Your vehicle report
2005 Lotus Elise
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 46
- Received Apr 2006 to May 2014
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Trailer frame, axle, or hitch fails while towing19 complaints · 41% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Head gasket leaks coolant into engine3 complaints · 6.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #11V510000Lotus 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.
- Recall #05V571000On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 6-SPEED manual transmissions, the gear lever may break.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 2 crashes, 1 fire, 0 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 2 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 11 |
| 2011 | 17 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 46 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trailer frame, axle, or hitch fails while towing | 19 | 41% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 6.5% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #11V510000October 14, 20115,041 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling; engine and engine cooling: cooling system: hoses/lines/piping/fittings
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.
A detached oil line 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.
Remedy
Lotus will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles as necessary free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before december 19, 2011. Owners may contact Lotus at 1-800-245-6887.
NHTSA recall #05V571000December 29, 20051,740 vehicles affected
power train: manual transmission
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 6-SPEED manual transmissions, the gear lever may break.
This could result in the inability to change gears, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the gear levers. The recall began on february 10, 2006. Owners may contact Lotus cars USA at 1-800-245-6887.
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2005 Lotus Elise.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN