Caterham Seven User guide

OWNERS HANDBOOK

Contents
Using this Handbook .............................................................................................................................................. 7
1. Before taking to the road...........................................................................................................................................8
Explanation of Dashboard...................................................................................................................................... 9
Speedometer .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Digital display within speedometer ................................................................................................................. 9
Trip recorder reset button ............................................................................................................................... 9
Tachometer..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Oil pressure gauge ......................................................................................................................................... 9
Temperature gauge ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Fuel gauge.....................................................................................................................................................10
Warning lights ................................................................................................................................................10
Before you drive away .........................................................................................................................................13
Pedal adjustment facility...............................................................................................................................13
Seats/seat belts/harness ..............................................................................................................................13
Weather equipment assembly .............................................................................................................................14
Security ................................................................................................................................................................15
Keys/key numbers ........................................................................................................................................15
Immobilisation............................................................................................................................................... 15
Vehicle battery disconnection.......................................................................................................................16
Ignition switch and steering lock................................................................................................................... 16
Steering lock .................................................................................................................................................16
Starting the engine ...............................................................................................................................................17
Starting in cold climates................................................................................................................................17
Warming up ..................................................................................................................................................17
Running-In............................................................................................................................................................ 17
Catalytic converter ........................................................................................................................................17
Filling up with fuel: ........................................................................................................................................17
Starting the engine: ...................................................................................................................................... 17
Driving the car:..............................................................................................................................................17
Switching off: ................................................................................................................................................17
Vehicle maintenance: ................................................................................................................................... 18
Gearbox ...............................................................................................................................................................18
Selecting reverse gear..................................................................................................................................18
Precautions while driving..............................................................................................................................18
Sequential Gearbox Operation.....................................................................................................................18
Fuel ......................................................................................................................................................................19
Fuel Filling ....................................................................................................................................................19
Filling difficulties............................................................................................................................................19
Braking System ....................................................................................................................................................19
Brake pads....................................................................................................................................................19
Handbrake ....................................................................................................................................................19
2. Useful information ...................................................................................................................................................20
Technical data......................................................................................................................................................21
Vehicle type ..................................................................................................................................................21
Construction..................................................................................................................................................21
Braking system (All models excluding 170) .................................................................................................22
Braking system (170 only) ............................................................................................................................22
Parking brake................................................................................................................................................22
Suspension –Standard / SV Chassis ..........................................................................................................22

Suspension –CSR Chassis ......................................................................................................................... 22
Steering mechanism..................................................................................................................................... 22
Road wheel nut torque ................................................................................................................................. 22
Electrical ....................................................................................................................................................... 22
Manual transmission..................................................................................................................................... 22
Recommended fluid specification ................................................................................................................ 24
Track use ............................................................................................................................................................. 25
Enjoying track days and competing in your Caterham Seven. .................................................................... 25
Motorsport..................................................................................................................................................... 25
Track days .................................................................................................................................................... 25
3. Maintenance............................................................................................................................................................ 27
Regular checks:............................................................................................................................................ 34
Weekly checks:............................................................................................................................................. 34
Emission control ........................................................................................................................................... 34
Safety in the garage............................................................................................................................................. 34
Poisonous liquids.......................................................................................................................................... 35
Used engine oil............................................................................................................................................. 35
Checking fluid levels ............................................................................................................................................ 35
Engine oil levels............................................................................................................................................ 35
Engines with standard wet sump arrangement............................................................................................ 35
Engines with dry sump tank - except CSR 200 / 260 .................................................................................. 36
Engines with dry sump bell tank and swirl tower - CSR 200 / 260 Models only.......................................... 36
Supercharger oil level checking and maintenance (For 620 R only) ...........................................................36
Coolant check & top-up ................................................................................................................................ 36
Anti-freeze .................................................................................................................................................... 36
Brake/clutch fluid check & top-up................................................................................................................. 37
Wipers & Washers ............................................................................................................................................... 37
Windscreen washers .................................................................................................................................... 37
Washer jets................................................................................................................................................... 38
Wiper blades................................................................................................................................................. 38
Battery.................................................................................................................................................................. 38
Battery maintenance..................................................................................................................................... 38
Battery removal and replacement ................................................................................................................ 38
Replacement battery .................................................................................................................................... 38
Battery disposal ............................................................................................................................................ 39
Battery charging ........................................................................................................................................... 39
Wheels & Tyres.................................................................................................................................................... 39
Caring for your tyres ..................................................................................................................................... 39
Tyre pressures.............................................................................................................................................. 39
Tyre wear indicators ..................................................................................................................................... 39
Valve caps .................................................................................................................................................... 40
Punctured tyres ............................................................................................................................................ 40
Replacement tyres........................................................................................................................................ 40
Changing a wheel and tyre assembly.................................................................................................................. 40
Tools required............................................................................................................................................... 40
Positioning the jack....................................................................................................................................... 40
Removing and refitting the wheel and tyre assembly .................................................................................. 40
Cleaning and car care.......................................................................................................................................... 42
Washing your car.......................................................................................................................................... 42
Removing tar spots....................................................................................................................................... 42
Body protection............................................................................................................................................. 42
Windscreen................................................................................................................................................... 42
Hood/Sidescreen .......................................................................................................................................... 42

Mirrors...........................................................................................................................................................42
Wiper blades.................................................................................................................................................42
Looking after the interior...............................................................................................................................42
Laying your vehicle up for long periods ............................................................................................................... 43
Travelling abroad ................................................................................................................................................. 43
4. In an emergency......................................................................................................................................................44
Emergency starting ..............................................................................................................................................44
Emergency towing ...............................................................................................................................................44
Towing for recovery ......................................................................................................................................44
Before being towed:...................................................................................................................................... 44
Fuses and relays..................................................................................................................................................45
Fuses and relays - 170.................................................................................................................................45
Fuses and relays - 270/275/310...................................................................................................................45
Fuses and relays - 360/420/620 ..................................................................................................................46
Fuses and relays - 485 .................................................................................................................................46
Renewing a fuse ...........................................................................................................................................46
Fuse colours .................................................................................................................................................46
Parts & Accessories .............................................................................................................................................47
Service parts & accessories .........................................................................................................................47
Bulb Replacement................................................................................................................................................47
Headlamps....................................................................................................................................................47
Side lamp (front) ...........................................................................................................................................47
Indicators (front)............................................................................................................................................47
Indicator repeaters (front) .............................................................................................................................47
Stop/tail and indicators (rear) .......................................................................................................................47
Rear fog light, reversing light........................................................................................................................ 47
Number plate lamp .......................................................................................................................................47
5. Servicing..................................................................................................................................................................50
Service schedules - 170 Engine Variants ............................................................................................................51
Service schedules - 270/275/310/360/420 Engine Variants ...............................................................................52
Service schedules –485 only ..............................................................................................................................53
Service schedules –620 only ..............................................................................................................................54
Service record .............................................................................................................................................................55
Cambelt replacement .................................................................................................................................................. 58
Factory upgrade record ............................................................................................................................................... 59

6

7
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on the ownership of your new Caterham Seven sports car.
Designed for racing and built for living, your Caterham Seven is competition-developed and capable of
performance well in excess of your average supercar. Please take the time to read this manual, get well
acquainted with the controls and understand the maintenance requirements of your car. This will help you
appreciate its capabilities to the full whilst ensuring the appropriate upkeep of your Seven enabling you to derive
maximum pleasure from ownership.
As a high performance car, it is likely that your Caterham Seven will be subjected to the stresses and strains of
enthusiastic driving, particularly on the track. Therefore, it is essential that the maintenance programme of regular
servicing and checks contained within this manual is adhered to. This will ensure that the vehicle is kept in the best
possible condition and performing at its optimum. For all servicing, MOT’s and other vehicle maintenance we
recommend that you return your car to us here at Caterham where the work will be carried out by factory trained
technicians. Alternatively, servicing and maintenance can be carried out by one of the Caterham approved service
agents. Please refer to the Caterham website for up to date contact information www.caterhamcars.com.
Using this Handbook
This handbook has been divided into sections, each dealing with the different aspects of owning and caring for your
Caterham Seven. You will find lots of useful and worthwhile advice and tips to help you get to know and look after
your new car.
•USING YOUR SEVEN
•LOOKING AFTER YOUR SEVEN
•TECHNICAL INFORMATION
•SERVICE SCHEDULES AND RECORDS
•‘Before taking to the road’ –Includes controls, pedal adjustment, seat adjustment, weather equipment
fitting and storage, security and other information that you should know before you drive your new car.
•‘Useful information’ –This section is where you will find all the technical data on your Caterham Seven.
•‘Maintenance’ –Detailed here are all the regular checks you will need to carry out to ensure you continue to
get the best from your Caterham Seven.
•‘In an emergency’–Should an emergency arise then here you will find advice on what you can do, including
jump starting, checking the fuses and changing a bulb.
•‘Servicing’ –This section provides vehicle service information including service schedules. In addition, you
will find pages that can be used to keep a record of when and where a service took place plus an additional
section for any future modifications or upgrades to your vehicle.
WARNING!
Safety warnings are included in this handbook. These indicate either a procedure which must be followed precisely,
or information that should be considered with great care in order to avoid the possibility of personal injury or serious
damage to the vehicle.

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Standard 5 Speed. Standard 6 Speed. Sequential 6 Speed.
Note for 6 speed
sequential: Arrows are
for illustration only:
Upwards arrow = Down
shift 1 gear
Downwards arrow = Up
shift 1 gear
See page 18 for further
details.
Before taking to the road
Dashboard layout for models with standard instruments
Key:
1. Brake fail indicator
(excl. 170/270/275/280/310)
2. Hazard warning light switch
3. Rear fog light switch
4. Heated windscreen switch
5. Heater fan switch
6. Immobiliser warning light
7. Windscreen washers switch
8. Windscreen wipers switch
9. Side lights/head lights switch
10. Indicators switch
11. Main beam switch
12. Headlamp flasher switch
13. Horn
14. Fuel gauge
15. Temperature gauge
16. Oil Pressure gauge
17. Tachometer
18. Speedometer
19. main beam warning light
20. Indicator warning light
21. Ignition warning light, MIL & brake
system warning light
22. Push starter button
23. Trip reset button
24. Heater valve control

9
Explanation of Dashboard
Brake fail indicator
Hazard warning light
Rear fog light
Heated windscreen
Heater fan
Windscreen washers
Windscreen wipers
Indicator switch
Side/Head lights
Main beam
Headlamp flasher
Heater valve control
Starter push button
Horn push button
Single position spring loaded switch, illuminates to indicate low fluid level. Press to test
bulb.
Single position switch activates all indicators.
Single position switch activates rear fog lights when dipped headlights are illuminated.
(spring-loaded switch for Seven 170 & 270/275/280/310, operates when ignition is on
and main or dip beam headlamps are illuminated. The rear fog light will automatically
switch off if the ignition or headlamps are switched off.)
Single position switch activates heating elements to demist front windscreen.
Two position switch provides low and high speed fan control.
Single position spring-loaded switch activates washer jets when depressed.
Two position switch to provide low and high-speed continuous wipe.
Three position switch Left-Off-Right (not self-cancelling)
Two position switch, first position side lights, second position dipped beam headlight.
Two position switch for dip or main beam.
Single position spring-loaded switch to flash headlights.
This is located on the inside of engine compartment bulkhead, above the driver’s knee.
Pull towards driver to increase heat.
Single position spring-loaded push switch, press and hold to start engine
Single position spring-loaded push switch
Speedometer
Indicates road speed in miles per hour and/or kilometres per hour.
Digital display within speedometer
The display shows the following:
•Odometer reading (shows the total distance travelled by the car).
•Trip recorder (for recording individual journey distances). The word trip is also displayed.
Trip recorder reset button
Whenever the ignition switch is turned on, the display shows the odometer reading. By pressing the trip recorder
reset button briefly, the display will change to show the trip recorder reading (a further press of the button returns
the display to the odometer reading). Press and hold the reset button to reset the display to zero.
Tachometer
Indicates engine speed in revolutions per minute.
NOTE: An electronic limiter will prevent engine speed rising above a pre-determined factory set level.
Oil pressure gauge
The needle indicates the oil pressure measured in bar. The needle will quickly rise when the engine is started. If the
needle falls into the red mark during normal running the oil pressure is at a critical level and severe engine damage
could result; switch off the engine immediately (safety permitting) and seek qualified assistance. (Engine pressure
will fluctuate as engine revs change).
WARNING!
Never restart the engine or drive the car with the oil pressure gauge indicating red.
Temperature gauge
Indicates the temperature of the engine coolant. During normal operation, the needle will rise from the lower (cold)
mark to the middle part of the gauge, where it will remain while the engine is operating at its normal temperature.
In severe driving conditions, such as very hot weather or extended hill climbing, the needle may rise. If the needle
rises to the red mark, the coolant is too hot and severe engine damage could result; stop the car as soon as safety
permits and seek qualified assistance.

10
Fuel gauge
The needle indicates the fuel level. After refuelling, the gauge slowly rises to the new level once the ignition switch
is turned on.
WARNING! NEVER allow the car to run out of fuel (the resultant misfire could destroy the catalytic converter).
Warning lights
Battery charging –Red
The light illuminates as a bulb check when the ignition switch is turned to position ‘II’ and extinguishes as soon as
the engine is running. If it remains on, or illuminates whilst driving, a fault with the battery charging system is
indicated. Seek qualified assistance from Caterham.
Direction indicators –Green
The indicator warning light flashes in time with the left or right direction indicator lights, whenever they are
operated. If the warning light fails to illuminate or flashes very rapidly, this means that one of the indicator lights is
not operating.
Engine warning - Amber
If this lamp illuminates with the engine running it indicates a malfunction within the engine control system. Each
malfunction will have a specific code and description and can be read using an OBD generic scan tool. This should
be carried out as soon as possible. If engine warning light persists, please seek qualified assistance from
Caterham.
Brake system –Red
The light has dual function for ‘low brake fluid’ and ‘hand brake applied’. The light illuminates as a bulb check when
the ignition switch is turned to position ‘II’ and extinguishes soon after. The light will continue to illuminate for as
long as the hand brake is applied. If it remains on when the hand brake is released, a fault with the brake fluid level
is indicated. Seek qualified assistance from Caterham.
Headlight main beam –Blue
Illuminates when the headlights are switched to main beam.
Immobiliser warning light - Red
See section on Immobilisation.

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NOTE: For full windscreen option the wiring connection to dashboard buttons for heated screen, wipers etc are
already connected.
Controls 1. Dipped / Side Lights
2. Main Beam switch
3. Left indicator switch
4. Speedometer
5.Rev Counter
6. Sport Mode switch
7. Wiper switch
8. Washer jet switch
9. Hazard switch
10. Right indicator switch
11. Horn switch
12. Start switch
13. Fog light switch
14. Fan control switch
15. Heated screen switch
16. Handbrake indicator
17. Oil pressure gauge
18. Temperature Gauge
19. Fuel Gauge
Dashboard layout for Seven 480/485