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.
The worst 2009 Lotus Elise problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Brakes1
Problems by type
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- Brakes1
Recalls 2
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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 a fire.
- 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.
Recall number 14V280000 · Recall details
Wheels: hub
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- If the problem is not addressed promptly, the driver could lose control of the vehicle, resulting in a crash.
- 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.
Recall number 09V179000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2009 Lotus Elise 16
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Standard information required and procedures to be followed when reporting ECU & TCU faults
- There is often inconsistent or insufficient information received from dealers when reporting ECU and TCU...
- Air conditioning compressors failing due to oil starvation
- Any unauthorised modifications, including fitment of non-approved after-market air filter resulting in...
- Compatibility of Yokohama AD07 and V105 tire product ranges for the Elise model range.
- Recommendation of revision to manual brake bleeding procedure on any Elise models fitted with a brake...
- Retrofitment of the latest level CDL (Central Door Locking) actuator to earlier models if required
- Clarification of air conditioning compressor ?Running-In? Procedure
- To reinforce the importance of checking and clearing stored fault codes at time of PDI (Pre-Delivery...
- Retrofitment of the latest level windscreen washer bottle/pump assembly to earlier models if required
What 2009 Lotus Elise owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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Questions about the 2009 Lotus Elise
Is the 2009 Lotus Elise reliable?
Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 2009 Lotus Elise, fewer than a typical Elise model year.
What is the 2009 Lotus Elise year score?
The 2009 Lotus Elise scores 95 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Lotus Elise: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Lotus Elise?
Brakes, with 1 complaint.
How many recalls does the 2009 Lotus Elise have?
2 recalls, covering engine and engine cooling and wheels.
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