NHTSA Complaint #10482729 — 2007 LOTUS ELISE

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. THE CAR SEEMED TO BE STRAINING ON THE OFF RAMP AND ON THE VERGE OF STALLING BUT IT WAS STILL RUNNING. I COULDN'T STOP ON THE OFF RAMP AND LUCKILY I HAD A GREEN LIGHT SO I TURNED RIGHT AND THEN RIGHT AGAIN AT THE NEXT BLOCK AND PULLED INTO A COMMERCIAL DRIVEWAY AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. I PROBABLY DROVE A TOTAL OF ABOUT A HALF MILE WITH THE OIL LEAKING OUT. THERE WAS A TRAIL OF OIL ON THE ROAD AND A PUDDLE DEVELOPED UNDER THE CAR WHERE I STOPPED. WHEN I GOT OUT TO INSPECT THE CAR I FOUND THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AND BACK OF THE CAR (AND UNDERNEATH) WAS COVERED IN OIL. BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER WHEELS WERE COVERED IN OIL. NO OIL WAS ON THE DRIVER SIDE AT ALL. THE OIL LEAK / LOSS SEEMED TO BE IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT WAS I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING ODD HAPPENING WITH THE CAR. IT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I HIT ANYTHING OR THAT ANYTHING??BROKE?? AS I WAS DRIVING IT. THE OIL CLOUD?? IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS MY FIRST SIGN THAT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED. I LATER FOUND OUT FROM MY MECHANIC THAT THE OIL LINE COUPLING HAD FAILED IN THE FRONT WHERE IT CONNECTED TO THE OIL COOLER. AFTER THE EVENT I WONDERED ABOUT THE CARS BEHIND ME ON THE FREEWAY AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR THEM FOLLOWING ME AFTER THE RELEASE OF 10 QUARTS OF OIL ONTO THE FREEWAY AND THEIR WINDSHIELDS. *TR