Technical data

36
WARNING!
Some high pressure cleaning systems available on
garage forecourts are sufficiently powerful to damage
fragile components. Never aim the water jet directly at
components that might easily be damaged.
Removing tar spots
Use a tar removal product such as Auto Glym intensive
tar remover to remove tar spots and stubborn grease
stains from paintwork. Then wash immediately with
soapy water, to remove all traces of the spirit.
Body protection
After washing, inspect the paintwork for damage. Treat
paint chips and scratches with touch-up paint. If the
damage has revealed bare metal, use a coloured
primer first, then apply the base coat and finish off with
a lacquer pencil, if appropriate. Carry out this treatment
after washing, but before polishing or waxing.
However, take care to ensure that car polish and body
cleaning compounds are not applied to the window
glass or seals.
Windscreen
Regularly clean the windscreen, inside and out, using
an approved glass cleaner.
Hood/Sidescreen
The windows in the hood and sidescreen are made of
plastic and should be cleaned with soapy water. Never
use an abrasive cleaner on these windows.
Mirrors
Mirror glass is particularly susceptible to damage; DO
NOT use abrasive cleaning compounds or metal
scrapers.
Wiper blades
Always clean the windscreen before fitting replacement
wiper blades. Regularly wash the wiper blades with
warm soapy water (NEVER use a spirit or petrol based
solvent).
Looking after the interior
Vinyl/plastic/cloth-faced materials: Clean with diluted
upholstery cleaner.
Leather: Seats, steering wheel and any trim features
should be cleaned with warm water and a non-
detergent soap. Dry and polish the leather with a clean,
dry, lint-free cloth.
DO NOT use petrol, detergents, furniture creams or
polishes!
Carpets: Sweep regularly with a brush or vacuum
cleaner and clean with diluted upholstery cleaner.
Seat belts
Extend the belts, then use warm water and a non-
detergent soap to clean. On no account use bleaches,
dyes or cleaning solvents – these can weaken the belt
webbing. Finally, allow the belts to air-dry naturally and
do not retract them, or use the car, until they are
completely dry.
Laying your vehicle up for long periods
Should your Caterham be laid up unused for more than
12 weeks at a time then we recommend the following
precautionary measures be taken to avoid
unnecessary deterioration:
1. Ensure the bodywork and trim are properly
cleaned and protected to prevent corrosion.
2. Erect and correctly tension weather equipment to
prevent storage damage.
3. Raise car off the ground and place on axle stands
taking the weight of the car off of the tyres.
4. Check Antifreeze content as this will not only
protect your engine from the cold but most
antifreeze also includes additives to prevent
corrosion inside the cooling system.
5. It is importance that the battery charge level is
maintained during storage. Recharging of the
battery may not be successful if the battery is
allowed to discharge below a certain level.
We recommend that a battery conditioner is fitted
to the vehicle whilst in storage as this unit will
maintain a minimum charge at all times. Suitable
device is available from Caterham Parts
department. Should this option not be available to
you then the battery should be disconnected and
charged periodically. See section on battery
removal and replacement.
6. Ensure that the handbrake is off and that all the
wheels turn freely as this will help to prevent the
brake pads from sticking to the discs in cold and
damp conditions.
After long periods of storage
Before reusing your vehicle after storage, the following
checks should be carried out:
1. Tyre pressures and condition
2. Check all fluid levels
NOTE: Should your vehicle have been laid up in
excess of 6 months then we strongly recommend that
the engine oil and oil filter are changed and the braking
system is checked. A full safety check is available from
the Caterham Aftersales Department.