2018 Lotus EVORA: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
Not available median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data updated: . 0 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Suspension is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 1 |
Suspension: 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. 1 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 |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 |
2022: 1
Pattern summary
Suspension leads the component reports. 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 11449300 · 2022-01-28 (January 28, 2022)
Rear upper control arm cracked. Very critical safety part. I have had a discussion with other owners and have discovered that several others have had the same issue. Very low milage. 10k miles. Could result in a fatal collision! Found issue during safety inspection. Bushing is now misaligned and control arm is not in the proper location due to the crack. Another crack could result in complete failure and result in a fatal crash.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11449300 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
18V781000 · Steering
Reported: 2018-11-06 (November 6, 2018)
Lotus Cars Limited (Lotus) is recalling certain 2018 Lotus Evora vehicles. Due to an assembly error, in the event of a frontal collision, the steering column may not properly collapse to absorb some of the impact energy.
Consequence: If the steering column does not collapse as intended in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Lotus will notify owners, and dealers will correct the steering column assembly, free of charge. The recall began December 4, 2018. Owners may contact Lotus customer service at 1-800-245-6887. Lotus' number for this recall is 2018/01R.
NHTSA campaign record ↗19V263000 · Structure
Reported: 2019-04-02 (April 2, 2019)
Lotus Cars USA, Inc. (Lotus) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Evora vehicles. The toe board in the passenger footwell lacks stiffness, allowing the knee of an unbelted occupant to contact the rigid structure of the vehicle, in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the occupant's knee contacts the rigid structure, there may be an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Lotus will notify owners, and dealers will replace the toe board with a new design to provide the appropriate stiffness, free of charge. The recall began May 27, 2019. Owners may contact Lotus customer service at 1-800-245-6887. Lotus' number for this recall is 2019/01R.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10524802 · 1,500 miI WAS COMING TO A STOP, APPLYING THE BRAKES AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. THE BRAKES BECAME ROCK HARD I HAD TO USE BOTH FEET TO SLOW THE CAR STEERING LOCKED AND I REAR ENDED THE CAR I FRONT OF ME AT 2-3 MPH. THE CAR WAS DAMAGED THE CAR WAS CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CONDITION OCCURRED AGAIN AT NEARLY A COMPLETE STOP AND A THIRD TIME WITH MY WIFE IN THE CAR. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER CARS. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REFLASHED THE… | 266.7%ODI 10733418 · 457 miDECELERATING TO A STOP, SHIFTING DOWN IN GEARS, SHIFT INTO FIRST AND BRING VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP AND NOTICE RPM'S DROP TO ZERO AND ENGINE STALLS. HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN TWO WEEKS, CAR IS BRAND NEW. | 266.7%ODI 10649204 · 1,000 miENGINE CUTS OUT WHEN DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED AND COMING TO A STOP. *TR | 266.7%ODI 11610304Driving on an interstate highway a MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light) illuminated and within less than 5 seconds, the engine went into shutdown mode. I was able to safely clear the highway but on a central lane and heavy traffic it would have been impossible to safely clear the highway and the car would be stranded in the middle of the road. Checking malfunction codes indicated a throttle body malfunction or at least a sensed malfunction as the car showed no problem ahead of shutdown. Second code indicated a “LIMP HOME” mode which quickly progre… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Suspension | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 11520835Rear upper control arm failure. A crack develops along a casting line, which then allows the upper bushing to move within the control arm. This bushing is pressed into the control arm, and is not supposed to move. Because the hub was allowed to tilt forward due to the bushing not being held firmly by the control arm, the outer CV boot was allowed to contact the lower spring perch, which then burned a hole in the CV boot, allowing all its grease to escape. This scenario can generate an excessive amount of heat and/or wear in that joint, leadin… | 150.0%ODI 11453280The rear upper control arm or wishbone developed a crack. The spherical joint in the wishbone started to slide forward and back under braking and acceleration. In my case, it was caught quickly and before there was an accident. However, this wishbone is one leg of a tripod that attaches the wheel to the car. If the crack were to develop into a break, it could cause a catastrophic failure leading to injury or death. Essentially, a rear wheel could fall off. The problem is clearly a pattern failure in these forged aluminum parts. Some have faile… | 133.3%ODI 11490369Component that failed: rear upper suspension control arm developed a crack where it connects with the rear wheel knuckle. Other Lotus Evoras have reported this failure, across several model years. Component has not been inspected by others. No warning lamps. Suspension started making a clunking noise. | 133.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 11449300Rear upper control arm cracked. Very critical safety part. I have had a discussion with other owners and have discovered that several others have had the same issue. Very low milage. 10k miles. Could result in a fatal collision! Found issue during safety inspection. Bushing is now misaligned and control arm is not in the proper location due to the crack. Another crack could result in complete failure and result in a fatal crash. |
| Power Train | 150.0%ODI 10491061 · 23,000 miTHE CAR IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. ENGINERING/DESIGN DEFECT CAUSES ENGINE HEAT TO BOIL HYDRAULIC CLUTCH FLUID, LEADING TO HYDRAULIC CLUTCH FLUID DECAY OVER TIME, LEADING TO FAILURE OF MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER AND CLUTCH PEDAL STOCK IN DOWN POSITION WHILE DRIVING. THIS ULTIMATELY MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET INTO NEUTRAL OR SHIFT GEARS. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY IN FOURTH GEAR, WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. LUCKY FOR ME IT HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT. THE CAR WAS IN FIRST GEAR AT 5 MPH AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS STUCK IN THE DOWN POSI… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10524802 · 1,500 miI WAS COMING TO A STOP, APPLYING THE BRAKES AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. THE BRAKES BECAME ROCK HARD I HAD TO USE BOTH FEET TO SLOW THE CAR STEERING LOCKED AND I REAR ENDED THE CAR I FRONT OF ME AT 2-3 MPH. THE CAR WAS DAMAGED THE CAR WAS CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CONDITION OCCURRED AGAIN AT NEARLY A COMPLETE STOP AND A THIRD TIME WITH MY WIFE IN THE CAR. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER CARS. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REFLASHED THE… | 133.3%ODI 11093982 · 34 miIPS WIRING HARNESS ISSUE - VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD RANDOMLY LOSE COMPLETE POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. VEHICLE STUCK IN THIS LIMP MODE ARE UNABLE TO GO BACK INTO GEAR AND IS LOCKED OUT FROM DRIVING, THUS REQUIRE THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED. THIS CREATES A HAZARDOUS CONDITION THAT IN AN EVENT IF AN INDIVIDUAL WAS TO MERGE INTO A LANE AND LOSES COMPLETE POWER AS A RESULT, ACCIDENT WILL LIKELY TO OCCUR DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT GAIN SPEED OR MOMENTUM IN ORDER TO MERGE. MANY OWNERS WITH THE AUTOMATIC … | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 11093982 · 34 miIPS WIRING HARNESS ISSUE - VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD RANDOMLY LOSE COMPLETE POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. VEHICLE STUCK IN THIS LIMP MODE ARE UNABLE TO GO BACK INTO GEAR AND IS LOCKED OUT FROM DRIVING, THUS REQUIRE THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED. THIS CREATES A HAZARDOUS CONDITION THAT IN AN EVENT IF AN INDIVIDUAL WAS TO MERGE INTO A LANE AND LOSES COMPLETE POWER AS A RESULT, ACCIDENT WILL LIKELY TO OCCUR DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT GAIN SPEED OR MOMENTUM IN ORDER TO MERGE. MANY OWNERS WITH THE AUTOMATIC … | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 11610304Driving on an interstate highway a MIL (Malfunction Indicator Light) illuminated and within less than 5 seconds, the engine went into shutdown mode. I was able to safely clear the highway but on a central lane and heavy traffic it would have been impossible to safely clear the highway and the car would be stranded in the middle of the road. Checking malfunction codes indicated a throttle body malfunction or at least a sensed malfunction as the car showed no problem ahead of shutdown. Second code indicated a “LIMP HOME” mode which quickly progre… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Steering | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10524802 · 1,500 miI WAS COMING TO A STOP, APPLYING THE BRAKES AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. THE BRAKES BECAME ROCK HARD I HAD TO USE BOTH FEET TO SLOW THE CAR STEERING LOCKED AND I REAR ENDED THE CAR I FRONT OF ME AT 2-3 MPH. THE CAR WAS DAMAGED THE CAR WAS CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CONDITION OCCURRED AGAIN AT NEARLY A COMPLETE STOP AND A THIRD TIME WITH MY WIFE IN THE CAR. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER CARS. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REFLASHED THE… | 133.3%ODI 10733418 · 457 miDECELERATING TO A STOP, SHIFTING DOWN IN GEARS, SHIFT INTO FIRST AND BRING VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP AND NOTICE RPM'S DROP TO ZERO AND ENGINE STALLS. HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN TWO WEEKS, CAR IS BRAND NEW. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags | 150.0%ODI 10511543 · 12,049 miAIR BAG COMES ON CONSTANTLY. 4+ TIMES IN ONE YEAR. WILL HAVE TO TAKE BACK TO DEALER TO CHECK AGAIN. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 10524802 · 1,500 miI WAS COMING TO A STOP, APPLYING THE BRAKES AND SHIFTED THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. THE BRAKES BECAME ROCK HARD I HAD TO USE BOTH FEET TO SLOW THE CAR STEERING LOCKED AND I REAR ENDED THE CAR I FRONT OF ME AT 2-3 MPH. THE CAR WAS DAMAGED THE CAR WAS CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CONDITION OCCURRED AGAIN AT NEARLY A COMPLETE STOP AND A THIRD TIME WITH MY WIFE IN THE CAR. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER CARS. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REFLASHED THE… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Suspension:Rear | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 11700048 · 69,000 miThe contact owns a 2017 Lotus Evora. The contact stated that there was a clunking sound coming from the rear suspension. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who was certified to work on Lotus vehicles, but not associated with the dealer, and the rear suspension arm was inspected and diagnosed with a fracture in the casting of the suspension. The suspension arm and bushing were replaced. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No usable records for this analysis. | ||||
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2017: 0 complaints · 2018: 0 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Suspension |
|---|---|
| Suspension | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.