Interior rattles, creeks and clicks - Lotus' and Dealer's response.

[JDR]

Hi,

I would first like to ask that commenters please keep to the question subject and not go off topic. -Thanks!

My 2024 I4 has a cacophony of panel noises that severely diminishes the experience of this otherwise amazing car. There are so many that I am not entirely sure where they are. I think that they are coming from the bottom of the dash (top of the footwell) and on top of the dash. Is seems that they are not coming from the infotainment screen.
I took the car to my dealer who stated (correctly in my opinion) that they could use tape/foam inserts to resolve. It seems they changed their tune after contacting Lotus and after three weeks of investigation stated that Lotus needs to replace and de-commission the offending panels with new. At the three week mark, I was told that they were still waiting for Lotus authorization to proceed. No time frame was given to get approval, let alone get and install the panels. Given many other posts of extracted wait time due to Lotus not being responsive I took my car back, which the dealer claimed would stop the authorization process which I was told was a California Law.

I did a bit of ChatGPT digging and found the following:

If the manufacturer is using the fact that the vehicle is elsewhere (but still in your possession) to deny or stop a warranty claim, that does not appear to be squarely supported by California Vehicle Code § 3065 / NMVB rules as a stand-alone justification.

The dealer stated that I could contact Lotus customer service to pursue. I first contacted Lotus UK and was able to talk to a very nice gentleman who said I have to contact Lotus US. I tried calling and the directory sent me to a voice message to send an e-mail to their mailbox. I did and after much time and several e-mails they state:

Hello Joshua,
Thank you for reaching out, again to Lotus Cars USA Customer Service.
We have responded to your previous submission case #00069069 on 08/28/2025 @7:42pm EST.
and #00069472 on 09/03/2025 @10:58pm EST.
We requested your VIN and the Lotus Dealership you are asking support for.
We are still in need of these details.
Once we received that additional information, we will forward your case to the corresponded Regional Technical Engineering Team to look into your inquiry

Requested information was provided and still no contact from Lotus US.

My opinion is that both the dealer and Lotus are giving me male cow droppings. I don't believe anything I was told to anywhere in the vicinity of correct.

Here are my questions:

1. Has anyone had success getting Lotus to approve a warranty for this issue? If so what was the process?

2. In the scenario that Lotus is not-responsive and I hire an attorney to lemon law, has anyone had to use this option and force (unfortunately) some action or replacement?

3. Has anyone had success using the tape and foam mitigation, if so any detailed info would be appreciated to understand how hard it is and does it work?

In closing (if by any chance Lotus is monitoring this wonderful forum) the car is so spectacular, just wish customer/dealer support matched the handling responsiveness of the car as well. And wish that the dealer would take charge without having resort to "alternative" methods to sort out.

Thanks again.

 

[grezex]

Can you provide more specifics to where the sounds are from? From your post it sounds like they know exactly which panels to repair/replace?

I have a rattle interior that I think I pin pointed to be behind passenger where the child seat anchor is. Or it may be the whole panel with the rear glass.
I decided to wait until my first service (next year?) before bringing it up because I want to drive the car and not have it live at the dealer.

Prior to this I did have the dealer fix the bumper alignment panels and separately replace faulty exhaust (the valves were faulty and rubbing on operation).
They kept the car both instances (the latter took much longer as they needed a new part). I didn't ask for car back while waiting for the part but it did take 2 weeks. Maybe they would have given me same response as you if I had requested the car back until part is in.

 

[JDR]

I don't know if the dealer knows which panels and I can ask if they have more info, good question! I thing the offending panels are directly in front/top of the dash of the drivers seat (L hand drive) and under the dash around my knees. I have tried to grab panels while driving as best can be done while watching the road and am unable to make anything change. There may be more elsewhere but I think all are forward of the seats, not behind.

 

[scv]

I don't know if the dealer knows which panels and I can ask if they have more info, good question! I thing the offending panels are directly in front/top of the dash of the drivers seat (L hand drive) and under the dash around my knees. I have tried to grab panels while driving as best can be done while watching the road and am unable to make anything change. There may be more elsewhere but I think all are forward of the seats, not behind.

2024 V6 sport…….rattle from top dash area at base of windshield……could press along dash area and rattle gone………wedged two moderate density neoprene foam pieces into gap, left and right of center, rattle gone now for ~5-700 miles. Dealer had recommended R&R entire dash, which unwilling to do……..

 

[me73]

Look up the requirements for a Lemon Law return in your state so you know if you will meet it with this.

 

[harleyujoe]

I had the dreaded noise on my I4 for 300 miles..Each ride trying to figure out where the headliner was causing all this noise.
I used rolled up 3M double sided sticky tape and finally found that the head liner across the rear window was flexing and making this
god awful noise.. So rolled up the tape across the whole window and attached it to headliner and window and the interior is quiet .
Wanted to fix this without taking to dealer and having to drop car off for days or week and wondering driving car home 2 hours if they fixed it correctly..
So this worked with 3M Tape and approx 30 minutes after I found what was causing noise.

 

[geoffbland]

It's always going to be a noisy car by the nature of it's design and construction.

Normal cars have metal panels welded and seam sealed to a metal chassis. Lotus has flexible fiberglass panels bolted to a very rigid aluminium chassis. Metal and fibre glass expand and resonant in different ways. In additional, with it being a sports car the sound deadening is minimised as far as possible. It's a compromise. Then you have a lot of air space in the car and open undertrays than love to pick up gravel. Also the Teijin composite panels are constructed to be light weight and extra thin and so these resonate more too. You could add 500kg of sound deadening materials and still not be rid of all the noise.

The trick is to work out what is not a "normal" noise on the car and get that fixed but then accept (if not enjoy) the creaks and squeaks of the fiberglass panels rubbing against each other and the rigid chassis and the rattle of the gravel in the undertrays.

Sorry if this sounds patronising but I just want people to enjoy the car for what it is - you should try my S1 Elise it's a lot, lot noisier than the Emira.