Lotus is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 elise and exige vehicles manufactured from june 1, 2004, through november 30, 2006. The oil cooler line may become detached from its fitting.
Engine & cooling
Lotus Exige S Engine problems by year
6 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Lotus Exige S's engine & cooling. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.
Engine complaints by model year
Engine recalls
Latest Exige S engine complaints
On november 15, 2015 my 2007 lotus exige s experienced oil cooler line failure. I was taking turn 8 at thunderhill raceway at 95 mph when the oil cooler transfer hose at the front of the car detached and dumped oil onto my passenger side tires and all along the side of my vehicle. This created an extremely unsafe environment and I could easily have crashed as a result - the fact that I was on a racetrack doing an hpde with no other cars around me helped prevent that (had I been on the highway, it most certainly...
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would have resulted in an accident). On october 22, 2013, this car was taken to lotus of las vegas for the nhtsa required oil cooler line recall, and the recall work was fraudulently reported as being completed. After this incident, I contacted jerry at lotus of las vegas and he verbally admitted to me that he had employed a technician who had to be let go because he wasn't doing his job. Clearly, jerry wasn't doing his job, either. My incident was a result of this. This extreme negligence could easily have resulted in a serious accident or even death, and I am sure that there are other cars that had this recall done at lotus of las vegas who will probably find that they were defrauded, too. I have attached the vehicle history for my car from lotus of las vegas showing the dates and the work that was reported as complete. Lotus of las vegas clearly had zero oversight on the safety recall work they were completing, and that responsibility falls on jerry's shoulders. The fact this occurred is terrifying, appalling and completely unacceptable.
Radiator cooling fins are metal, but each side has a rectangular plastic tubing that allows water to flow up and down each side of the radiator. At 16,200 miles, the plastic portion of the radiator on the driver side catastrophically failed, resulting in a 6 inch crack in the plastic portion, spraying radiator fluid all over the windshield, unexpectedly. (I have a picture of the crack, if that would be helpful.) From reviews of the lotustalk.Com forum, it is apparent that this radiator is cracking in a similar...
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fashion, regularly and at low mileage, requiring owners to replace the radiator (my cost was approximately $1,700 in parts and labor). Several owners are noted to be replacing the plastic radiator with an all metal unit, at their cost, prior to any failures, for fear of the plastic radiator cracking on them, as has happened to so many others. I contacted lotus to seek assistance with the parts and/or labor and despite documenting the frequency that this is occurring, they refused to provide any assistance, only noting that the vehicle is beyond the 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty. Radiators are not supposed to fail at 16,000 miles - the oem part is clearly a defective design and lotus should make them right; owners should not have to pay $1,700 to have a radiator that will last beyond 16,000 miles.
Have a leak around oil cooler. I'm afraid if oil gets on to exhaust it could start a fire or if it gets on the tires cause an accident. The 2005 and 2006 have already been investigated for this problem and a recall has been ordered but apparently does not include my 2007 model. *Tr
The oil line leading to the front oil cooler failed at the engine side, where the hose meets the connector. This caused the oil to leak all over the engine bay and exhaust. This is a known issue with the car and there's already a recall for 05&06 cars, but the same problem exists for 07 cars as well. The oil leak caused a small fire in the engine bay in my car. I was able to put out the fire in time, but had I not had the right equipment, it would have been a total loss. The repair cost for the oil line should be paid for by lotus. *Js
I currently have a 2007 lotus exige s. My vehicle has a leak in the driver's side oil cooler. My id on lotustalk.Com is [[redacted]] : I have a thread with pictures located there. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2007 lotus exige s. While the vehicle was parked he noticed that the oil lines coming from the oil cooler were very loose. He was fearful that the oil lines would possibly fracture while driving. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing nor was it repaired. The failure and current mileages were 2,000. The vin was unavailable. Updated 01/11/11*lj
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