RoadVitals

1991 Lotus Elan Fuel system Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Fuel system reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Apr 20, 2002
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
92%
of 13 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1991 Lotus Elan submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming fuel system

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Fuel system
Filed Apr 20, 2002

FUEL TANK LEAKS WHEN OVER 1/2 FILLED

NHTSA ID
760936
Fuel system
Filed Apr 19, 2002

GAS TANK LEAKS FUEL IF YOU FILL IT UP.

NHTSA ID
760893
Incident
Dec 1, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Apr 8, 2002

WHILE PARKED ON A HILL AND GAS TANK IS FULL, FUEL LEAKS OUT. IF TANK IS HALF FULL AND ON A HILL, FUEL DOESN'T LEAK OUT. CONTACTED DEALER, CANNOT FIX PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER HAS TO FILL THE GAS TANK TO 1/2 OF IT'S CAPACITY TO AVOID SMELLS AND SPILLAGE. *JG

NHTSA ID
8007015
Fuel systemVisibility
Filed Apr 5, 2002

NEAR THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK THERE IS A CRACK. WHEN FILLING VEHICLE UP WITH FUEL IT LEAKS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND HAD IT REPAIRED. *AK DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL TANK, IT WAS SPLIT ON ONE SIDE. WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE AND WAS INOPERATIVE. *SLC

NHTSA ID
8006942
Incident
Dec 1, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Mar 6, 2002

FUEL TANK CRACKED, AND WAS LEAKING FUEL. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER FIXED IT TWICE, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK

NHTSA ID
8005068
Incident
Jan 1, 1995
Fuel system
Filed Feb 25, 2002

APPERANTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE LOTUS ELAN FUEL TANK. LOTUS WANTS TO CHARGE ME FOR REPAIRING SOMETHING THEY KNOW IS FAULTY DUE TO POOR DESIGN. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER ELAN OWNERS AND SOME HAVE PAID THE FEE FOR THE NEW TANK AS WELL AS THE SERVICE CHARGES TOTALLING OVER $1,000. I ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER OWNERS WOULD LIKE LOTUS TO STEP UP AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. *AK

NHTSA ID
758628
Fuel system
Filed Aug 17, 2001

WHEN GAS TANK WAS FILLED FUEL LEAKED ON GROUND AND FUMES ENTERED VEHICLE. FUMES WERE SO STRONG THAT CONSUMER FELT SICK AND PULLED OVER. VEHICLE LEAKED SO MUCH FUEL IN GAS STATION THAT EMPLOYEE WAS GOING TO BILL THE CONSUMER. DEALER, LOTUS WAS NOT ADMITTING THERE WAS A PROBLEM. FUEL TANK WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IF VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IT WOULD DIFFINTENTLY BLOW UP. *AK TOP OF FUEL TANK HAS A CRACK IN IT, CONSUMER STATES THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL 1991 ELANS. *SLC

NHTSA ID
894598
Incident
Aug 7, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Dec 4, 2000

THIS TYPE OF FAILURE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE MODEL BEFORE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID
737280
Incident
Nov 15, 2000
Fuel system
Filed Dec 22, 1999

WHEN FILLED WITH GAS, THE FUEL TANK LEAKS FROM THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE TANK; LEAKING FUEL IS A FIRE HAZARD AND GAS ODOR IN CAR IS ANNOYING. I SUSPECT THAT THE TANK NECK HAS CRACKED AT ITS JUCTION TO THE TANK BODY AS REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS. I CONTACTED LOTUS CARS, WHO INSISTED THAT I TAKE IT TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION BEFORE ANY REMEDIES MAY BE CONSIDERED. I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER ELAN OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, AND HAVE HAD THEIR TANKS REPLACED BY LOTUS; I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS A DEFECT IN THE TANK MANUFACTURE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR INSPECTION AND/OR REPLACEMENT BY THE MANUFACTURER -- IT IS DEFINETELY A FIRE HAZARD. AS THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT 500 OF THESE CARS IMPORTED IN THE 1991 MODEL YEAR ONLY, LOTUS IS HESITANT TO ADMIT ITS A DEFECT; OF THE 500 CARS, HOW MANY HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO YOU? THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. DAN MILLER. *AK

NHTSA ID
716338
Incident
Dec 1, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Jun 23, 1999

FUEL TANK LEAKS WHEN IT IS FULL. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
840958
Fuel system
Filed Jun 12, 1999

THIS PROBLEM POSES A SERIOUS HAZARD. LOTUS REFUSES TO PROVIDE SERVICE BULLETINS THAT MIGHT BE PERTINENT TO THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
707478
Incident
Aug 30, 1998
Fuel system
Filed Jun 8, 1999

THE CAR FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE OWNED LEAKED FUEL WHEN EVER THE TANK IS FILLED UP. IT IS NOT LEAKING AS A RESULT OF OVERFLOW, BUT FROM SOME WHERE BETWEEN THE NECK AND THE TANK. BESIDES LEAKING FUEL IT HAS A REAL BAD SMELL. *AK

NHTSA ID
707321
Incident
Jun 6, 1999

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .