2013 Lotus Evora problems
The Lotus Evora is a sports car produced by the British company Lotus. The car, which was developed under the project name Project Eagle, was launched on 22 July 2008 at the British International Motor Show. The Evora S was launched in 2010 with a supercharged 3.5-litre V6. A facelifted and more powerful Evora 400 model was unveiled at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, followed by another more powerful variant, the Evora GT430, which was unveiled in 2017.
The Lotus Evora is based on the first all-new vehicle platform from Lotus Cars since the introduction of the Lotus Elise in 1995 (the Exige and the 2006 Europa S are both derivatives of the Elise). The Evora was planned to be the first of three vehicles to be built on the same platform. The sales target was 2,000 cars per year, with prices between £45,000 and just over £50,000, and sales in America scheduled from the beginning of 2010.
Overview
The Evora is the first product of a five-year plan started in 2006 to expand the Lotus lineup beyond its track-specialized offerings and produce a practical road car that would appeal to the mainstream market. As such, it is larger than are recent Elise models and its derivatives (the Exige, Europa S, etc.), with an unladen weight of 1,383 kg (3,049 lb), with the automatic version weighing in at 1,442 kg (3,179 lb). The Evora is currently the only Lotus model with a 2+2 configuration, although it will also be offered in a two-seater configuration, referred to as the "Plus Zero" option. The Evora and the BMW i8 are the only 2+2 mid-engine coupés on sale. The interior is larger to accommodate taller passengers, such as former Lotus CEO Mike Kimberley and two people of 6'5" (195.6 cm).
The cooled boot behind the engine is large enough to fit a set of golf clubs, although Lotus design head Russell Carr denies that this was intentional. Lotus intends for the Evora to compete in different market sectors, including that of the Porsche 911.
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Common 2013 Lotus Evora problems
Common Problems with the Lotus Evora 2013
- Front Door Pillar/Windscreen Surround Mouldings: On some earlier cars, some of the front door pillar/windscreen surround mouldings were coming unstuck and had to be replaced. This issue was more common in early cars.
- Chrome Rear Light Surrounds: Chrome rear light surrounds on Evoras have a tendency to tarnish and lose their "chrome". Evora 'S' and 'SR' from MY12 onwards use a black painted rear light surround which does not exhibit the same issues and can be fitted as a replacement.
- Transmission Noise: Some Evoras are reported as having higher than expected transmission noise at low speed in the lower gears, characterized by the sound of 'a rotating component binding on a metal casing'. This issue can be down to poor quality throwout bearings in the clutch. Some owners have managed to get Lotus to address the issue under warranty.
- Anti-roll Bar (ARB) Bushes: Anti-roll bar (ARB) bushes can dry out and cause knocking noises, particularly the front. Replacing these and properly lubricating them can solve the issue.
- Gear Shift Quality: Increasing the accuracy of gear shifts in the second half of 2010 resulted in reports of some, over time suffering stiff or obstructive gear shifts, making some gears difficult to select. If customers complain of poor gear shift quality, then the cables can be adjusted both at the gearbox and gear linkage ends to improve gear selection, or replaced entirely. This is a 5-hour job as it involves removing parts of the interior.
- Oil Feed Pipe: A recall was made for Evora S' built before September 2011 for a replacement to the three-piece oil feed pipe used to supply oil to the engine cylinder head after there were reports of failures resulting in engine loss and possible engine fires. The pipe is replaced by a redesigned single piece item.
- Rear Tyre Wear: Rear tyre wear has been reported to be fairly high on many cars, even when driven conservatively. In general, owners have reported rear tyres can need replacing after around 10k miles, while others have seen as little as 5k miles, although this obviously is affected by usage and driving style.
- Interior Build Quality: Some reports of poor build quality on the interior, particularly in early cars.
- Passenger Airbag Lid: The clips which hold down the passenger side airbag lid can sometimes fail, causing the lid to not fit properly.
It's worth noting that some issues with the 2013 Lotus Evora are related to Toyota parts, such as the automatic transmission coming out of gear and into neutral while on the move, which is caused by an issue with the Toyota-supplied wiring harness or a busted module.
2013 Lotus Evora car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Lotus Evora problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Engine problems
- Suspension problems
- Power train problems
- Electrical system problems
- Steering problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 2013 Lotus Evora vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
2013 Lotus Evora complaints
The NHTSA has received 3 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2013 Lotus Evora.
SUSPENSION PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2022-10-20
- VIN: SCCLMDSU8DH
- Components: SUSPENSION
- Summary: Component 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.
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2018-03-24
- VIN: SCCLMDTUXDH
- Components: POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
- Summary: IPS 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 (IPS) VARIATION ARE EXPERIENCING THE LIMP MODE AND IS EXPRESSING THEIR FRUSTRATION ON THE INTERNET. LOTUS IS WELL AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND IS REFUSING TO OFFER COMPENSATION TO ALLEVIATE OR ADDRESS THIS ISSUE KNOWING WELL ENOUGH THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. FOR MORE DETAILS IN REGARDS TO THIS, YOU CAN SIMPLY GOOGLE: LOTUS EVORA WIRING HARNESS
STEERING,ENGINE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2015-07-04
- VIN: SCCLMDSU3DH
- Components: STEERING,ENGINE
- Summary: DECELERATING 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.
2013 Lotus Evora recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 1 recalls for different components of the 2013 Lotus Evora.
- Manufacturer: Lotus Cars USA, Inc.
- Components: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
- Summary: Lotus Cars is recalling certain model year 2013 Evora vehicles manufactured September 2012 through November 2012. These vehicles have been granted a temporary exemption from the requirement to conform to the latest passenger side advanced air bag requirements covered by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," but the affected vehicles do not a contain temporary exemption label in accordance with 49 CFR 555.9. Additionally, the affected vehicles have the incorrect date of manufacture on the Federal Certification Label.
- Consequence: An incorrect certification label may prevent the owner from determining recall applicability, potentially increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy: Lotus Cars will notify the owners instructing them to take their vehicle to a Lotus dealer. The federal compliance label will be replaced and an exemption label will be applied, free of charge. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Lotus at 1-770-476-6564. Lotus Cars' recall number is 2013/02R.
Additional sources
More sources of information about 2013 Lotus Evora problems:
Evora 400 Issues Thread | The Lotus Cars Community
Mar 30, 2017 ... 90% of all strange Evora problems are wiring harness related. Mine has been replaced TWICE! The shifting issues the guys are having with the ...
Evora reliability : r/lotus
Jul 15, 2021 ... The Elise / Exige have some issues brought on by its function, but the Evoras are very well put together with a few random misses here or there ...
2014 Lotus Evora S (IPS) common issues | The Lotus Cars Community
Apr 9, 2021 ... Trying to get a list of things to look out for or common issues ill run into when I purchase a used 2014 Lotus Evora S (IPS) any help is greatly ...
Cost of owning a Lotus Evora? : r/lotus
Aug 17, 2022 ... Oh wow, is the airbag light a common issue among the Evora? I suppose that's not too serious of a problem to have though. It seems like the ...
2020 Evora GT issues | The Lotus Cars Community
Dec 20, 2019 ... ... 2013 Lotus Evora S (SOLD) ◅ 2005 Lotus ... known/common issue like the regulator ... General Discussion (Lotus related) Closed/Sold Parts Lotus ...
Other years of Lotus Evora
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