roof LOTUS ELISE 2005 User Guide

4. Engage a rear hook bracket with the lower tongue on its rear latch plate, and retain to the roof with the Torx bolt. Use only
the special tool supplied, and do not fully tighten at this stage.
Ensure that the hook is fully located onto the tongue.
5. Repeat step (4) for the opposite rear hook bracket. 6. Push the roof fully forwards before tightening the front spigot brackets using only the special Torx tool supplied. Hold each
rear hook bracket in alignment whilst tightening the single
fixing screw for each bracket. Do not overtighten.
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FITTING REAR HOOK BRACKET
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REAR CORNER COVER PANEL
7. Fit the trimmed cover panels to each rear corner of the roof, noting that the panels are handed for left and right sides. Press
the panels firmly into position fully to engage the ‘Velcro’ fixing
patches.
WARNING: Do not drive the car with the cover panels removed.
Injury could result from contact with the roof brackets in
a car collision.
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8. Using the special tool provided, install the windscreen header
cover panel by locating first with the central screw, and then by the outer screws before tightening in the same order.
WARNING:
• Do not drive the car with the trim cover panels removed. Injury could result from contact with the roof brackets in
a car collision.
• Before driving check that the roof is secure by pulling upwards on each corner in turn. If any upward movement
is evident, check the correct fitment of all mounting brack
-
ets. An insecure or incorrectly fitted roof could cause
death or serious injury to other road users or a crash in
which you or others could be killed or seriously injured.
WINDSCREEN HEADER TRIM
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b331
WINDSCREEN HEADER TRIM
Hard Top - Removal
WARNING:Do not attempt to remove the hard top roof whilst the
car is moving. Serious injury or death could result from an
unsecured roof panel.
1. Open both doors.
2. Using the special tool supplied, release the three Torx screws securing the windscreen header trim panel, and remove the
panel.
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3. Using the special tool supplied, slacken the Torx screw se-
curing each front corner spigot bracket to the roof, but do not
yet remove the screws.
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FRONT CORNER SPIGOT BRACKET
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ohs149
REAR HOOK BRACKET
4. Pull off the trim cover from each rear corner of the roof panel and remove the screw securing the hook bracket to the latch plate at each rear corner.
5. Remove the two front corner bracket fixing screws and lift the
front edge of the roof slightly to release the front brackets
from
their latch plate slots.
6. With the aid of an assistant, lift the roof from the car taking care to restrain the tethered brackets to avoid damaging the
paintwork.
7. If storing the roof vertically, take care to avoid damaging the panel corners by using a protective floor covering.
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It is not recommended to store a wet car in a poorly ventilated
garage. If good ventilation cannot be provided, storage outside
on a hard standing or under a carport is to be preferred.
Paintwork Polishing Eventually some loss of gloss, and an accumulation of traffic
film, will occur. At this stage, after normal washing, the appli
-
cation of a good quality liquid polish will restore the original lustre of the paint film.
Higher gloss of the paint finish, and added protection against
contamination, can be obtained by the use of a wax polish.
However, this can only be used successfully on a clean surface,
from which the previous application has been removed with white
spirit or a liquid polish cleaner.
Washing NOTICE: Lotus recommends hand washing of the painted
bodywork. The car is a speciality sports vehicle not intended
to go through an automatic car wash. Automatic car washing machines and jet wash facilities may have a detrimental effect on the paint film and the soft top. Use of automatic car washes
will invalidate the terms of the Limited Warranty.
Many contaminants are water soluble and can be removed
before any harm occurs by thorough washing with plenty of
lukewarm water, together with a proprietary car wash additive
(Household detergent and washing up liquid can contain cor
-
rosive salts, and will remove wax and accelerate oxidation).
Frequent washing is the best safeguard against both seen and
invisible contaminants. Wash in the shade, and use a cotton chenille wash mitt or a
sponge rinsed frequently to minimise the retension of dirt parti
-
cles in the mitt or sponge. Use a straight back and forth washing motion to avoid swirled micro scratches, and rinse thoroughly.
In order to minimise degradation from road salt, the underside
of the chassis should be rinsed with clean water as soon as possible after driving on treated roads. Many fuel filling stations
offer pressure washing facilities ideal for this purpose, but do
not use on the painted bodywork or soft top roof.
Servicing & Maintenance
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Soft Top Roof
1. Careful vacuuming of the soft top before washing may be
helpful in removing excess dust and other foreign particles.
2. Wash in partial shade rather than strong sunlight.
3. Using only clean lukewarm water and a sponge (a chamois or
cloth will leave lint, and a brush may abrade the threads), wash
the entire soft top uniformly. Do NOT use a detergent, which may
affect the waterproofing properties of the material.
4. Rinse the whole car to prevent streaking on the paintwork. 5. Remove surface water with a sponge and allow to air dry in direct sunlight. Ensure that the roof is fully dry before stow
-
ing, as prolonged stowage of a wet or damp roof will promote
rotting of the fabric.
Keeping the soft top clean by regular washing will enhance
the life and maintain the appearance of the roof, and facilitate subsequent cleaning. The use of stronger cleansers should be left to professionals experienced in handling this type of fabric
as discoloration and degradation of the material may result.
The application of wax finishes, dressings or preservatives may cause stains, and should be avoided. Your dealer will be able to advise on current Lotus approved soft top care products.
Windscreen Cleaning When washing the windscreen, take care to lift the wiper
blade only a small distance from the glass in order not to dam
-
age the wiper arm mechanism. Wash the wiper blade with

clean water.
Alloy Road Wheels It is recommended that the aluminium alloy road wheels
are washed with the same preparation as is used to wash the bodywork. Use a brush having only nylon bristles. During the
winter months, particularly when salt has been used on the
roads for the dispersal of snow and ice, remove all the wheels,
and wash thoroughly to remove all accumulated road filth from
the wheels and Tires. Be aware that on cars fitted with optional clear anodised
forged alloy wheels (with 7 twin-spokes), the anodised surface
finish may be attacked by some proprietary wheel cleaning products. Wash only using hot soapy water or car bodywork
shampoo. Advise tire fitting companies accordingly.
Servicing & Maintenance
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Storing Your EliseIf you intend to store your Elise for a prolonged period, con
-
sult your Lotus dealer who will be pleased to advise you. We recommend that the car is stored inside a secure garage. The
following guidelines are provided for your information:
• Ensure the engine oil and filter, coolant and brake fluid have recently been renewed. The a.c. system should be in good
working order and fully charged.
• Thoroughly clean the inside and outside of the car, including the engine compartment. If necessary, use a ‘jet’ washer to remove dirt and salt deposits from the underside, but do not
use around bearings, hydraulic components, painted surfaces or the soft top roof. Allow to dry completely.
• Chock the road wheels, leave off the parking brake, and engage reverse gear.
• Increase the tire pressures to 60 psi (4 bar). If possible, move the car slightly every month to help avoid flat spots on the
Tires.
• Either leave the battery in the car and connect a battery management (conditioner) type of charger, or remove the battery and trickle charge every two months. Note that with
the battery disconnected or removed, the alarm system is
de-activated.
• Unless the garage is equipped with a de-humidifier, the use of drying agents (Silica-Gel) is recommended in cars with
leather upholstery and in conditions of high humidity.
• The use of unapproved car covers may have a detrimental effect on the car’s paint finish and such damage will not be
covered by your car’s warranty.
In general, the Elise will be kept in best operating condition
by regular use.
Accessories
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lision, fire, theft or climatic conditions are not covered under
this warranty.
(f) ODOMETER ALTERATION.
Warranty coverages do not apply if the odometer has stopped,
been altered or the car’s correct mileage cannot accurately
and easily be determined.
(g) This Limited Warranty excludes
the emission control
system, the Federal and California warranties for which are
detailed on pages 171 through 187.
(h) Malfunctions, defects or damage caused by
any non-
Lotus part or accessory
are not covered by this warranty. If
a part which is covered by the Limited Warranty fails during
the warranty period and in turn this failure causes a failure of
a non-warranted part, then Lotus will consider replacing the
non-warranted part.
(j) If any after-market sport parts are fitted to your car, such parts are not covered by the Limited Warranty. Such parts
are covered by any warranty which accompanies the sale of
that particular part. Defects arising from track use will not be covered by your Limited Warranty. Any original part affected
or damaged by the fitment of any off road or track part may
not be covered by your Limited Warranty.
k) Minor wind noise and minor water ingress from the hard or
soft top roofs.
NOTICE: The car is a speciality sports car not intended to go
through automatic car washes. If the car is taken through a
car wash any damage is not covered by the warranty.
l) If it is determined that paint on the car must be repaired because of an item covered under warranty the paint colour
matching of repaired or replaced body panels will be achieved
within practicable limits as determined by the Company. Paint
-
ing of the entire car solely for the purpose of paint colour matching will not be covered under the warranty.
m) Noise and vibration are a normal and necessary feature of a mechanical device such as a motor car. The nature and
Limited Warranty
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