Do's & Don'ts List?

[2CV67]

Greetings to all!

We are expecting our new (first) Cali in April & the wife is already suggesting we can lend it to daughters & friends...

Having spent many hours scouring this forum & a French equivalent, I am only too conscious of the potential (and potentially expensive) pitfalls for the unwary.

Is there a list anywhere, or could we start a list, of Do's & Don'ts for Cali operation?

Not the fine detail stuff that improves life, but the absolutely essential stuff that a normal beginner, who may not have read the manuals, might not know & could deeply regret.

For instance:
1. Don't stand on the armrests!
2. Open a downwind door when closing roof!
3. Watch roof bellows throughout descent & ensure not blowing out or caught in mechanism.
4. Keep roof open/close button pressed until pump noise stops (?)
5. Have engine running for all roof manoeuvers (? - French forum)
6. Circuit-breaker off when connecting/disconnecting mains (why?)
7. Close side door when opening awning (why?)
8. Don't put awning out more than 0.5m without legs.
9. Never leave awning out without tying it down.
10. Don't drive under barriers less than 2.0m (+ margin)!!
11. Various things that could drain the main battery & prevent restarting??...
12. What else?

Thanks for all suggestions!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
EDIT - the updated list:

1. Don't stand on the armrests!
2. Do open a downwind door when closing roof!
3. Do watch roof bellows throughout descent & ensure not blowing out or caught in mechanism.
4. Do keep roof open/close button pressed until pump noise stops.
5. Do have engine running for all roof manoeuvers.
6. Do check circuit-breaker is off when connecting/disconnecting mains.
7. Do close side door when opening awning.
8. Don't put awning out more than 0.5m without legs.
9. Don't leave awning out without tying it down.
10. Don't drive under barriers less than 2.0m (+ margin)!!
11. Don't leave plastic bowl in sink when cooking on right burner (melts). Use pans less than 22cm dia (16cm?) & don't have flame bigger than pan.
12. Do stow reading light properly with velcro & avoid bending it too much.
13. Don't set fridge too cold to avoid freezing.
14. Do check hookup lead is off before driving away!
15. Don't leave heat-sensitive stuff under van with stationary heater on.
16. Don't have hookup lead plugged into mains with other end free.
17. Do turn off gas (red tap under burners) when not using - for safety.
18. Don't swivel driver's seat with handbrake on - need to put in gear temporarily instead.
19. Don't have everybody outside & all keys inside, in case of self-locking.
20. Do keep locking wheel bolt 'key' in the van.
21. Do check ledge all round roof before lowering it - to avoid crushing stuff or bending roof.
22. Don't leave keys in ignition with roof up - to avoid anybody lowering it when not empty...
23. Don't try to shut the tailgate with the rear cupboard door open.
24. Do check that nothing is rubbing inside or outside roller cupboard doors - they are fragile.
25. Do make sure upstairs reading light is off when stowing it - avoid burning bedding.
26. Don't leave the mirror switch in the position between Left & Right. This is the Heating position & will waste energy & reduce mirror life.

EDIT AGAIN:
OK - I am adding a list of "Nice to have's" as well, to not lose all the less serious items which have emerged here:
a. Do check that nothing is left under or around Cali before leaving site - then drive forward one length & check again.
b. Do open water tank filler cap when draining fresh water tank - otherwise very slow.
c. Do check for objects (pine cones etc!) on awning before rolling in.
d. Do keep keys in waterproof holder if doing wet/sandy activities.
e. Do shut front doors before clearing snow off windscreen.
f. Do try opening fresh-water tank inspection lid at home with tools, then don't tighten it too much so you can always open it by hand if needed.
g. Do put soft cloth under bowl in sink when driving, to avoid scratching sink.
h. Do shut hook-up flap firmly - otherwise it will flap around & may break.

 

[inthemidnighthour]

i am intrigued by your extra windows :?

dave and lisa

also when cooking ,use a small pan on the right hand burner otherwise the bowl starts to melt

 

[SimplyDubs]

also when cooking ,use a small pan on the right hand burner otherwise the bowl starts to melt

Now this a good point... I've known someone (my Bruv) use a large pan on the lefthand burner and melt the plastic that the fridge seal attaches to... much, much worse than melting the bowl... probably best to avoid both

 

[2CV67]

i am intrigued by your extra windows :?

Oh - that's just the usual optional sliding window in the sliding door & the optional zipping window in the roof.
I should try to think of a better way of putting it!

 

[James]

Don't buy a Ford Transit conversion?

James

 

[m4rky]

Do - Enjoy yourself and your Cali

Don't - Stress out about things (see 1)

:cool

 

[2CV67]

Do - Enjoy yourself and your Cali

Sure!

By the way, I grew up (if that's the right expression) in Dudley, West Midlands.
Except it was Worcestershire in those days...

 

[swigle]

Re: Do's & Don'ts List?

Be careful with the adjustable reading light - stow it properly with the Velcro, and don't bend it too excessively.

Don't set the fridge too cold - it turns into a freezer and any drinks cans in it will burst!

 

[calikev]

Unplug hook up lead before driving off. There should be a buzzer to tell you anyway

 

[Californiaman]

Don't leave shoes/boots/other stuff under the van with the parking heater running.

 

[ChrisandPenney52]

Don't leave shoes/boots/other stuff under the van with the parking heater running.

Ooh that's a new one. Have you melted anything?

 

[Californiaman]

Not so far. I don't know anyone that has either. I can't remember where I heard about it; but it does seem like a sensible precaution!

Another one is - don't leave your keys in the van. Keep them in your pocket.

Plug the end of the hookup lead into the van end first, and when disconnecting, disconnect from the hookup post first. No sense in having a "live" cable end floating around.

If you have bikes on your bike rack when taking a ferry, do a little video of you turning off the gas at the bottle before loading up. It may serve as evidence of you having done so and save you having to mess around to prove it.

 

[2CV67]

Is that all then?
I thought (still think) there would be a lot more, noticeably ways to accidentally drain the main battery...
I am updating the original post to include new items, thanks!

Some details:
a. What might be the limiting size for pans to avoid melting stuff?
b. Why should the circuit breaker be off when connecting/disconnecting hookup?
c. "don't leave your keys in the van. Keep them in your pocket." - Why exactly? We are thinking of getting 2 simple keys cut for potentially wet/sandy/accident-prone activities; always taking a key each on a strap in case we lose one; hiding the main keys inside when we are out with the simple keys & vice-versa; hiding a final-emergency key very carefully outside. But obviously we don't want any discussion of hiding places.
d. No comment on having engine running for roof operations or other items with question-mark?

Thanks!

 

[ChrisandPenney52]

a. What might be the limiting size for pans to avoid melting stuff?
No simple answer - but to be on the safe side move the plastic basin out of the way, e.g. by tipping it on its side
b. Why should the circuit breaker be off when connecting/disconnecting hookup?
I'm not an electrician, but it seems to me that this is safer as you then supply power to the van in a controlled way. Same principle as connecting the van first, then the campsite power - that way you don't walk around with a live cable in your hand
c. "don't leave your keys in the van. Keep them in your pocket."
My version of this is always to have a key on your person in case the Cali self locks - rare, and normally caused by dodgy door sensors. Also, if the van is locked with the sliding door open and you then shut the sliding door it will lock too. You could be either side of it in this situation. I think the design is a hang over from the commercial application, where this feature can be handy for a delivery driver with their hands full
d. No comment on having engine running for roof operations or other items with question-mark?
I think this is because of the drain on the vehicle battery from the roof operation, but I must confess I often don't do it and so far ...

re your other question marks, the radio runs off the vehicle battery, and has been known to drain it over a few days of static listening. As for closing the side door, I think it's just because it gets in the way of the handle - but nothing dire will happen if you leave it open.

One more on the gas ... there is a red tap in the cupboard under the burners. Turn this to off when you are not using the burners

 

[drmanhattan]

When swiveling the driver's seat, do put vehicle in gear/park and release handbrake to prevent scuffing the handbrake plastic. Also bring the seat forward as far as possible to prevent the seat scuffing the driver's side trim.

 

[Californiaman]

Re: Do's & Don'ts List?

A. VW themselves say 16cm max
D. The van can lock itself when it gets bored for fun and is feeling grumpy. It doesn't happen to people often but when it does, it is normally bad. Don't do it (in any modern vehicles ever!)
(as an aside, I have been driving an Infiniti for the last few days with keyless start which is all very well when you have the keys with you... But a bugger to figure out what is going on when you haven't but left it unlocked!)

 

[Californiaman]

Re: Do's & Don'ts List?

D should read C... Sorry, long day...

 

[Californiaman]

Re: Do's & Don'ts List?

Sorry D should read C. Long day!

 

[Andy]

Re: Do's & Don'ts List?

Do make sure you keep locking wheel bolt 'key' in the van.
Sounds obvious but when having tyres fitted to my van on monday fitter said they get loads of folk who don't even know what it is let alone know where it is !!


Sent from my GT-N8010 using Tapatalk 2

 

[rob.wheatley]

A note on keys and 'self locking'.

Just a note, this isn't a rare event. I've managed to lock myself out and I blame it all on a flaw in WV's logic. The fact is that the Cali is built from a T5 van and they use the T5 van 'self locking' logic rather than a more suited one for a campervan.

Here is how I locked myself out. I remotely unlocked the van and went in it via the side door, leaving the side door open. I put the keys in my coat pocket. I was looking for something in the van, got hot and took my coat off leaving it on the back seat. Whilst still looking I knelt on the coat and the central locking fired. I didn't think anything of it as the doors didn't lock because the side door was open. I found what I was looking for, stepped out and closed the sider door. The moment it closed, the central locking fired, locking all the doors and the keys in as it had 'remembered' that I had pressed the remote earlier.

The "don't lock yourself out" logic only works on the driver's door. If that were open, then pressing the remote lock would not have done anything, but because only the side door was open, it did. This logic is fine for the T5 van (probably) because the main door is the driver's door, but in a Cali I would argue that the side door should be included in the logic, given it's the main door in lots of situations.


Rob.

 

[passoni24]

On the 'locking yourself out' thread, I was so concerned about this that when travelling to France last year I hid a newly cut key blade under the van and stored the spare key in a very secret place inside the van. I appreciate the spare blade would only get me into the van and not allow the van to start hence the spare hidden keys.
Thankfully not needed but always a chance that a late night visit to the loo after a nice couple of glasses of wine could have ended in disaster.
Just a thought.

 

[journeyman]

Do check you have stowed everything before driving off, including dog bowls and anchors, door mats, and anything that might have been pushed or rolled under the van (drive forward a van length and then check for the above!)

 

[AgentSmith]

That's really useful. Thank you.

Can anyone contribute to question 11 - Various things that could drain the main battery & prevent restarting??....

I've managed to run mine down a could of times recently and have no idea how

Of course, it may just be that the battery is :censor

Thanks

 

[ChrisandPenney52]

A few more for you here -

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=954

You could end up with a big list!

 

[2CV67]

A few more for you here -
...
You could end up with a big list!

Yes - but I am trying to restrict it to the really critical stuff that you would regret for a long time, not the nice-to-have's!

I did add a couple of your items, thanks!

The more I hear about the locks & alarm system, the more paranoid I am getting!
I really don't fancy being locked either in or out.
Presumably you can always get in with a simple dumb blade key, whatever has gone before?
Maybe that is worth a thread on its own?