Common problems
Lotus Elise common problems
What MOT testers find on the Lotus Elise: the parts that fail or get advisories most often at each age, against all cars of the same age. From 10,793 DVSA MOT tests taken 2022 to 2025.
MOT data updated
At 24 years, the most tested age
What stands out
- No part area of the Lotus Elise fails more than 1 point per 100 MOTs above all cars at 24 years old (n=2,047; all cars n=428,815).
- Suspension fails are less common: 2.6 per 100 MOTs against 13.5 for all cars at the same age.
- The fail item testers record most often at 24 years: side/position light not working, on 3.4 per 100 MOTs (all cars 3.8).
- The most common advisory or minor defect: play in steering rack inner joint(s), on 6.0 per 100 MOTs.
Problems by part at 24 years
How many of every 100 MOTs found a fail, or an advisory or minor defect, in each area. A test with faults in two areas counts in both.
| Area | Fails | All cars | Advisories | All cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lights and electrics | 8.5 | 17.2 | 3.2 | 12.5 |
| Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 7.1 | 7.0 | 0.5 | 16.8 |
| Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 4.1 | 6.9 | 4.1 | 5.9 |
| Suspension | 2.6 | 13.5 | 11.4 | 32.5 |
| Brakes | 2.1 | 12.2 | 10.8 | 30.7 |
| Steering | 1.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 6.8 |
| Tyres | 1.0 | 4.5 | 6.4 | 21.0 |
| Body and structure | 0.7 | 9.4 | 0.9 | 16.6 |
| Number plates and VIN | 0.6 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 6.2 |
What testers fail most on the Elise at 24 years
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | Typical repair (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Side/position light not working | Lights and electrics | 3.4 | 3.8 | £10 to £47 per lamp |
| Catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 2.5 | 2.2 | |
| Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 2.2 | 1.4 | |
| Washers: not working | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.5 | 1.3 | £28 to £118 per car (rough guide) |
| Wipers not clearing screen | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.4 | 3.3 | £15 to £30 per blade |
| Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 1.4 | 0.8 | |
| Headlight aimed too high | Lights and electrics | 1.3 | 1.2 | £16 to £39 per car (rough guide) |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 1.0 | 1.9 | £2 to £14 per car (rough guide) |
| Emissions not tested: unable to be completed | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | 1.0 | 0.8 |
Early warnings: advisories and minor defects at 24 years
Advisories and minor defects are recorded, but the car still passes. Across all cars, a part with an advisory or minor defect failed at the next MOT 5.5 times in 100 (n=88,666,940 pairs of consecutive MOTs), against 0.3 times in 100 when the same part had none (n=12,936,860,350).
| Item | Area | Per 100 MOTs | All cars | If it needs replacing (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play in steering rack inner joint(s) | Other | 6.0 | 3.5 | |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened | Brakes | 4.9 | 9.2 | £148 to £376 per axle (rough guide) |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit/worn on edge | Tyres | 4.3 | 11.2 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Coil spring: corroded | Suspension | 3.1 | 7.1 | |
| Brake pads: wearing thin | Brakes | 2.6 | 4.2 | £72 to £174 per axle (rough guide) |
| Windscreen: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors | 2.6 | 3.6 | |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread | Number plates and VIN | 2.5 | 6.1 | £23 to £63 per plate (rough guide) |
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material | Brakes | 2.2 | 14.7 | £137 to £392 per car (rough guide) |
| Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing | Tyres | 2.1 | 9.8 | £88 to £145 per tyre |
| Shock absorbers: has light misting of oil | Suspension | 2.1 | 2.8 | £122 to £484 per axle (pair) (rough guide) |
Repair estimates are a guide for an independent garage: labour at the national median local garage rate (median £78 an hour from 65 garages, ONS price quotes) times estimated labour hours, plus a parts band. Labour hours and most parts bands are estimates, not quotes, and prices vary by model, engine and region. A warning light fault shows the cost of the diagnosis only.
How problems change with age
| Age | Tests (n) | Lights and electrics | Exhaust, emissions and leaks | Windscreen, wipers and mirrors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 years | 1,020 | 4.8 | 3.2 | 3.6 |
| 20 years | 1,185 | 6.9 | 3.2 | 3.6 |
| 21 years | 1,225 | 6.3 | 4.4 | 2.7 |
| 22 years | 1,450 | 6.8 | 5.3 | 3.0 |
| 23 years | 1,862 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 3.5 |
| 24 years | 2,047 | 8.5 | 7.1 | 4.1 |
| 25 years | 2,004 | 8.2 | 7.0 | 4.1 |
What to check on a viewing
On the Lotus Elise, testers most often record side/position light not working; catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits; catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits. Look at these first, then the areas below.
Lights and electrics
- With someone outside, try every light: dipped and main beam, indicators, brake lights, fog lights and number plate lamps.
- Check that the warning lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs.
- Look for misted, cracked or yellowed headlamp lenses.
Exhaust, emissions and leaks
- Start the engine from cold if you can and watch the exhaust for blue or black smoke.
- Check that the engine warning light goes out after starting and stays out on the test drive.
- Look under the car and around the engine for oil or fluid leaks, and listen for a blowing exhaust.
Windscreen, wipers and mirrors
- Look for chips or cracks in the windscreen, above all in front of the driver.
- Run the wipers and washers: they should clear the screen without smearing.
- Check that the mirrors are present, secure and not cracked.
Ask for the car's MOT history and service record: advisories that repeat from one year to the next show what has been left. GOV.UK MOT history.
Questions
What are the most common problems on the Lotus Elise?
At 24 years, the age with the most MOT tests (2,047), the fail items testers record most often on the Lotus Elise are side/position light not working (3.4 per 100 MOTs), catalyst emissions: Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (2.5 per 100 MOTs), catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (2.2 per 100 MOTs). The most common advisories or minor defects are play in steering rack inner joint(s) (6.0) and brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (4.9).
Which parts of the Lotus Elise fail more often than on other cars?
None by more than 1 point per 100 MOTs at 24 years, compared with 428,815 MOTs of all cars the same age.
More on the Lotus Elise
Other Lotus models
The all cars figures cover all class 4 vehicles (cars and light vans) tested at the same age.
Looking at a Lotus Elise?
These figures describe the model, not the car in front of you. Found one you might buy? See what the VetTheCar Buying Report covers, or use the tools that work without a registration.
See a sample report Car tools · MOT fail rates by model · Compare models by MOT record
Repair estimates: ONS consumer price quotes for local garage labour (09/2025 to 08/2026), the MOT inspection manual for defect wording, and estimated labour hours and parts bands. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ONS.
Source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources