VW California T5 ONLY Roof Corrosion - General Discussion

[normg]

Have previously posted on here re this. My 2013 registered Cali SE had the roof repaired approx. 2 years ago by Hawco Van Centre, Inverness. Recently I found evidence of a reoccurrence of paint blistering under the rubber seal. Repair has been approved by VW apparently and I have been advised it will be completed by Audi, Glasgow early in the new year. Will update in due course.

 

[Bramco]

Mine was done in August and the seal was definitely not bonded on, so not standardised yet.

Did it have the tape applied?

I've just taken our van in for it's first MOT and checked yesterday to see if there was any rot. Sure enough there were signs of rot just starting. Tiny bubbles in a couple of places just on one side. So they are looking at it today (Leicester Parkway). The service manager said they had a couple of other vans in with rot at the moment.

I'm a bit concerned by the recent reports of the seal being bonded onto the roof after the repair. I don't see this as a good solution because you only need one small bit of missing seal for the whole of the seal to fill up with water again and start the whole process off anew.

Tape seems to be a much better solution and if ours does get repaired and if they didn't fit the tape I'd still add it myself. But of course I don't want to let them do the repair if they are going to bond the seal back on. So I guess we'll just have to wait until we get their report and see what they intend to do.

3M 8671HS

has been mentioned. Is this the same tape that VW are using? Does anyone know?

Doing a bit of interwebbing this morning I found a company in Lancashire called Heskins who have a corrosion protection tape H3453. From the photos it seems to be black and to have a rougher surface on one side. This would be OK for our van as it's black but maybe not for other colours. Has anyone used this tape? (https://www.heskins.com/corrosion-protection-tape).

 

[sbmcd]

Did it have the tape applied?

I've just taken our van in for it's first MOT and checked yesterday to see if there was any rot. Sure enough there were signs of rot just starting. Tiny bubbles in a couple of places just on one side. So they are looking at it today (Leicester Parkway). The service manager said they had a couple of other vans in with rot at the moment.

I'm a bit concerned by the recent reports of the seal being bonded onto the roof after the repair. I don't see this as a good solution because you only need one small bit of missing seal for the whole of the seal to fill up with water again and start the whole process off anew.

Tape seems to be a much better solution and if ours does get repaired and if they didn't fit the tape I'd still add it myself. But of course I don't want to let them do the repair if they are going to bond the seal back on. So I guess we'll just have to wait until we get their report and see what they intend to do.

has been mentioned. Is this the same tape that VW are using? Does anyone know?

Doing a bit of interwebbing this morning I found a company in Lancashire called Heskins who have a corrosion protection tape H3453. From the photos it seems to be black and to have a rougher surface on one side. This would be OK for our van as it's black but maybe not for other colours. Has anyone used this tape? (https://www.heskins.com/corrosion-protection-tape).

The tape VW sell as part of the roof parts list is only 15 mm wide which is why I went for the 25 mm wide 3M tape, I now have 4 rolls which I cannot use due to the roof seal being bonded.

If you are optimistic you may think the bonding agent will keep out the water and solve the problem, but if you are cynical (like me) you may think that it is now bonded to prevent future re inspection. If bonding the seal really does solve the problem why do VW not bond the roof seals on the new T6 elevating roofs???

I have written to VW to seek clarification on the repair procedure requirements.

 

[Bramco]

if you are cynical (like me) you may think that it is now bonded to prevent future re inspection

and me! That's why I wouldn't be keen to have it done if it means having it sealed.

I do wonder if there is only a small amount of tiny bubbling if it would stop any further corrosion if I were to make sure everything was bone dry and then simply apply the tape.

Anyone know if the progression of the corrosion is halted if you take away the electrolyte, i.e. the water.

 

[Lost Boy]

Got mine back from being repaired last week, I have to say I'm very impressed, very neat job, only a few dirty fingerprints on the headlining and one of the A pillar trims not quite right, but I fixed both of those small things myself. Roof has also been sprayed all around the edge, so now like new. Work was done by H&L in Twickenham and my dealership alone has put over 30 vans through for repair, so by the time they got to mine they were well practised. I've been told that the work that the bodyshop has done is warranteed for 3 years.
Very happy.

 

[Bramco]

Any chance you could check to see if they have applied the tape or if they have used sealant to seal the trim on? Thx.

 

[Lost Boy]

Assume you mean on the perimeter of the roof? I know its not sealed as I pulled some of the rubber seal off to take a look, didn't look closely enough for tape, will pull it out of the garage tommorrow and take a proper look

 

[Bramco]

Hi lost boy, yes the perimeter under the rubber seal. New T7s are manufactured with tape over the edge of the roof under the deal if you see what I mean. This effectively puts a barrier between any steel seal reinforcement poking through the rubber and the aluminium of the roof.

Some people have said that their repairs have now included the tape. When ours goes in I want to make sure they don't use sealant to seal the rubber onto the roof and if they don't fit any tape then I'll do it myself.

Tahnks in advance for checking.

 

[sbmcd]

Hi lost boy, yes the perimeter under the rubber seal. New T7s are manufactured with tape over the edge of the roof under the deal if you see what I mean. This effectively puts a barrier between any steel seal reinforcement poking through the rubber and the aluminium of the roof.

Some people have said that their repairs have now included the tape. When ours goes in I want to make sure they don't use sealant to seal the rubber onto the roof and if they don't fit any tape then I'll do it myself.

Tahnks in advance for checking.

Have been watching this issue closely, have not heard of any repairs incorporating the tape? This has only been done from end 2016 T6 roofs at the factory. I asked VW to fit the tape on my repair but was told they would not incorporate the tape in the repair procedure.

 

[Bramco]

Have been watching this issue closely, have not heard of any repairs incorporating the tape?

I was sure I'd read that someone had had the tape applied to their repair. Must be wishful thinking! Although I'll have to trawl through 100s of pages now to convince myself. Unless someone chips in by saying their repair included the tape.

Anyway, I guess so long as they don't apply sealant and permanently fix the seal to the roof I can still apply it myself. Question then is which tape, the 3M one or the one I mentioned earlier?

 

[sbmcd]

I was sure I'd read that someone had had the tape applied to their repair. Must be wishful thinking! Although I'll have to trawl through 100s of pages now to convince myself. Unless someone chips in by saying their repair included the tape.

Anyway, I guess so long as they don't apply sealant and permanently fix the seal to the roof I can still apply it myself. Question then is which tape, the 3M one or the one I mentioned earlier?

I bought the 25 mm wide 3M tape as it provides full coverage under the seal inside and out, now the VW body shop have bonded my seal it is no use to me, would you like to buy it from me?

 

[Bramco]

I bought the 25 mm wide 3M tape as it provides full coverage under the seal inside and out, now the VW body shop have bonded my seal it is no use to me, would you like to buy it from me?

Thanks and we might be glad to but not quite yet. Ours has only just been registered as needing the fix, so we'll wait until we see what they intend to do and then what they've done! So maybe in a year or two unless they're motoring through the list....

 

[Lost Boy]

Thanks and we might be glad to but not quite yet. Ours has only just been registered as needing the fix, so we'll wait until we see what they intend to do and then what they've done! So maybe in a year or two unless they're motoring through the list....

Checked mine, no tape under the seal on the main roof, but there is a few short lengths of tape on the front section just at the sides, where the roof meets the front section. Maybe thats what people mean when they say their repair includes tape?

My advice is that you shouldnt incorporate tape if the repair doesnt use it, my work is warranteed for 3 years where the paintwork has been worked on, I'm sure that if I incorporate the tape they wouldn't honour that as I'd have modified it.

Not sure why the list is so long now, my dealer told me that I was one of the last through his dealership (group of 3), might be worth finding out if you can use H&L in Twickenham as they seem very competent and by the sounds of it are coming to the end of the list (albeit i know they have recieved vans from as far afield as Scotland as some of the paintshops up there have not been up to the job)

 

[jts46]

Hi lost boy, yes the perimeter under the rubber seal. New T7s are manufactured with tape over the edge of the roof under the deal if you see what I mean. This effectively puts a barrier between any steel seal reinforcement poking through the rubber and the aluminium of the roof.

Some people have said that their repairs have now included the tape. When ours goes in I want to make sure they don't use sealant to seal the rubber onto the roof and if they don't fit any tape then I'll do it myself.

Tahnks in advance for checking.

What is a T7 (confused) ?

 

[Bramco]

What is a T7 (confused

It's me that's confused. Fat fingers at work or any other excuse. T5.2 of course.

 

[sbmcd]

Thanks and we might be glad to but not quite yet. Ours has only just been registered as needing the fix, so we'll wait until we see what they intend to do and then what they've done! So maybe in a year or two unless they're motoring through the list....

Ha Ha, maybe I should keep it until it needs re repaired in 2 to 3 years time.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Oh no! VW can you not sort this out! How difficult can it be for your engineers!! You are the biggest (?) Second biggest (?) car maker on the planet......shame on you!

Your reputation falls still further.

 

[Digger]

Galvanic corrosion (not rot) has to be completely removed by the repairer before re painting . Are the garages capable of this simple task or more used to just repairing mild steel and leaving the surface still affected?
I mentioned some time back the use of heavy duty truck bed paint which forms a hard impenetrable barrier which can be over painted. It works on trailers used to launch small craft into the sea so if ever my Cali shows signs that will be my repair strategy around the edges of the roof. A permanent airtight barrier which would be unaffected by the air, sea or steel.

 

[sbmcd]

View attachment 27209

Hi, what did the factory tape look like? Sorry if that's answered somewhere but I don't have the will to go back through the posts.

My repair was done just under a year ago and it included a clear tape under the rubber seal, but it hasn't worked. Mine will be going back in as the bubbling is worse than before it was repaired....

Interesting that tape was used on the repair, disappointing that it did not prevent the problem re occurring, here is picture of the factory applied tape, not my van. I still believe excluding the ponding water (electrolyte) from the seal is the key to a solution.

It will be interesting to see how the factory fitted tape performs on the post Dec 2016 van roofs.

 

[Lost Boy]

View attachment 27209

Hi, what did the factory tape look like? Sorry if that's answered somewhere but I don't have the will to go back through the posts.

My repair was done just under a year ago and it included a clear tape under the rubber seal, but it hasn't worked. Mine will be going back in as the bubbling is worse than before it was repaired....

Looks like tape causes more problems?

 

[Hotel California]

Update on my situation.
Been washing my 2012 SE and as usual pulled the seal away to clean under it and check how much the bublles have grown....
It got worse , offcoarse ...it will not increase
And i see some bubling on the front spoiler just above the windscreen , the first time i see it appear there on mine.
Was just yesterday @CCN where i'm planning to have the warrenty fix and they are current caling in jan. 2012 Cali's in , as mine is july 2012 have to wait a litlle longer.
Turning 6y next june.







This is above the windscreen

 

[sbmcd]

Update on my situation.
Been washing my 2012 SE and as usual pulled the seal away to clean under it and check how much the bublles have grown....
It got worse , offcoarse ...it will not increase
And i see some bubling on the front spoiler just above the windscreen , the first time i see it appear there on mine.
Was just yesterday @CCN where i'm planning to have the warrenty fix and they are current caling in jan. 2012 Cali's in , as mine is july 2012 have to wait a litlle longer.
Turning 6y next june.

View attachment 27306
View attachment 27307
View attachment 27308
View attachment 27309
View attachment 27310
View attachment 27311
This is above the windscreen
View attachment 27312
View attachment 27313

Not good, has the roof corrosion ever been repaired before or is this the first time?

 

[Hotel California]

@sbmcd , never been toutched as i said ....waiting for repair .
I don't worry to much , if it's my turn i will hear what they say and what theire plans are , if i don't like the way they will handle the problem ( witch i doubt ) i don't have the work done.
A Cali can perfect survive without the repair , i just had it signed up to see what the VW repair brings ...

 

[sbmcd]

@sbmcd , never been toutched as i said ....waiting for repair .
I don't worry to much , if it's my turn i will hear what they say and what theire plans are , if i don't like the way they will handle the problem ( witch i doubt ) i don't have the work done.
A Cali can perfect survive without the repair , i just had it signed up to see what the VW repair brings ...

I like your pragmatic approach, the level of corrosion you have is not that bad considering how long it has been progressing.

 

[WelshGas]

Just a report. As I stated before I wasn’t going to check under the Elevating Roof seal until the 3 yr Warranty was almost up. Well that was today.
My California was built at the end of July 2014, so a 2015MY vehicle.
I understand they made a change to the Alloy composition of the Roof section above the windscreen in June 2014.
So today at the Dealers.
Front Roof Panel - No evidence of any Corrosion or paint problems at all.

Elevating Roof Section. Edge seal removed all around. - No evidence of any Corrosion nor any marks on painted area under seal on the outer or inner side of the panel. In fact the area under the seal was amazingly clean all around.

The vehicle is Natural Grey and hasn’t seen the inside of a garage since taking delivery almost 3 years ago. It did have the Lifeshine package pre-delivery. It is used most days, has covered 60,000 miles and is washed with Autoglym Shampoo with a soft long handled brush on the roof and lambs wool mitten elsewhere and I use a normal hose.
I don’t know if that has any bearing but I was pleasantly surprised. Next check will be in 3 years time, just before the 6 year extended warranty is due up.