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Lotus EliseModel year report

2007 Lotus Elise Problems

Complaints
8filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
31,500miles, 8 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 1.8L 4-cyl RWD · 21 city / 27 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2007 Lotus Elise (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2007 Lotus Elise. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 4 complaints (50% of the total), followed by engine (3) and fuel system (2). 8 of the complaints include a mileage, and 75% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 31,500 miles. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 12 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 2 recall campaigns covering the hoses/lines/piping/fittings and 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part. Engine complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “Was driving my 2007 Lotus Elise when the oil hose pulled out of the crimped fitting at the right rear connection to the engine just above the oil filter. This caused all of the oil to quickly leave the engine and coat the right rear tire. I was lucky I was driving straight on a highway at the time and was able to safely pull over. Had this happened on a corner, with traction lost on the rear tire the results could have been significantly different.”

NHTSA complaint #10420414, filed 2011-08, 20,000 miles

Engine: “I was on the freeway driving at freeway speeds in the #1 lane when I smelled burning oil. I hadn't noticed the car performing differently so I looked ahead to the forward cars for the 'gross polluter' causing the smell. I didn't see anyone with my first forward inspection. I then immediately noticed the oil light lit on the dash. At the same instant I looked out of the side mirror and saw smoke pouring from my car. …”

NHTSA complaint #10482713, filed 2012-10, 89,000 miles

Fuel system: “I was on the freeway and moved into the #2 lane and was accelerating. I looked out my rearview mirror and saw what I thought was a dust cloud behind me. I looked at the road in front of me expecting to see some dirt on the road, but there wasn't any. I looked back and it seemed that it was like a dirty brown smoke. I was my car. (I later realized the cloud was a spray of oil mist.) I was going 65 or 70 MPH and didn't notice anything unusual with the drivability. I looked at my instrument panel & noticed the oil light was on. I shot over to the exit and to the off-ramp. …”

NHTSA complaint #10482729, filed 2012-10, 55,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “The 2007+ Lotus Elise/ exige are all equipped with a shifter that is prone to failure. I have personally had a broken shifter while driving on the highway and was stuck at the 3rd gear and almost got into a car accident. Many have also reported the same situation. It's believed to be true that the ball joint structure at the pivot point on the bottom of the shifter is the main reason to this failure. Almost every case that has surfaced on internet has shown the identical broken structure which we called the blue ball . …”

NHTSA complaint #11109941, filed 2018-07, 3 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

75% of the 8 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 20,000 and 35,167 miles.

13%0–1025%10–2538%25–5013%50–7513%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (8 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 31,500 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

20102011201242018
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2007 Lotus Elise version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Elise/Exige RWD1.8L 4-cyl6-speed manual212723$2,900
Elise/Exige RWD1.8L 4-cyl6-speed manual202622$3,050

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2007 Lotus Elise → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 12 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 12 bulletins →

Other model years of the Lotus Elise

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2007831,5002—23—Not enough data
20061732,5001—22—Stable
20054628,0002—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable

All Lotus Elise model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2007 Lotus Elise have?

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2007 Lotus Elise as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2007 Lotus Elise is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 4 complaints (50% of the total), followed by engine with 3.

Has the 2007 Lotus Elise been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2007 Lotus Elise get?

The EPA rates the 2007 Lotus Elise (Elise/Exige, 1.8L 4-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 21 city and 27 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2007 Lotus Elise reported?

Among the 8 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 31,500 miles and the middle half falls between 20,000 and 35,167 miles; 75% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.