Interior Exterior
Q:
I noticed that the driver's side window fits nicely to the hard top, but there is a small gap with the soft top in place.
The service department in Atlanta told me that the window could be adjusted for either top, but not both! I asked about raising the window a tiny bit to seal against the soft top, but was told that it could break the window with the hard top.
Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated!
Also, I had the driving lights installed, and the new switch seems to have no function whatsoever! The driving lights come on whenever I go to high beams whether the switch is illuminated or not. They cannot be turned off except by going to low beams.
I really wanted to be able to turn them on with the low beams. Any ideas on this?
By the way, the Atlanta dealer experience was terrific; they gave me a loaner car.
Best regards to all,
Leo
A:
My dealer told me the same thing. I have a slight gap with the soft top on.
The driving lights only work with the highs.
A:
I swapped the hard top for the soft top on Sunday and noticed the same issue. I was wondering the same thing.
I guess that is why they put the warning label inside the soft top stating it may not seal during steady or heavy rain. It is only good for showers.
Thanks for posting your experience.
Chris
A:
You should only be using your driving lights when your high beams are on. It's rude (and wrong) to make other people stare at your driving lights in traffic.
A:
I only have the soft top and the windows are up nice and tight to the seal. I can attest to it being water tight during a heavy-driving-rain. I was driving in a torrential rain and the inside stayed totally dry.
Sounds like a design flaw to me.
A:
I only have the soft top and the windows are up nice and tight to the seal. I can attest to it being water tight during a heavy-driving-rain. I was driving in a torrential rain and the inside stayed totally dry.
Sounds like a design flaw to me.
Agreed. Why couldn't Lotus figure out how to make the window fitment the same with both tops. Silly if you ask me.
A:
+1. I have a roughly a 1/2" to 3/4" gap at the top of the windows if they are adjusted for the hardtop when the softtop is on. I have since adjusted the windows for the softtop, but will likely try to find a happy medium for the adjustments to work with both tops or modify the weather stripping to make it work.
A:
I think most cars will have this issue. It's easy to fix yourself.
Remove the leather door trim and you will see the stop on the window track. This can be moved up and down by loosening one nut. You will need to peel back a bit of the moisture barrier in the center to reach the nut. Try to make a gap just big enough to fit your wrench in.
A:
I had to adjust my windows when I took off the hardtop and put on the soft top. I had a gap on the rear top of the passenger side of about 1/4". I adjusted both windows to get a tight seal. It makes it kind of a pain in the ass to swap tops. But, at least I can do it myself and don't have to mess with a dealer.
A:
Also, I had the driving lights installed, and the new switch seems to have no function whatsoever! The driving lights come on whenever I go to high beams whether the switch is illuminated or not. They cannot be turned off except by going to low beams.
Is your car an early '05? The early cars, like mine, were not "pre-wired" for the driving lights - they were wired for the lights, but there was no wiring for the switch. The lights only come on with the high beams, and the switch does not even need to be installed (it would do nothing)
If this is not the case (you have a later car), then the driving lights should come on with the high beams when the switch is "on". With the switch "off" the driving lights should not come on at all. That is the only operational modes that it is designed to work with...
I really wanted to be able to turn them on with the low beams. Any ideas on this?
As others have indicated, the driving lights are not "fog lights" they are very bright long range auxiliary high beams - they should only be used when the high beams are on. If you could use them with the low beams, it would be the same as driving with very bright high beams turned on.
A:
...
The service department in Atlanta told me that the window could be adjusted for either top, but not both! I asked about raising the window a tiny bit to seal against the soft top, but was told that it could break the window with the hard top.
This was my experience too. My car came with the hardtop and didn't leak. I put on the soft top and it leaked... had a dealer adjust it and the soft top no longer leaks but now the hardtop does. Just a tiny bit though.
A:
Thanks, everyone!
Just heard from the dealer; Lotus is furnishing a relay so that the switch actually works! Brilliant idea.
Best regards,
Leo
A:
Just heard from the dealer; Lotus is furnishing a relay so that the switch actually works! Brilliant idea.
The driving light kit comes with the relay. It sounds like the dealer didn't follow the instructions and install it (it just plugs into an empty socket). Lotus actually did it right...
A:
Strange experience a few weeks back when I swapped the hardtop for the softtop the first time...
First few days, the passenger side had a gap, about 1/4". Thought nothing of it and figured I'd have to do the adjustment.
For the past few weeks I drove, somedays with no top and others with softtop. Then after awhile, NO GAP.
Has anyone experienced this?
I have two theories:
1. As others have posted, there is a certain direction that the softtop should be installed and removed, left to right, and right to left. (I am not joking, it is documented, I could not believe it myself when I first read it.) My theory here is that, depending on which direction you install softtop, it is slightly lower on one side.
2. My next theory is that the window mechanism is loose in the door. Originally it rolled up short of the top, now it has jiggled to the point where it rolls up flush with the top.
A:
This is the first I've heard of this. My windows make a perfect seal on both my hard and soft tops. Never a leak. Maybe you guys have not screwed down your hard tops all the way??
My car was a Feb '05 build, for what it's worth.
A:
This is the first I've heard of this. My windows make a perfect seal on both my hard and soft tops. Never a leak. Maybe you guys have not screwed down your hard tops all the way??
My car was a Feb '05 build, for what it's worth.
i have no gaps with either of my tops. have washed it with both tops on and no leaks. mine was a Feb '05 build also.