Water membrane

[SJW]

Check your rubber membranes! Given all chat on here I just checked mine installed maybe 24 months ago and was holed in two places so basically not doing its job. See pics. Car was just serviced including brake fluid change but obviously isn’t something they check at service…. They should!

I’ve replaced it with EPDM so will see how that holds up after 12 months

Luckily car garaged and has hardly seen any rain since original installation so all looked ok underneath.

 

[NCThirteen]

Is this just an issue on the 2024 cars?

 

[SJW]

Is this just an issue on the 2024 cars?

Will be any car where the membrane has been installed so thinks that’s most of them as I am not aware of a more permanent fix for recent builds (but may be wrong)

 

[MiamiBlue]

The membrane lasts about 2 years.
It feels like a bodge fix by Lotus just to get you through the warranty period..

 

[geoffbland]

Will be any car where the membrane has been installed so thinks that’s most of them as I am not aware of a more permanent fix for recent builds (but may be wrong)

And if you don't have the membrane fitted - then you need to get it fitted else you will have problems with the A/C and heater eventually.

 

[SJW]

And if you don't have the membrane fitted - then you need to get it fitted else you will have problems with the A/C and heater eventually.

Just looking at some of the images, the other thi g i have noticed is how different some of the rubber membranes are. Mine only went over half the widthof teh car where the resistor pack is wheras some seem to go full width of the scuttle panel.

Is there a right or wrong shape/size?

 

[geoffbland]

Just looking at some of the images, the other thi g i have noticed is how different some of the rubber membranes are. Mine only went over half the widthof teh car where the resistor pack is wheras some seem to go full width of the scuttle panel.

Is there a right or wrong shape/size?

I assume there is a right shape as the warranty fix is a standard Lotus part - at least it seems to have a part number on it - see here --> https://www.emiraforum.com/threads/car-shut-down-but-engine-still-on.7636/post-200422. All the photos I've seen of them look the same as mine and this is about 80cm and goes some way under the plastic covers at each side of the scuttle.

 

[virtualmacho]

I have yet to take a look at mine, but it seems everyone has different degrees of damage to the shroud. Heat would be a major factor, but could the different checimals used by everyone to wash the car also be a factor?
(I use foam only 2 or 3 times a year, otherwise tap water only)

 

[sawdust]

Anyone else have pics on how theirs are positioned?

Here are photos of my 2025:

Note that the shroud/bib does not at all cover the fuse box on the passenger (LHD) side. There are tears all over as if it was carelessly installed and/or it's stressed. There's even tears on the edges! Seems to be a rather brittle material that's only 12 months old (car was built May 2025 according to door tag).

 

[SJW]

Definitely different shapes. Even the one on the other thread with part number on it looks like parts of it have been altered by hand maybe during installation. I will take a few pics of my old one with some dimensions but this is making me think i might make a bigger versiin that covers as much of the scuttle as possible.

"SAWDUST" yours has definitely failed i would get that changed asap i guess under your warranty.

I hope Lotus CC monitor this forum or they,ve got another potential expensive recurring problem looming

 

[Orchardbike]

One thing is for certain, the ‘shroud’ is a world class bodge! It’s about time Lotus came up with a better, and permanent solution.

 

[NCThirteen]

When I asked my dealer about this, I was told this was an issue with the 2024 cars. Reading what is on here that doesn’t seem to be the case. Is there a bulletin from Lotus on this?

 

[bman6074]

Could you use wet suit material? Would that last longer and hold up to the elements? Figuring it's designed to handle salt water.

 

[Tonygcar]

I’ve just checked mine, There is cracking appearing in some places but not yet in the crucial places, it was probably put there about 2 years ago when they changed my wiring loom, fuse box and HVAC unit, I will speak to the dealer and see what they say before I go any further. On removing the hard plastic front casing there are 3 plastic retainer fasteners and the screw heads were chewed up (not by me) luckily I had a bag of assorted ones to replace these, Anyway ongoing I will be talking to the dealership Friday.

 

[SJW]

I’ve just checked mine, Their is cracking appearing in some places but not yet in the crucial places, it was probably put there about 2 years ago when they changed my wiring loom, fuse box and HVAC unit, I will speak to the dealer and see what they say before I go any further. On removing the hard plastic front casing there are 3 plastic retainer fasteners and the screw heads were chewed up (not by me) luckily I had a bag of assorted ones to replace these, Anyway ongoing I will be talking to the dealership Friday.

 

[geoffbland]

When I asked my dealer about this, I was told this was an issue with the 2024 cars. Reading what is on here that doesn’t seem to be the case. Is there a bulletin from Lotus on this?

He's kind of right although maybe being a bit disingenuous, the recall was for early cars (as with no bib on these the water dripped into the electrics) with the "bib" being fitted in the factory for later cars.
The cracking of the fitted bib affects all cars though.

 

[SJW]

I have just taken my old one out. See pictures with measurements; definitely looks smaller than the one with part number on it?

 

[geoffbland]

I have just taken my old one out. See pictures with measurements; definitely looks smaller than the one with part number on it?

Looks right - the normal ones are around 80cm by 60cm.

 

[SJW]

Looks right - the normal ones are around 80cm by 60cm.

i have contacted lotus Customer Care and told them to look at this thread. hpefully they will be proactive and issue a service bulletin

 

[seriously]

I’ve just checked mine, There is cracking appearing in some places but not yet in the crucial places, it was probably put there about 2 years ago when they changed my wiring loom, fuse box and HVAC unit, I will speak to the dealer and see what they say before I go any further. On removing the hard plastic front casing there are 3 plastic retainer fasteners and the screw heads were chewed up (not by me) luckily I had a bag of assorted ones to replace these, Anyway ongoing I will be talking to the dealership Friday.

I like how your shroud forms a nice little lake. Why would they install it like that? At the very least install it so it’s smooth, no high points, no valleys you know so water can slide off of it.

The whole things is just not high effort. It’s almost literally a bandaid.