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CarsLore / Makes / Lotus

Lotus

7 models on record from 1987 to 2024. Owners filed the most complaints about 2005 models (46).

7models
117owner complaints
16US recall campaigns
381service bulletins (model-years)

Models

Every Lotus model with a safety record. Open one to see it year by year.

ModelYearsComplaintsRecallsBulletinsNew in Europe
Elise2005–201172121093,219
Evora2010–20201671301,523
Elan1991–199414202
Exige S2007–20098121796
Esprit1987–200431281
Exige2005–201119871,554
Emira2023–2024101161

Also on record, with too little data for a page of its own: Exize · 2-eleven · evora-gt · Europa.

NHTSA recalls, complaints and manufacturer communications (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · new cars in Europe: European Environment Agency, 2010–2022

Complaints by model year

All Lotus models together. Newer years are still collecting complaints.

’95’00’04’05’08’12’16’2046’95’99’02’05’08’11’14’17’20’2446

NHTSA ODI complaints

What owners report

  • Engine and engine cooling46
  • Engine18
  • Fuel system, gasoline14
  • Power train13
  • Suspension11
  • Electrical system7
  • Visibility6
  • Unknown or other4

NHTSA ODI complaints, by the system named in the complaint

Latest recalls

19V263000 · Structure2 Apr 2019

Lotus Cars USA, Inc. (Lotus) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Evora vehicles. The toe board in the passenger footwell lacks stiffness, allowing the knee of an unbelted occupant to contact the rigid structure of the vehicle, in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

18V781000 · Steering6 Nov 2018

Lotus Cars Limited (Lotus) is recalling certain 2018 Lotus Evora vehicles. 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.

14V280000 · Engine and engine cooling27 May 2014

Lotus Cars USA, Inc. (Lotus) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Elise and Exige vehicles manufactured from November 2007 to July 2011, and 2011 Evora vehicles manufactured September 2010 through September 2011. The oil cooler hose may detach from its fitting.

13V314000 · Engine and engine cooling16 Jul 2013

Lotus Cars USA, Inc. is recalling certain model year 2011 Evora supercharged vehicles equipped with a manual transmission and manufactured September 2010 through September 2011. The engine oil cooler hose may chafe and rupture resulting in oil loss.

13V216000 · Equipment21 May 2013

Lotus Cars is recalling certain model year 2013 Evora vehicles manufactured September 2012 through November 2012. These vehicles have been granted a temporary exemption from the requirement to conform to the latest passenger side advanced air bag requirements covered by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," but the affected vehicles do not a contain temporary exemption label in accordance with 49 CFR 555.9. Additionally, the affected vehicles have the incorrect date of manufacture on the Federal Certification Label.

13V041000 · Engine and engine cooling5 Feb 2013

Lotus is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Elise and Exige vehicles manufactured from December 1, 2006, through October 31, 2007. The oil cooler line may become detached from its fitting.

12V477000 · Engine and engine cooling1 Oct 2012

Lotus is recalling certain model year 2011 Evora supercharged vehicles manufactured from February 2011 through September 2011, equipped with a three-piece oil feed pipe with a flexible hose section. This engine mounted oil feed pipe, used to supply oil to the engine cylinder head, can rupture.

11V541000 · Exterior lighting3 Nov 2011

LOTUS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 ELISE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 2010, THROUGH FEBRUARY 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE VEHICLES WERE FITTED WITH TURN SIGNAL MODULES WHICH WERE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE REVISED FRONT HEADLIGHT CONFIGURATION WHICH INCLUDES THE INTEGRAL FRONT LED TURN SIGNAL UNITS. THE INCOMPATIBLE MODULE MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS CAUSE ALL THE LED TURN SIGNAL LAMPS TO FLASH AT AN ERRATIC FREQUENCY WHEN THE HAZARD WARNING SWITCH IS DEPRESSED. IN ADDITION, IN THE EVENT THAT EITHER A FRONT OR REAR TURN SIGNAL LAMP FAILS TO ILLUMINATE OR DOES NOT FLASH AT THE CORRECT FREQUENCY WHEN OPERATED, THE REMAINING FUNCTIONING SIGNAL LAMPS ON THAT VEHICLES SIDE AS WELL AS THE INSTRUMENT TURN TELL TALE LAMP WILL NOT FLASH AT AN INCREASED RATE AS INTENDED.

NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words

EU safety alerts

7 Lotus alerts in Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, since 2012.

Emira
A12/01676/23 · 21 Jul 2023
Injuries
Elise
A12/00048/20 · 17 Jan 2020
Fire, Injuries
Evora
A12/1761/18 · 23 Nov 2018
Injuries
Elise
A12/1371/16 · 28 Oct 2016
Injuries
Elise, Exige, 211 and Evora S
A12/0919/14 · 20 Jun 2014
Fire, Injuries
Evora S
A12/1003/13 · 9 Aug 2013
Fire, Injuries
A12/1637/12
A12/1637/12 · 2 Nov 2012
Fire

Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0 · all EU alerts

New registrations in Europe

7,450 new Lotus cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2022, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2022 the largest markets were Germany (119), Italy (57), Belgium (31), France (16), Austria (9).

YearNew carsLargest marketsMass kgCO₂ g/kmPower kW
2022248Germany, Italy, Belgium1,210216 (WLTP)254
2021420Germany, France, Italy1,087203 (WLTP)228
2020500Germany, France, Italy1,098203 (WLTP)219
2019708United Kingdom, France, Germany1,139195 (WLTP)228
2018717United Kingdom, Germany, France1,155210 (WLTP)222
2017705United Kingdom, France, Germany1,149205 (NEDC)215
2016786United Kingdom, France, Germany1,199—219
2015696United Kingdom, Germany, France1,194—198
2014572United Kingdom, Germany, France1,182—194
2013449United Kingdom, France, Belgium1,231—192
2012296United Kingdom, France, Belgium1,189—148
2011522United Kingdom, France, Austria1,283—174
2010831United Kingdom, France, Austria1,166——

Most registered Lotus models in Europe, 2022

ModelNew cars
Elise Sport 24099
Exige Sport 39086
Emira61
Evora 4101
Evora Gt 410 4 Seat Automatic Gearbox1

Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement