yes you could try and get a warranty replacement out of them. You'll probably want to document your charging and how fast it gives you those messages after because they might not just take your word for it.