2023 Ocean leaking roof fabric

[Viktorgeorge]

Back to the previous perhaps?

Well I for one am well pleased I missed the boat by a few weeks and was ‘lumped’, as I thought at the time, with the older fabric. Which, on my recent tests, is excellent in stormy rain.

This is not to say that I much prefer the internal appearance of the new fabric - obviously a better look.

But my point is that if I had the new fabric and it was leaking, based on my experience, I would try to steer my warranty claim towards replacement with the older fabric rather than hoping for an improved water tight solution with the new.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Back to the previous perhaps?

In my eyes that would be a good starting point! Just spent 45 consecutive days on a road trip from the UK to Corsica and back (Always sleeping up top). Several rain (thunder storm) episodes but no leaks, even when bedding was touching the bellows. So no wicking either.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Well I for one am well pleased I missed the boat by a few weeks and was ‘lumped’, as I thought at the time, with the older fabric. Which, on my recent tests, is excellent in stormy rain.

This is not to say that I much prefer the internal appearance of the new fabric - obviously a better look.

But my point is that if I had the new fabric and it was leaking, based on my experience, I would try to steer my warranty claim towards replacement with the older fabric rather than hoping for an improved water tight solution with the new.

Gets my vote 100 times over!

 

[CallsignCalifornia]

Thought I’d got away with it on my brand new ocean, picked up last month - nope! 2 nights in the lakes, rained a lot last night and streaming water through the seams on the side against the wind, then as the wind shifted started coming through the seams at the front too. Gutting

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Thought I’d got away with it on my brand new ocean, picked up last month - nope! 2 nights in the lakes, rained a lot last night and streaming water through the seams on the side against the wind, then as the wind shifted started coming through the seams at the front too. Gutting

View attachment 112913

That’s terrible! What was the build date? Sounds likely the dual layer bellows will leak all the way round then and just tends to be seen at the front due to the greater exposure to the elements at the front.

 

[Pollewop]

Back to the previous perhaps?

Well, I would be surprised if the "old fabric" bellows would be available at all. Knowing the "Just In Time" way of delivering parts in the car industry, I'm almost 100% sure that there are none in stock anymore and replaced by the "new fabric" bellows...

 

[ArunAlec]

Well, I would be surprised if the "old fabric" bellows would be available at all. Knowing the "Just In Time" way of delivering parts in the car industry, I'm almost 100% sure that there are none in stock anymore and replaced by the "new fabric" bellows...

And, the chances of being able get VW to supply an obsolete component would be pretty slim, probably erased from their system!

 

[Viktorgeorge]

And, the chances of being able get VW to supply an obsolete component would be pretty slim, probably erased from their system!

Yes, but faced with solving the leaks or reverting manufacture to a proven safe previous product that only ceased recently ….. I don’t know. Either way is embarrassing, the latter is perhaps less risky.

 

[CallsignCalifornia]

That’s terrible! What was the build date? Sounds likely the dual layer bellows will leak all the way round then and just tends to be seen at the front due to the greater exposure to the elements at the front.

Build date was WC23, ordered through breeze

 

[Corradobrit]

VW will sort it out. I'm not concerned about that at all. It just take time. Just sucks the summer has been a wet one so the issue has been magnified. Then again I guess we should be thankful it did rain so much in UK and Europe as VW are clearly faced with a tsunami of disgruntled customers at the dealers demanding a fix.

 

[dspuk]

Well, I would be surprised if the "old fabric" bellows would be available at all. Knowing the "Just In Time" way of delivering parts in the car industry, I'm almost 100% sure that there are none in stock anymore and replaced by the "new fabric" bellows...

Parts should be available for 10 years after manufacture.

We were still knocking out Bluebird panels for stock once every 6 months.

There will be old bellows available, but the stock amounts kept in the VW central warehouses and available to dealers would be in line with their failure rate and need to replace. i.e very few.

 

[Corradobrit]

Parts should be available for 10 years after manufacture.

We were still knocking out Bluebird panels for stock once every 6 months.

There will be old bellows available, but the stock amounts kept in the VW central warehouses and available to dealers would be in line with their failure rate and need to replace. i.e very few.

But if you needed old bellows replaced within those 10 years, they would just install the new ones which are a direct replacement. VW wouldn't be required to keep the old design in stock

 

[dspuk]

But if you needed old bellows replaced within those 10 years, they would just install the new ones which are a direct replacement. VW wouldn't be required to keep the old design in stock

Maybe, maybe not. Personally I would expect them to install old bellows. You’re making an assumption that all the upper and lower fixtures and fittings are exactly the same and it is just the material that has changed - I’d be surprised if they were. Be interesting to know. We would change parts all the time and sometimes the bolt hangings were a few mm different for engineering reasons.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

But if you needed old bellows replaced within those 10 years, they would just install the new ones which are a direct replacement. VW wouldn't be required to keep the old design in stock

There’s a lady on FB who this has happened too. New ones replaced old ones under warranty and now her ones leak!

 

[dspuk]

There’s a lady on FB who this has happened too. New ones replaced old ones under warranty and now her ones leak!

Interesting - be good to know if true. Link? I found the FB group full of lunatics and idiots unable to use search or read a manual there either.

Exhibit A from 5 hours ago.

 

[babble]

I think I might be one of the few who preferred the old bellows, leaking aside. I like the fact they let more daylight in basically. I find the van roof area rather dark and sad with the new bellows, especially in the morning, but actually all day, especially when it's rainy or cold and you have to have the zipped windows shut. They are just too good at keeping the light out (I'm someone who sleeps without curtains). I'd be rather happy to have the new bellows replaced with the older ones.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Interesting - be good to know if true. Link? I found the FB group full of lunatics and idiots unable to use search or read a manual there either.

Exhibit A from 5 hours ago.

View attachment 112927

It is true, read it with my own eyes, but here is the proof…

 

[I feel camping]

I am reliably informed that the part number for the leaking, "double" skin, light inside poptop canvas is now not available to be ordered by dealer parts deparments and has been dsicontinued. My dealer is waiting for a new part number.

Hi,
can you please specify which part is disscontinued?
Not the new one 7LA875059C7MH updated double skin canvas?
Thankx

 

[dspuk]

It is true, read it with my own eyes, but here is the proof…

View attachment 112932

No dispute you read it, was more interested in who wrote it. Looks right so as @Corradobrit theorised - same fittings and you can therefore fit an old bellows to the new Cali. On reading her replies saw this video, very similar to the leaks my sister is getting on hers.

 

[66tim99]

No dispute you read it, was more interested in who wrote it. Looks right so as @Corradobrit theorised - same fittings and you can therefore fit an old bellows to the new Cali. On reading her replies saw this video, very similar to the leaks my sister is getting on hers.

Sad to see this
Incredible that VW have allowed such a blunder to reach customers

 

[WelshGas]

I very much doubt if VW have a Bellows manufacturing factory. They might have had input with the engineering specification, size etc, but left it to the manufacturer to determine construction and materials. They will have tested it under Laboratory conditions, not real world weather conditions and accepted a % failure rate which they are happy with as they will bear the cost of replacement under warranty. However, real world testing as shown a flaw. Once the % of failures exceed the expected then VW and the manufacturer will be examining the situation and determining the cause and a fix.
Once again Real World experience has trumped the Laboratory Testing regime.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Hi,
can you please specify which part is disscontinued?
Not the new one 7LA875059C7MH updated double skin canvas?
Thankx

My23 Ocean has one of the new bellows fitted and leaks badly (see #419) https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/2023-ocean-leaking-roof-fabric.49408/post-653459
and my dealer has agreed it should be replaced under warranty. Unfortunately the dealer has no stock of the part number, 7LA875059C7MH, and the parts department have advised, verbally, that it is now on a "Global Back Order" status. I can only speculate what that means but I fear its a long wait. The dealer (and I !!) are now waiting for advice/a solution/an alternative from VW for future action.

 

[McGons]

No dispute you read it, was more interested in who wrote it. Looks right so as @Corradobrit theorised - same fittings and you can therefore fit an old bellows to the new Cali. On reading her replies saw this video, very similar to the leaks my sister is getting on hers.

Think this is the video @OooOooTheMonkey took of their leaking bellows. I’ve seen it on this forum, possibly earlier in this thread.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Think this is the video @OooOooTheMonkey took of their leaking bellows. I’ve seen it on this forum, possibly earlier in this thread.

Yes this is ours. Just dropped off today at the dealer. Bellows being replaced this week…

 

[Corradobrit]

Yes this is ours. Just dropped on today at the dealer. Bellows being replaced this week…

Whatever iteration is being installed now seems to be working as it should. A German owner just spent 2 days in Hamburg with fairly constant rain on all panels and stayed dry. Fingers crossed this isn’t a one off.