The Lotus Elise could very well be the definition of “sports car” and proof of this is not only found in its dynamics. Sports cars are notoriously ‘questionable’ and the Elise, even though powered by Toyota, has managed to slip into that realm of sports car-dom. The Nation Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating the 2005 to 2006 model year Elise for oil cooler leaks.
The investigation covers 4,400 models and was sparked by numerous complaints from owners. The problem lies in the oil cooler that can leak on to the tires, coating them in oil and causing serious handling issues. So far, 17 complaints have been filed saying that the oil line leading to the cooler ruptured, spilling oil on the tires and engine compartment. The NHTSA even received one complaint saying that the entire car caught fire.
