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FN53 HJE

2004 Lotus Elise

Black Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires31 Jan 2027
Tests23 (18 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate78.3%

Mileage

52,686 mi
Last recorded52,686 miles
Recorded on29 Jan 2026
Typical for 2004 Lotus Elise34,392 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationFN53 HJE
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2004
ColourBlack
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 5 fail
Pass 29 Jan 2026 52,686 miles

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

Pass 21 Jan 2025 51,091 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2024 50,079 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2023 49,284 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2022 47,556 miles
Fail 25 Jan 2022

Offside Front Service brake lagging in operation (1.2.1 (d))

Pass 26 Jan 2021 46,326 miles
Fail 21 Jul 2020 45,783 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp with a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Front pads wearing thin(inners)

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

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

Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

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

Pass 18 Jul 2019 45,005 miles
Pass 1 Aug 2018 44,310 miles

Exhaust blow from Flexi Joint

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

Offside Front Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated track rod end (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 4 Oct 2017 41,416 miles

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fail 3 Oct 2017 41,416 miles

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Nearside Rear Inner Drive shaft which forms part of the suspension coupling gaiter damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt Inner cv boot leaking (2.4.G.4e)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 26 Aug 2016 33,069 miles
Fail 25 Aug 2016 33,045 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front registration plate not fixed vertically, or as close to vertical as is reasonably practical (6.3.2c)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

All tyres deteriorated

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

Pass 24 Jun 2015 32,770 miles
Pass 24 Mar 2014 30,240 miles
Pass 1 Mar 2012 29,162 miles

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

exhaust emissions kit car

Pass 11 Feb 2011 25,901 miles

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

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

Pass 22 Feb 2010 19,436 miles
Fail 19 Feb 2010 19,436 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Pass 26 Jan 2009 17,830 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 10 Jan 2008 13,874 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2007 11,740 miles

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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FN53 HJE is a 2004 Lotus Elise in Black with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.3%.

Across all 2004 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 83.9% with a typical mileage of 34,392 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 FN53 HJE, 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 22 years old, this Lotus Elise is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of FN53 HJE?

You can check the full history of FN53 HJE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FN53 HJE registered?

FN53 HJE is a 2004 Lotus Elise, first registered on 7 January 2004.

Is FN53 HJE safe to buy?

The MOT history for FN53 HJE shows 23 tests with a 78.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FN53 HJE 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 FN53 HJE. 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.