By year
Owner complaints about Lotus vehicles peaked at 29 in 2011
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, 1995 to 2026. 2026 runs through October.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints and recalls files. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Make
Lotus
The complete NHTSA record for Lotus vehicles: owner complaints, recall campaigns, defect investigations and manufacturer communications, for every model and model year on file.
Most Lotus recalls are filed by Lotus Cars USA, part of Geely.
Owner complaints in the last five years10120 on file in all, across 8 models
Recall campaigns210 in five years
Severity index6.7Crash, fire, injury or death per 100 complaints
Investigations197 service bulletins
Components
Engine and cooling draws the most owner complaints about Lotus vehicles, 41% of them
Share of all owner complaints on file, by component.
Source: NHTSA ODI.
Models
The Elise has the most complaints of any Lotus model
Every Lotus model with complaints or recalls on file, by complaints. Counts are not rates: NHTSA publishes no sales volumes.
| Model | Model years | Complaints | Severity index | Recalls | Investigations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elise | 2005 to 2011 | 72 | 5.6 | 12 | 2 |
| Evora | 2010 to 2020 | 16 | 6.3 | 7 | 0 |
| Elan | 1991 to 1994 | 14 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Exige S | 2007 to 2009 | 8 | 25.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Esprit | 1987 to 2004 | 3 | 33.3 | 17 | 0 |
| Exize | 2006 | 2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exige | 2005 to 2011 | 1 | 0.0 | 9 | 0 |
| Emira | 2023 to 2026 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI. Recall counts add campaigns across model years, so a campaign covering three years counts three times.
Latest recalls
Recent campaigns listing a Lotus product
- 19V-263 Apr 2, 2019
Toe board in the passenger footwell lacks stiffness, allowing the knee of an unbelted occupant to contact the rigid structure of the vehicle, in…
Structure · 424 vehicles - 18V-781 Nov 6, 2018
Due to an assembly error, in the event of a frontal collision, the steering column may not properly collapse to absorb some of the impact energy
Steering · 36 vehicles - 14V-280 May 27, 2014
Oil cooler hose may detach from its fitting
Engine and cooling · 860 vehicles - 13V-314 Jul 16, 2013
Engine oil cooler hose may chafe and rupture resulting in oil loss
Engine and cooling · 80 vehicles - 13V-216 May 21, 2013
These vehicles have been granted a temporary exemption from the requirement to conform to the latest passenger side advanced air bag requirements…
Equipment · 28 vehicles - 13V-041 Feb 5, 2013
Oil cooler line may become detached from its fitting
Engine and cooling · 451 vehicles - 12V-477 Oct 1, 2012
This engine mounted oil feed pipe, used to supply oil to the engine cylinder head, can rupture
Engine and cooling · 80 vehicles - 11V-541 Nov 3, 2011
Incompatible module may, under certain conditions cause all the led turn signal lamps to flash at an erratic frequency when the hazard warning…
Lighting · 78 vehicles - 11V-510 Oct 14, 2011
Oil cooler line may become detached from its fitting
Engine and cooling · 5,041 vehicles - 09V-179 May 26, 2009
Rear hub flange bolts on some of these vehicles may be under-torqued and may become loose
Wheels · 87 vehicles
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.