BumperScan
Powered byNHTSA|EPA|Community Reports
Your report: 3 of 4 steps complete75%
Car identifiedData collectedBasic analysisFull AI analysis

Free Preview

#BS-2009-LOTELI-46C8

2009 Lotus Elise

Based on reports from 1 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Recalls
2
TSBs
16
✅

Preliminary Verdict

Green Light

Based on 1 complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $1.20

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the BrakesHIGH

1 owners reported brakes issues — failures commonly reported around 20K miles.

+ 3 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Brakes (1 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Brakes1 (100%)

2009 Lotus Elise: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 100% of all reports filed for the 2009 Lotus Elise, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 20,200 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 20K-mile mark.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

Get Report — From $1.20

Recall History (2 recalls)

09V179000Jun 2009

WHEELS:HUB

LOTUS IS RECALLING 87 MODEL YEAR 2009 ELISE AND EXIGE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 20, 2008 THROUGH MAY 5, 2009. THE REAR HUB FLANGE BOLTS ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY BE UNDER-TORQUED AND MAY BECOME LOOSE. IF THAT OCCURS, AN INSECURE HUB COULD LEAD TO DEGRADATION IN VEHICLE HANDLING, AND A RUBBING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE.

14V280000Sep 2014

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Lotus Cars USA, Inc. (Lotus) is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 Elise and Exige vehicles manufactured from November 2007 to July 2011, and 2011 Evora vehicles manufactured September 2010 through September 2011. The oil cooler hose may detach from its fitting.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Lotus Elise Model Years

2011201020092008200720062005
View all Lotus Elise years →

2009 Lotus Elise: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2009 Lotus Elise?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2009 Lotus Elise is related to the brakes, with 1 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2009 Lotus Elise reliable?
The 2009 Lotus Elise has 1 complaints, 0 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 2009 Lotus Elise problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2009 Lotus Elise have any recalls?
Yes, the 2009 Lotus Elise has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Lotus Elise problems start?
Based on 1 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 20,200 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
RaccoonEagleRoverCat

Get the Full 2009 Lotus Elise Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 1 owner reports. Know before you buy.

Get Full Report — From $1.20Money-back guarantee
Instant delivery|One-time purchase|No hidden fees