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2009 Lotus EliseProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 2009 Lotus Elise, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-280 the manufacturer reports only 37% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls2Lowest repair rate 37%Owner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage20kService brakes, hydraulic, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 27, 2014. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2009 Lotus Elise has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

2 recalls

2009 Lotus Elise recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

37%repaired · 2016 Q1

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Recall 14V-280 · May 27, 2014 · 860 vehicles · 316 repaired

Risk. 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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Wheels: hub

Recall 09V-179 · May 26, 2009 · 87 vehicles

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

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Lotus.

Best & worst years

2009 vs. every other Elise year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Elise median. How we score

'05'06'07'08'09'10'11
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
In owners' words

What Elise owners report

Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 10452042 · Mar 17, 2012 · 20,200 miles

Own a 2009 Elise?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.