Engine Oil Leaking Problems of Lotus Elise

I have an inquire in regard to my 2006 Lotus Elise (VIN [xxx]) oil line issue that happened on 12/11/13. I was driving normally and the engine light came on all the sudden. I pulled over shortly after. While waiting for the tow truck, I already can see that the engine oil was leaking from the front right side. My car was towed to a local repair shop and found that the oil line was dis-attached from the connector. I had been trying to the called the Lotus USA # 1800-245-6887 since the incident (12/11/13). I called on 3 different days (12/11/13, 12/20/13, and 12/23/13); called 5-6 times, and left 3 voice messages to [xxx] with my name, the inquiry, and my phone #, and until to date (11/24/13) no one ever called back. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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Aware of NHTSA recall # 11v-510 having received letter from Lotus cars USA but was told this vehicle was probably not affected. Monitored for signs of oil leakage anyway but saw nothing: no change in oil level on dipstick checks, no signs of oil under car. While accelerating on expressway, had low oil warning light come on and noticed some difficulty steering due to slickness as car was brought to a safe halt as quickly as possible. Right side of car was covered in oil, apparently originating at oil cooler located in front of right front wheel well. Car was taken to Lotus dealer and oil line was reported to have burst. After fixing, was told there was sound of cylinder damage in engine. Lotus will be replacing the engine at their cost per dealer's report to me on 4/3/2012.

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Oil line failure by the front left (driver side) tire. Was traveling straight on the freeway, no collision of any sort. Oil light came on and car started leaking oil by the front tire. Apparently a recall is in effect for this issue, but no fix is available yet. . Read more...

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After reading of serious oil line fitting failures on my model of car, I inspected my oil line fittings and found one that was leaking. If this fitting had failed to the point where the hose came off (which has happened to others), it would have sprayed oil in front of my right rear wheel, which could have caused loss of vehicle control, and ruined my engine. I repaired it with a new fitting that is more secure than the factory fitting. I also made measurements (using digital calipers) of the original fitting crimp before I removed it, and another fitting on the car that wasn't leaking oil. The measurements showed that the leaking fitting was not crimped as tightly as the one that wasn't leaking. I recommend that the original crimp specifications be reviewed (the original specification may not be tight enough), and that a recall be issued to, at a minimum, measure the actual crimp size on all six oil line fittings on the car to see if any are not sufficiently crimped. If they are not, then they should be replaced or recrimped (if that can be done properly).

Vehicle inspection found oil is leaking at oil hose connector due to insufficient crimping of adapter to oil hose. Eventually this will lead to oil hose disconnection and a loss of engine oil.

The contact owns a 2005 Lotus Elise. The contact stated that oil was leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer however, the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 14,000 and the current mileage was 14,200. The right rear oil line at the metal fitting is currently leaking oil. Updated 10/28/11.

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.