2006 Lotus Elise engine problems

ENGINE

I HAVE AN INQUIRE IN REGARD TO MY 2006 LOTUS ELISE (VIN [XXX]) OIL LINE ISSUE THAT HAPPENED ON 12/11/13. I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALL THE SUDDEN. I PULLED OVER SHORTLY AFTER. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK, I ALREADY CAN SEE THAT THE ENGINE OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND FOUND THAT THE OIL LINE WAS DIS-ATTACHED FROM THE CONNECTOR. I HAD BEEN TRYING TO THE CALLED THE LOTUS USA # 1800-245-6887 SINCE THE INCIDENT (12/11/13). I CALLED ON 3 DIFFERENT DAYS (12/11/13, 12/20/13, AND 12/23/13); CALLED 5-6 TIMES, AND LEFT 3 VOICE MESSAGES TO [XXX] WITH MY NAME, THE INQUIRY, AND MY PHONE #, AND UNTIL TO DATE (11/24/13) NO ONE EVER CALLED BACK. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10557199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LOTUS ELISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V510000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY HAD NO TIME FRAME AS TO WHEN THE NECESSARY PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,300.

NHTSA complaint #10458335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LOTUS ELISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V510000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE TO FIND OUT HOW TO PURSUE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,000. ..UPDATED 01/25/16 *BF UPDATED 01/28/16.

NHTSA complaint #10453531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 LOTUS ELISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING ABNORMALLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE OIL FILTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V510000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NHTSA complaint #10453317 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

OIL COOLER HOSE SEPARATED FROM FITTING AT THE SANDWICH PLATE ON THE ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10450517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

AS I WAS PULLING ONTO MY STREET, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH. I IMMEDIATELY FOUND A PLACE TO STOP AND PARK THE CAR, AT WHICH TIME I NOTICED THE SMELL OF OIL IN THE CABIN. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED OIL ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE & WHEEL, AND APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES AFTER PARKING THERE WAS A LARGE PUDDLE OF OIL UNDERNEATH THE FRONT HALF OF THE CAR. MY ONLINE SEARCH FOR A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT HAS LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE OIL COOLER LINES.

NHTSA complaint #10441035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

OIL COOLER SUPPLY LINE CONNECTED TO THE SANDWICH PLATE WHERE THE OIL FILTER SCREWS IN, ON MY 06 LOTUS ELISE BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE COUPLING, SPRAYING OIL EVERYWHERE AND PERMANENTLY DAMAGING MY ENGINE. THE ENGINE ONLY HAS 50K MILES ON IT, AND NOW IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NEW MOTOR, AND LABOR COSTING OVER 6000 DOLLARS TO FIX. THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT SERIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY LOTUS, AS NUMEROUS LOTUS OWNERS ARE REPORTING THIS AND DISCUSSING THIS ON THE ONLINE FORUMS. BEING THE 2ND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE, I AM NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY AND ALL THE REPAIR COST ARE COMING OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. I WISH THERE WAS SOME WAY I CAN GET SOME COMPENSATION BACK FROM LOTUS, AS I ONLY PUT 5K MILES ON THE CAR BEFORE THIS HAPPENED...

NHTSA complaint #10424209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, AND AFTER ABOUT HALF OF A MILE I STARTED TO SMELL BURNING OIL AND THOUGHT TO MYSELF "BOY, I'M GLAD THAT SMELL ISN'T COMING FROM MY CAR!" I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 55 MPH. I LOOKED IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW A THICK TRAIL OF OIL FOLLOWING ME AND LOOKED AT MY OIL LIGHT AND SAW THAT IT WAS ON. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. THERE WAS OIL COVERING THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, BRAKE ASSEMBLY, AND SUSPENSION. THE REMAINING TWO OR THREE QUARTS CAME OUT WHILE I WAS CALLING THE TOW TRUCK. THE SHOP MECHANICS SAID THAT THE OIL COOLER HOSE SLIPPED OUT OF IT'S CRIMP AND HE SHOWED ME A PHOTOGRAPH. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT THERE IS NO EASY FIX. ACCORDING TO THE EXPERTS IN THE LOTUSTALK FORUMS, IT'S COMMON FOR THE CRIMPS TO COME UNDONE. ALTHOUGH I HAD SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE IN TIME TO AVOID A COMPLETE SEIZE UP, THE REPAIR COST WILL STILL BE AROUND $2000 TO REPLACE THE HOSES AND CLAMPS. MOST OF THE COST IS FROM LABOR BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT TO PULL THE HOSES THROUGH AND THE FRONT CLAMSHELL NEEDS TO BE REMOVED. THERE ARE AFTERMARKET KITS TO REPLACE THESE OIL COOLER HOSE/CLAMP SYSTEMS. I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW I'M GOING TO DO THE REPAIRS YET BECAUSE THE NEAREST LOTUS DEALER IS $250 MILES AWAY. ALTHOUGH I WAS UNINJURED, I CAN SEE HOW THIS COULD CAUSE INJURIES - EITHER FROM THE BRAKE ROTORS GETTING COATED WITH OIL, FIRES, OR THE ENGINE SEIZING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY. THE LOTUS ELISE IS A GREAT CAR, BUT THE OIL COOLER HOSE CLAMPS IN THE EARLIER MODELS ARE A BIG PROBLEM!

NHTSA complaint #10421090 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

OIL COOLER LINE CRIMP FITTING FAILED AT THE SANDWICH PLATE ADAPTER WHILE DRIVING ONTO A HIGHWAY RAMP. CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE APPEARED IN REARVIEW MIRROR AND OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. TURNED VEHICLE ENGINE OFF AND REPAIRED MYSELF BY MODIFYING THE CRIMP THAT FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #10415515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

THE HOSE CONNECTING THE TWO OIL COOLERS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR FAILED ON THE FREEWAY. I FELT THE CAR DANGEROUSLY LOSING TRACTION ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER AND I ALSO SAW THE OIL LIGHT COMING ON, AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. I HAD TO REPLACE THE HOSE, IT COST ME $775. TWO WEEKS FROM THAT, THE HOSE FITTING FAILED AGAIN, MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP RIGHT NOW, WHO KNOWS HOW MUCH THE DAMAGE IS NOW.

NHTSA complaint #10402119 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN I NOTICED OIL LIGHT CAME ON. DROVE CAR TO NEARBY SERVICE STATION AND NOTICED REAR PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE WAS COVERED IN OIL AND THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF OIL UNDER CAR. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED OIL COOLER LINE. SEVERAL SOURCES (WEB FORUM, MECHANIC) HAVE TOLD ME THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE IN THESE CARS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS FAILURE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF TRACTION, OR ENGINE FIRE UNDER THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES.

NHTSA complaint #10363130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

BADLY WORN SECOND CAM CAUSING MISFIRE.

NHTSA complaint #10280590 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.