Check a vehicle VIN check Latest recalls Latest complaints Common problems Rankings Compare vehicles Recall roundups All makes Guides Share your experience
Theme

2005-2011 · 7 model years

Lotus Elise Problems by year

Owners have filed 72 complaints about the Lotus Elise across 7 model years, and it has 6 recalls. The 2005 has the most complaints once its age is allowed for (46). The most reported problem area is the engine & cooling, followed by the transmission & drivetrain.

Most complaints for its age200546 complaints · 2 recallsSee the 2005
Complaints
72
Recalls
6
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
0

Elise complaints by model year

Highlighted: the year with the most complaints for its age. Older vehicles have had more time to collect complaints - the Safety Index grade allows for that.

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
20110200-C
20100100-A
20091200BrakesC
20080200-C
20078200Engine & coolingD
200617101Engine & coolingF
200546221Engine & coolingF

Most common Elise problems

Lotus Elise recalls 6

Wheels: hub

09V17900087 vehicles affected

Lotus is recalling 87 model year 2009 elise and exige vehicles manufactured from june 20, 2008 through may 5, 2009. The rear hub flange bolts on some of these vehicles may be under-torqued and may become loose. If that occurs, an insecure hub could lead to...

Latest Elise complaints

2007 Lotus EliseTransmission & drivetrain

The 2007+ lotus elise/ exige are all equipped with a shifter that is prone to failure. I have personally had a broken shifter while driving on the highway and was stuck at the 3rd gear and almost got into a car accident. Many have also reported the same situation. It's believed to be true that the ball joint structure at the pivot point on the bottom of the shifter is the main reason to this failure. Almost every case that has surfaced on internet has shown the identical broken structure which we called the "blue ball". It is made with plastic and is commonly shattered in pieces, and that happens, the entire shifter is loose and broken.

Filed Incident Power trainNHTSA 11109941
2005 Lotus EliseEngine & coolingBrakesFire

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 lotus elise. The contact stated that while driving 40 mph, smoke began to emit in and around the vehicle. The contact attempted to engage the brakes but the pedal sank to the floor. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the oil cooler line fractured causing a leak and as a result, the oil cooler and brakes needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 41,187. The current mileage was 42,250.

Filed Incident Engine and engine cooling · Service brakesNHTSA 10592736
2006 Lotus EliseEngine & cooling

I have an inquire in regard to my 2006 lotus elise (vin [[redacted]]) oil line issue that happened on 12/11/13. I was driving normally and the engine light came on all the sudden. I pulled over shortly after. While waiting for the tow truck, I already can see that the engine oil was leaking from the front right side. My car was towed to a local repair shop and found that the oil line was dis-attached from the connector. I had been trying to the called the lotus usa # 1800-245-6887 since the incident...

Read the full complaint

(12/11/13). I called on 3 different days (12/11/13, 12/20/13, and 12/23/13); called 5-6 times, and left 3 voice messages to [[redacted]] with my name, the inquiry, and my phone #, and until to date (11/24/13) no one ever called back. [[redacted]] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 10557199
2005 Lotus EliseEngine & cooling

Nhtsa recall #11v-510. On 11/11/13 I made an appointment for 11/18/13 to have the referenced recall work performed on my 2005 lotus elise at star motor cars in houston, tx. On 11/18/13 I brought the car to star motor cars to have the recall work done. Today is 11/26 and the work has not been completed and star motor cars cannot tell me a date that it will be completed. Star motor cars has failed to perform the recall work in a timely manner. *Tr

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 10553905
2005 Lotus EliseEngine & cooling

2005 Lotus elise. Consumer writes in regards to denial of reimbursement for repair of vehicles oil cooler line. *Smd the consumer stated a recall was issued for the exact problem he experienced. The manufacturer claimed the failure took place outside of the date range as set for in the reimbursement plan. The consumer stated there was no explanation of how the date range was set. He stated the recall explained the defect was on lotus vehicle manufactured from 2004-2006. The consumer stated he purchased his vehicle in march 2006. The failure occurred six months out warranty in november 2009. The consumer stated for some reason, the reimbursement window began october 5, 2010.

Filed Incident Engine and engine coolingNHTSA 10508023
2007 Lotus EliseEngine & coolingFuel system

I was on the freeway and moved into the #2 lane and was accelerating. I looked out my rearview mirror and saw what I thought was a dust cloud behind me. I looked at the road in front of me expecting to see some dirt on the road, but there wasn't any. I looked back and it seemed that it was like a dirty brown smoke. I was my car. (I later realized the cloud was a spray of oil mist.) I was going 65 or 70 mph and didn't notice anything unusual with the drivability. I looked at my instrument panel & noticed the oil...

Read the full complaint

light was on. I shot over to the exit and to the off-ramp. The car seemed to be straining on the off ramp and on the verge of stalling but it was still running. I couldn't stop on the off ramp and luckily I had a green light so I turned right and then right again at the next block and pulled into a commercial driveway and shut the car off. I probably drove a total of about a half mile with the oil leaking out. There was a trail of oil on the road and a puddle developed under the car where I stopped. When I got out to inspect the car I found the passenger side of the car and back of the car (and underneath) was covered in oil. Both the front and rear passenger wheels were covered in oil. No oil was on the driver side at all. The oil leak / loss seemed to be in the front of the car and on the passenger side. It was I don't recall anything odd happening with the car. It didn't feel like I hit anything or that anything??Broke?? As I was driving it. The oil cloud?? In my rear view mirror was my first sign that something had happened. I later found out from my mechanic that the oil line coupling had failed in the front where it connected to the oil cooler. After the event I wondered about the cars behind me on the freeway and what it was like for them following me after the release of 10 quarts of oil onto the freeway and their windshields. *Tr

Filed Incident Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 10482729

Questions about the Lotus Elise

Which Lotus Elise years have the most problems?

By the number of complaints owners filed with NHTSA: 2005 (46), 2006 (17), 2007 (8). Allowing for how long each has been on the road, the 2005 stands out most. Complaint counts also rise with sales, so compare years of the same model rather than different models.

Which Lotus Elise years have the fewest complaints?

Among model years that have been on the road for at least three years, 2010 have the best Safety Index - the fewest complaints, crashes and recalls for their age compared with other Elise years. Always check the exact vehicle's recalls by VIN before you buy.

What are the most common Lotus Elise problems?

Across every model year, owners report problems with the engine & cooling (51), transmission & drivetrain (7), visibility & wipers (4) most often.

How many recalls does the Lotus Elise have?

NHTSA lists 6 recalls across all Lotus Elise model years. Each year's page lists the recalls for that year; check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether the repair has been done.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

Owners helping owners

Know before you drive.

Every experience you share - good or bad - shows on that vehicle's page and helps the next owner and buyer. Two minutes, anonymous.

Share your experience