1991 Lotus ELAN: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1991 model year. Data snapshot: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 8 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 7 | 87.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly | 8 |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 1 |
| Visibility:Windshield | 1 |
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly: 8; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 1; Visibility:Windshield: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
No usable failure mileage is recorded. 8 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 6 |
2000: 1; 2001: 1; 2002: 6
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 737280 · 2000-12-04 (December 4, 2000)
THIS TYPE OF FAILURE HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE MODEL BEFORE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 737280 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 758628 · 2002-02-25 (February 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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 758628 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 760893 · 2002-04-19 (April 19, 2002)
GAS TANK LEAKS FUEL IF YOU FILL IT UP.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 760893 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 760936 · 2002-04-20 (April 20, 2002)
FUEL TANK LEAKS WHEN OVER 1/2 FILLED
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 760936 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8005068 · 2002-03-06 (March 6, 2002)
FUEL TANK CRACKED, AND WAS LEAKING FUEL. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER FIXED IT TWICE, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8005068 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8006942 · 2002-04-05 (April 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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8006942 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 8007015 · 2002-04-08 (April 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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8007015 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 894598 · 2001-08-17 (August 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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 894598 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
02V199000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
Reported: 2002-07-25 (July 25, 2002)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL TANKS CAN LEAK.
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 26, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT LOTUS AT 1-800-245-6887.
NHTSA campaign record ↗