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AO02 TAU

2002 Lotus Elise

Red Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Mar 2027
Tests24 (18 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

79,869 mi
Last recorded79,869 miles
Recorded on11 Mar 2026
Typical for 2002 Lotus Elise36,462 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationAO02 TAU
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2002
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

18 pass 6 fail
Pass 11 Mar 2026 79,869 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front suspension components corroded.

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear suspension components corroded.

Fail 10 Mar 2026 79,869 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Windscreen washer jets misaligned and not providing sufficient fluid to the windscreen (3.5 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Inner sidewall. (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Inner sidewall. (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front suspension components corroded.

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear suspension components corroded.

Pass 12 Mar 2025 79,174 miles
Pass 21 Nov 2023 79,148 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2022 79,090 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 25 Feb 2020 79,051 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2018 77,397 miles

Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit tyres cracking (4.1.E.1)

Pass 21 Apr 2017 71,654 miles
Fail 21 Apr 2017 71,654 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

eml on

Fail 6 Jun 2016 71,501 miles

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Rear Braking system leaking Caliper (3.6.A.1)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 13 May 2015 69,944 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 11 May 2015 69,944 miles

Nearside Rear Ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 7 May 2014 66,436 miles

NSR wheel, slight stiffness under rotation

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 1 May 2013 62,994 miles
Pass 11 Sep 2012 62,369 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Fail 10 Sep 2012 62,369 miles

Fuel pipe leaking (7.2.3)

Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

registration plate character(s) laid out in an incorrect format (6.3.4f)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 30 Aug 2011 59,931 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

condensation in o/s/f indicator lamp

Pass 15 Sep 2010 52,667 miles

front wiper blade is secured by tape.may become insecure

Pass 22 Sep 2009 31,845 miles
Pass 18 May 2009 31,144 miles
Pass 19 May 2008 28,991 miles
Pass 21 May 2007 25,562 miles
Pass 19 May 2006 21,142 miles
Fail 19 May 2006 21,142 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

How Reliable is the Lotus Elise?

Based on 150,954 MOT tests across 12,302 vehicles.

81.8%
Pass Rate
1,309
Miles/Year
30
Year Lifespan
12,302
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 3,173
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 3,131
Headlamp aim too high 3,014
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits 2,630
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive 1,898
Full Lotus Elise reliability report

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AO02 TAU is a 2002 Lotus Elise in Red with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

Across all 2002 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.9% with a typical mileage of 36,462 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Lotus Elise fails its MOT is exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive, accounting for 3,173 recorded failures. If you're considering buying AO02 TAU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Elise typically stays on UK roads for around 30 years. At 24 years old, this Lotus Elise is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of AO02 TAU?

You can check the full history of AO02 TAU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AO02 TAU registered?

AO02 TAU is a 2002 Lotus Elise, first registered on 24 May 2002.

Is AO02 TAU safe to buy?

The MOT history for AO02 TAU shows 24 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AO02 TAU have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on AO02 TAU. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.