There are 3 stored owner reports matching the suspension leading-label group for the 2005 Lotus Elise in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 3 of 3 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)FAILURE: BROKEN TOE LINK BOLT. EVENT'S LEADING TO THE FAILURE: NORMAL DRIVING OF THE CAR ON PUBLIC STREETS. CONSEQUENCES OF THE FAILURE: REAR WHEEL WILL MOVE FREELY CAUSING TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR. THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT FROM MINOR INJURIES TO BOTH THE CAR'S OCCUPANTS AND INNOCENT DRIVERS AROUND THE CAR TO SEVERE PENALTIES SUCH AS DEATH(S). WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: PROPER REMOVAL AND CLEANING OF GALVANIZED CLUMPS (MANUFACTURE DEFECT) WHERE THE TOE LINK BOLTS TO THE CHASSIS. MOREOVER, REPLACEMENT OF THE TOE-LINK JOINT, NUTS AND BOLTS, AND ENSURE THEY ARE PROPERLY TORQUED TO MANUFACTURES SPECIFICATION. *TR
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, A LOUD BANG OCCURRED WITH A STRANGE FEELING AT THE REAR OF THE CAR AND THE CAR SPUN 180 DEG. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND SAW THE REAR PASSENGER CAR TIRE TOED OUT AT ABOUT 20 DEG. THE BOLT CONNECTING THE TOE CONTROL LINK TO THE CHASSIS BROKE, CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO MOVE FROM ITS NORMAL STRAIGHT AHEAD POSITION TO AN ABNORMAL, EXAGGERATED TOE OUT POSITION. THE TOE CONTROL LINK AND SECURING BOLT HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPLACED, BUT WILL BE SHORTLY. *TR
WIRING ON AUTO HAS BEEN A MESS SINCE NEW, AUTO TOWED 15 TIMES FOR MECHANICAL REASONS AND ADDITION TIMES TOW TRUCK WAS COMING AND CAR WOULD START. SHIFTER BROKE OFF AT 2,000 MILES, TRANSAXLE WAS REPLACED AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES ALARM SYSTEM, ALTERNATOR,SPEAKERS,TURN INDICATORS, FRONT STEERING BOX (RACK), VEHICLE COMPUTER (SPEED INDICATED ON DASH HAS BEEN AT LEST 15% HIGH SINCE TRANSAXLE WAS REPLACED)-- HAVE ALL FAILED. LOTUS DEALERSHIPS WHERE NEVER ABLE TO LOCATE OR FIX WIRING PROBLEM (FOX VALLEY, AURORA IL ANOTHER LAKE FOREST HAS NO AUTHORIZED LOTUS MECHANIC.) LOTUS USA INC. COVERED MOST UNTIL WARRANTY EXPIRED ,NOW WILL NOT RETURN PHONE CALLS OR E-MAILS (OVER 15 SENT IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.). AUTO NOW HAS 26,666 MILES AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE AUGUST OF 2010. IT WILL NOT PAST WISCONSIN EMISSIONS SO I AM UNABLE TO GET LICENSE PLATES ALSO IT WILL CHANGE LANES OFF A STRAIGHT LINE WITHOUT WARNING. AUTO WAS NEVER ON A TRACK AND ALWAYS STORED IN A HEAT AND RODENT CONTROLLED AREA. A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT WORKED ON AUTO STATED "THE WIRING HARNESS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN PULLED AND INSTALLED THROUGH OUT THE AUTO WITH OUT REGARD TO SHARP EDGES OR CARE IN ANYWAY", HE FOUND NO RODENT DAMAGE.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Sep 8, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.