NHTSA Complaint #10389986 — 2005 LOTUS ELISE

MY 2005 LOTUS ELISE EXPERIENCED A COOLANT LEAK IN THE P/N A12E0017F ALUMINUM U-TUBE DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUBBING ON A OIL FITTING THAT THE TUBE WAS RESTING ON. DUE TO THE ENGINE VIBRATION AND SHAKING, THE U-TUBE WORE THROUGH THE TUBE WALL COMPLETELY ALLOWING COOLANT TO LEAK OUT. THE U-TUBE IS LOCATED ON THE FRONT SIDE OF THE ENGINE AND RUBS ON A OIL LINE FITTING. BASED ON AN ONLINE FORUM (LOTUSTALK) AND OTHER LOTUS ELISE/EXIGE OWNERS, THE U-TUBE RUBBING IS NOT AN ISOLATED. APPARENTLY, SOME ELISES/EXIGES HAVE THE U-TUBE ZIP-TIED TO THE OIL LINE FITTING, BUT THE RUBBING IS STILL APPARENT AND ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A COOLANT LEAK WILL OCCUR. MY ELISE WAS NOT ZIP-TIED, WHICH NO DOUBT ACCELERATED THE WEARING AND RESULTING LEAK. I DECIDED TO MAKE A REPORT SINCE IT LOOKS LIKE LOTUS OWNERS ARE STILL IDENTIFYING THE RUBBING AND APPLY DO-IT-YOURSELF FIXES. I REPAIRED MINE AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND STARTED A THREAD ON LOTUSTALK TO HELP OTHER OWNERS PROTECT THEIR CARS FROM EVER LEAKING LIKE MINES. *TR