NHTSA vehicle safety data

2009 Lotus Elise Recalls & Complaints

The 2009 Lotus Elise has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 1 owner complaint on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Lotus dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2009 Lotus Elise. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2009 Lotus Elise owner complaints

Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA about the 2009 Lotus Elise, describing incidents dated March 15, 2012.

Most-cited components

Service Brakes 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10452042 · Filed March 17, 2012
MOMENTARY BRAKE FAILURE YESTERDAY. THIS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE. SHE'S COMMUTED WITH THE CAR TO WORK 3 TIMES A WEEK, 90 MILES ROUND TRIP FOR 7+ MONTHS, LOGGING MANY THOUSANDS OF MILES, AND MUCH MORE THAN I HAVE. ALSO SHE HAS BEEN DRIVING STICK FOR 17 YEARS, AND ROUTINELY DRIVES SPORTS CARS (MINI COOPER…

Read the full complaint

Oil Cooler Line Detachment

NHTSA #14V280000 · Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine · NHTSA notice

Reported May 27, 2014 · Lotus Cars USA, Inc.

Potentially affected: 860 vehicles

Repair completion: 36.92% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Lotus campaign 2014/01R, 2014/02R · Owners notified September 30, 2014 · Vehicles built November 1, 2007 – July 30, 2011 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

A detached oil hose could spray oil on a tire, increasing the risk of a crash, or it could spray oil throughout the engine compartment, increasing the risk of a fire.

Manufacturer remedy

Lotus will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil cooler hose fittings on the Elise and Exige vehicles and will replace the oil cooler hose assemblies on the Evora vehicles, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Lotus at 1-800-245-6887. Lotus' number for this recall is 201401R (Elise/Exige), and 2014/02R (Evora). Note: This recall is an expansion of recalls 11V-510 and 13V-041.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

UNDER-TORQUED REAR HUB FLANGE BOLTS

NHTSA #09V179000 · Wheels — Hub · NHTSA notice

Reported May 26, 2009 · LOTUS CARS USA, INC.

Potentially affected: 87 vehicles

Owners notified June 30, 2009 · Vehicles built June 20, 2008 – May 5, 2009 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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 DEGRADATION IN VEHICLE HANDLING, AND A RUBBING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE.

Safety consequence

IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED PROMPTLY, THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

LOTUS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JUNE 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT LOTUS TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-245-6887.

Notes

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2009 Lotus Elise. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

1 owner complaint has been filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Lotus Elise.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

ODI #10452042

Incident: March 15, 2012 · Filed: March 17, 2012

MOMENTARY BRAKE FAILURE YESTERDAY. THIS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE. SHE'S COMMUTED WITH THE CAR TO WORK 3 TIMES A WEEK, 90 MILES ROUND TRIP FOR 7+ MONTHS, LOGGING MANY THOUSANDS OF MILES, AND MUCH MORE THAN I HAVE. ALSO SHE HAS BEEN DRIVING STICK FOR 17 YEARS, AND ROUTINELY DRIVES SPORTS CARS (MINI COOPER S, Z3). 70 MPH (IN 70 ZONE) CRUISING IN #2 LANE REASONABLE FOLLOWING DISTANCE. TRAFFIC AHEAD BEGINS TO SLOW QUICKLY. APPLIED BRAKE. NOTHING. BELIEVE PEDAL DID NOT TRAVEL ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. CHANGED TO #3 LANE TO AVOID COLLISION WITH CAR IN FRONT. REAPPLIED BRAKE. NOTHING. CHANGED TO #4 LANE. TRIED MOVING FOOT OVER IN CASE WRONG PEDAL WAS BEING PUSHED, AND THROTTLE REVVED CONFIRMING SHE HAD BEEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL. APPLIED BRAKE A THIRD TIME, AND IT WORKED CORRECTLY, AS IF THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM. I CHECKED FLUID IN RESERVOIR (FULL, COLOR VERY CLEAR, LAST CHANGED 9 MONTHS AGO WITH MOTUL 5.1 SYNTHETIC FLUID(NOT 5, NOT SILICON)). FRONT PADS WERE CHANGED 1 MONTH ~800+ MILES AGO. SHE CAN'T BE POSITIVE THAT THERE WAS ZERO BRAKING EFFECT, BUT SHE WAS VERY SURE THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING IN THEIR NORMAL FASHION. AT NO TIME DURING HER HARD BRAKE PRESSURE DID THE ABS GIVE THE PULSING SENSATION IN THE PEDAL. NO IDIOT LIGHTS FOR BRAKES OR ABS CAME ON. DEALERSHIP TOOK THE REPORT SERIOUSLY, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE OR FIND ANY FAILED COMPONENT OR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. *TR

Other Lotus Elise model years

Check your 2009 Lotus Elise VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Lotus Elise at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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