The Lotus Esprit has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns on record covering 1995–2003. On average a defect was admitted 2.11 years after the car was built, the slowest took 7 years. The most recalled system is Air Bags (2 campaigns). Owners also filed 2 complaints on this model — see what breaks.
What was recalled on the Lotus Esprit
Grouped by system. Open any row for the campaigns themselves — what failed, what it risks and how the dealer fixes it, straight from the NHTSA filing.
Air Bags 2 Read
What's wrong. Equipment description: model year 1997 through 2001 lotus esprit vehicles built between september 1, 1995, and march 31, 2001. A replacement passenger seat belt assembly could have been installed in certain vehicles that do not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." these seat belt assemblies were manufactured without a lap portion that is lockable so as to secure a child safety seat
Risk. If an incorrect belt was installed, the seat belt will not be capable of securing a child seat, which could result in death or serious injury to the seat occupant
Fix. Customers are being instructed to bring their cars into their local dealer for a free replacement belt assembly. Owner notification began april 26, 2001. 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…
What's wrong. Equipment description: model year 1997 through 2001 lotus esprit vehicles built between september 1, 1995, and march 31, 2001. A replacement passenger seat belt assembly could have been installed in certain vehicles that do not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." these seat belt assemblies were manufactured without a lap portion that is lockable so as to secure a child safety seat
Risk. If an incorrect belt was installed, the seat belt will not be capable of securing a child seat, which could result in death or serious injury to the seat occupant
Fix. Customers are being instructed to bring their cars into their local dealer for a free replacement belt assembly. Owner notification began april 26, 2001. 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…
What's wrong. Air bag and seat belt system warning labels are missing from the sun visor. This does not comply with fmvss no. 108, "occupant crash protection."
Risk. The vehicle occupant may not properly understand the operation of the air bag system and the need to use seat belts
Fix. Owners will be provided with labels and installation instructions. If they so desire, they can have their dealers install these labels for them
Wheels 2 Read
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain wheels were not properly heat treated for hardness. The rear wheels could crack and break
Risk. If the rear wheels cracked and broke, loss of vehicle control could occur, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash
Fix. Dealers will replace these wheels
What's wrong. Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain wheels were not properly heat treated for hardness. The rear wheels could crack and break
Risk. The rear wheels could crack and break, resulting in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash
Fix. Dealers will replace these wheels
Equipment 1 Read
What's wrong. Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no, 208, "occupant crash protection." certain air bag warning labels are required on both sun visors and the above vehicles failed to have the required labels affixed to the driver's side sun visor
Risk. The absence of the labels could create a risk to motor vehicle safety if the operation of the air bag system and the need to use seat belts is not properly understood. Improper usage could cause injuries in the event of air bag deployment when there is a crash
Fix. Owners will be provided with labels and installation instructions. Owner notification is expected to begin during january 2004. Owners should contact lotus at 1-800-245-6887
What's wrong. Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no, 208, "occupant crash protection." certain air bag warning labels are required on both sun visors and the above vehicles failed to have the required labels affixed to the driver's side sun visor
Risk. The absence of the labels could create a risk to motor vehicle safety if the operation of the air bag system and the need to use seat belts is not properly understood. Improper usage could cause injuries in the event of air bag deployment when there is a crash
Fix. Owners will be provided with labels and installation instructions. Owner notification is expected to begin during january 2004. Owners should contact lotus at 1-800-245-6887
What's wrong. Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no, 208, "occupant crash protection." certain air bag warning labels are required on both sun visors and the above vehicles failed to have the required labels affixed to the driver's side sun visor
Risk. The absence of the labels could create a risk to motor vehicle safety if the operation of the air bag system and the need to use seat belts is not properly understood. Improper usage could cause injuries in the event of air bag deployment when there is a crash
Fix. Owners will be provided with labels and installation instructions. Owner notification is expected to begin during january 2004. Owners should contact lotus at 1-800-245-6887
How long a defect stays unadmitted
Campaign numbers encode the year of the announcement, so each recall on this model can be dated against the car it applies to.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Average gap before admission | 2.11 years |
| Slowest campaign | 7 years |
| Admitted 5+ years later | 11.1% |
| Campaigns on record | 5 |
Which Esprit years were recalled most
Campaigns per model year. A year with more campaigns is not automatically worse — it may simply have sold in far greater numbers.
| Model year | Campaigns | Most recalled system |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Equipment | |
| 2002 | Equipment | |
| 2001 | Air Bags | |
| 1997 | Air Bags | |
| 1995 | Air Bags |
Check your own car
A campaign applies to a range of production, not to every car of the model. The only way to know whether yours is affected — and whether the repair was already done — is by VIN.
| Step | What you get |
|---|---|
| Enter the VIN above | Open campaigns for that exact vehicle, straight from NHTSA |
| Check the repair status | Whether the free fix has already been carried out on this car |
| Book at any franchised dealer | Recall work is free regardless of age, mileage or owner |
Go deeper
A campaign covers a production range. Yours is one car.
- Check whether this exact VIN is affected — and whether the fix was done
- Alerts if a new campaign lands on a car in your garage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Decode a whole list of VINs at once
- No ads, on every page
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Lotus Esprit have?
5 NHTSA campaigns on record, covering 1995–2003. Not every campaign applies to every car — coverage is by production range, so check your VIN.
Is recall work free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer regardless of the car's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. That is a federal requirement, not a courtesy.
How do I know if my Esprit still has an open recall?
Enter its VIN above. We show campaigns that apply to that exact vehicle and whether the repair has already been recorded as done.
Why did a defect take years to be recalled?
On this model the average gap between the car being built and the defect being admitted is 2.11 years, and the slowest campaign came 7 years later. Defects usually surface as they accumulate in the field: complaints pile up, an investigation opens, and only then is a campaign issued.