BLISTERING ROOF PAINTWORK - SURVEY

[SusiBus]

Having discovered that my 2011 van is suffering from blistering paint on the roof, I are now talking to VW HQ and trying to establish why so many Cali owners need to make warranty claims for roof corrosion.

To help in my discussions with VW, feedback on the way in which the dealer dealt with your corrosion problem would be helpful:

1. Your dealer’s assessment of the cause of the problem

2. What work was carried out by the dealer to rectify the problem:

(a) Repair and respray external damage only?
(b) Remove, repair, and refit the existing roof?
(c) Remove and replace all the affected parts with new?

3. Have you suffered any re-occurrence of blistering paint after the remedial work?

4. What warranty was offered after the remedial work – 3 or 12 years?

Surforswim’s video may illustrate an extreme case, http://youtu.be/L8BEMHZgmWw but from the blogs I have read, it seems that dealers in many cases are just repairing the exterior “visible” paint damage without remedying the cause. Unless the corroded metal is treated from underneath, or the front aluminium box section is replaced, I can’t see how this corrosion will not reoccur in the future – probably just after the vehicle is out of warranty!

If this was happening to a £50,000+ Audi, I am sure VW/Audi would be putting a lot more effort into finding and rectifying the cause of something which has been happening for some years now both in the UK and Germany.

Many thanks for your feedback.

 

[CaliforniaDAN]

Hi
My November 2010 California


1. My roof has suffered this problem no assessment given as to cause just something that Californias suffered.

2. (a) Blistering occurred on front corners on both sides sides near to mulitrail. repair consisted of a respray of the whole panel, and silicon injected underneath the panel and the front windscreen.

3. None so far repair completed in september.

4. None more than standard VW warranty

I have checked the you tube video and fortunately my damage was not as severe as that.

 

[Meoncoast]

would it also be worth adding a note of the date of the Cali (& ? VIN number)

 

[Surforswim]

Hi It was my van in the Vid http://youtu.be/L8BEMHZgmWw Its just returned from the dealership who repaired it and looking at it now it is a much better finish than it ever was from new. The back edge of the panel originally as can be seen from the video was a very rough looking seam that has now been tidied up. There are 2 other changes, i can now see a bead of silicone between the front edge and the window screen which is a very neat finish and the raised sections at either end of the front panel where the roof lands have had a protective film applied similar i guess to the stone chip protection that someone mentioned in another post. I will upload a post repair vid when the snow has melted off the roof.
So In an attempt to feedback into the survey
1) No assessment provided as to what caused the original problem but the dealership did say when they entered the fault code to VW for works approval it came back as a recognised warranty issue and gave a prescribed repair work schedule. The roof panel was not removed it was repaired in situ.

2)As well as what can be seen in the Video there were further blisters on the opposite corner and 2 small spots on the leading edge, by far the worst were the areas on the back edge you could see with the roof down and then extending into the rear channel which were only visible with the roof elevated.

3)The remedial work has just been completed.

4) I guess the standard warranty continues and i expect to be back in about 3 years time if the repair method fails.

 

[src67]

1. VW dealer took photo's of the blistering but would't comment as to what was causing the issue. I explained I had read about many other California owners having an issue to which they replied this was the first they had seen and it would be down to VW HQ to decide whether it was covered under warranty. By the time mine went to have the work it was the third one they had repaired.

It took two attempts to get this done the first time the VW dealer kept it for two weeks and did nothing, returned it and said that VW HQ had stopped the work and the body shop was now booked up. The second time they said they would have it for two weeks but contacted me two weeks in to say VW HQ had not agreed the work yet so it wasn't ready, finally the work went ahead and five weeks after dropping it off I collected my van, the dealer was to be fair very helpful and I can't see the repair. I did have a courtesy vehicle but it wasn't another Cali.

2. The roof was removed, the aluminium panel removed, stripped, treated, resprayed, the panel and roof were then re fitted.

3. No but it's only been a couple of months.

4. I didn't find out as the person dealing with me all the way through was t there on the day I picked the an up.

I haven't yet but will be writing to VW to see why things were done like they were and to find out what warranty is offered on the repair.

Good luck with your research I'll let you know when they come back to me.

 

[viehoffd]

Hi Graham, they took the van in to repair the roof. I suggested at the time that this would not be possible as the corrosion would not be fully accessed, nor would it solve a problem of rotting from the inside.
THey then returned the van and booked it to replace the roof panel - this is confirmed on the warranty note.
The Cause was never explained.
I have not asked what the warranty is ongoing however I believe that any bodywork repair by an authorised dealer maintains the 12 year guarantee. I will check.
I did ask VW dealer and head office to give me a gesture/compensation for all the hassle i have had. It takes me over an hour to get to there and back to VW and i have been 8 times in the last months. they have had my can for around a month and given me a panel van or caddy in exchange.
My opinion of VW is that they do not take customer service seriously, they generally make good products hence believe they do not need to.

 

[SusiBus]

I totally agree. Corrosion can't be fully solved unless it is accessed from inside, which it appears not all dealers are doing, although I would have thought there must be a set repair procedure laid down by VW.

The warranty issue is something that we hope to clarify. There appear to be three aspects to consider:

1. Corrosion caused by "defect in manufacturing", ie aluminium roof section not satisfactorily insulated from steel bodywork, resulting in electrochemical corrosion, would presumably be covered by the General 3 Year Warranty.

2. Corrosion caused by poor paintwork will be covered by the Three year Paint Warranty.

3. 12 year protection warranty. This clearly states "bodywork sections and panels covered against rusting through from the inside" so it probably would be interpreted that however bad the bodywork is on the outside, if there is no panel perforation, it wouldn't be covered.

Therefore I feel that owners who think/hope they are covered for 12 years are being rather optimistic, unless we can shame VW into giving us a 12 year warranty to restore Cali owners' faith in the VW brand.

Glad to hear that at least they provided you with some form of alternative transport for the month(!) it took to repair.

 

[gatvol]

Hello. I have not been to a dealer with mine yet. Mine is a dec 2011 model that has only done 4000 miles. We have spent less than a fortnight in it so the roof has not been extensively used.

I was only alerted to the problem by the forum, I would never had dreamt I needed to scrutinise the vehicle for a problem like this. This sort of thing should take 12 years to appear, not 12 months. I could just imagine noticing something like this after the warranty had expired and being presented with a huge bill

I find it staggering that this fault has occurred on a vehicle at this price bracket. It is a clear design or manufacturing fault, the sort of thing you expected on a 1990s TVR not a mainstream German manufacturer.

In my opinion, this is recall territory. If you get nowhere with vw, how about trying the mags - top gear, autotrader, which, what car, car etc



Good luck

 

[SusiBus]

I have seen a posting stating that roof corrosion is a known problem in Germany. I cannot imagine German owners standing for sub quality products or repairs, so does any Cali owner have the wherewithall to contact any German owner/group to establish the situation in Germany?

If so, please contact him/them and report back.

Many thanks.

Graham (SusiBus)

 

[steviej]

1) No assessment made by dealership on cause of the problem who took the vehicle to an approved VW repairer. The repairer suggested that corrosion was caused by abrasion to the paintwork by the rubber seal as the roof closed. They also suggested the fitting of a clear plastic protector strip but did not carry out this work.

2)Repair and repaint external damage only.

3) Work carried out two months ago, too soon to comment.

4) Warranty not discussed/offered.

 

[BerndRos]

1. They have carried works on several vans....VW Plympton....

2. Until now they have repaired and re spayed. But on mine are fitting a new panel and they say VW have a new panel which is on back order. Due mid February.

3. N/A

4. It will be a continuation of the guarantee.

 

[Calincolnshire]

Is there a picture of this somewhere. Not sure from the descriptions where the blustering is.I want to keep an eye on mine.

 

[Martin]

Is there a picture of this somewhere. Not sure from the descriptions where the blustering is.I want to keep an eye on mine.

Here you go: http://youtu.be/L8BEMHZgmWw

 

[Calincolnshire]

Wow that's bad . Will certainly keep an eye out for this

 

[Dorchest]

Hi All

I have a 2007 Cali with some blistering appearing on the front roof.

I had hoped this would be covered by the 12 year warranty but note the comments above (owners who think/hope they are covered for 12 years are being rather optimistic unless we can shame VW into giving us a 12 year warranty to restore Cali owners' faith in the VW brand).

So - HAS ANYONE HAD A SUCCESSFUL CLAIM FOR BLISTERING ROOF PAINT FOR A CALI OVER THREE YEARS OLD?

I look forward (optimistically) to a deluge of positive posts!!

Regards.........Mike