Control Panel Failures - VW Customer Services Statement

[caligraphy]

Thanks Steve. Every little bit helps.

I can not believe the the replaced panels with a broken knob are just binned! I would dearly like to get my hands on one to fix my display problem.


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Sadly VW will always want to bin them as the incremental cost to manufacture such a replacement part would be very small (as it uses existing tooling). We need to understand that car manufacturers make a lot of money from failed parts. There is an optimum number of failures for maximising profits. Too many and eventually people will steer away from the product altogether but too few and after-sales profits are hurt.

Providing a quick fix under warranty keeps most people happy and costs VW little (small parts + tiny labour). The real profit to VW comes when the warranty expires, especially as campers have a very long service life. In the event that one takes out an extended warranty the profit is still made as the cost to VW of fixing any part is minimal.

The profit on the 45-50,000 you stump up to buy a new Cali is nothing compared to the profits VW stand to make over the life of the Cali through the sale of service and parts.

The best option for owners would be if someone were to manufacture and sell an aftermarket replacement. Understanding how manufacturers make their profits from failed parts explains why they are always so loathe to see non-genuine parts fitted.

I would suggest anyone paying to have their out-of-warranty control panel replaced out of their own pocket should make sure they keep the old part. It could help them recover some of their costs by selling it on eBay (or keeping it for spares when the warranty runs out). Most importantly it takes a little back from the profit gouging that car manufacturers indulge in.

 

[caligraphy]

I should add that my '07 Cali has had a dodgy knob since I bought it in 2010. It's quite usable but tends to jump between the options when trying to select. It works well enough for me to put up with it.

The control panel,other electrical parts and all camping gear on my 2001 T4 VW Califonia (made by Westfalia) had no problems during the first 9 yrs of it's life (I sold it in 2010) and I suspect will never suffer from such problems.

VW added just an electric roof to the Westfalia built T4 spec California. Is it likely that they could copy a design that has served Westfalia reliably for years and unintentionally build in so many problems ?

I suspect the difference is that Westfalia didn't stand to make the same profit from post-warranty sales of spares.

 

[Calincolnshire]

It's interesting that the guy on eBay who is repairing the faulty/broken knob issues says he is using genuine VW parts . So it makes me think that there is another knob from something else that fits. I do know when I have been on the VW/Audi computerised parts catalogue the knobs for the radio are a separate item ( I guess as they get nicked from dealers and hire cars) . So I am assuming one of these parts from another VW model fits the Cali control unit. Just a thought but the knobs on the RCD310 radio are about 20mm and this looks the same size as the control panel (just another colour). From memory the replacement knobs for the stereo in my A1 were about £25 a pair . If they do actually do spares for the Rcd310 then its got to worth a punt. A quick look at the inside will tell you if its splined and the same size. Maybe SMG could take a look.
Yes you have to fit it but there is a tutorial on how to strip the unit somewhere,so if your a bit handy it could save you hundreds.

 

[beardie]

It's interesting that the guy on eBay who is repairing the faulty/broken knob issues says he is using genuine VW parts . So it makes me think that there is another knob from something else that fits. I do know when I have been on the VW/Audi computerised parts catalogue the knobs for the radio are a separate item ( I guess as they get nicked from dealers and hire cars) . So I am assuming one of these parts from another VW model fits the Cali control unit. Just a thought but the knobs on the RCD310 radio are about 20mm and this looks the same size as the control panel (just another colour). From memory the replacement knobs for the stereo in my A1 were about £25 a pair . If they do actually do spares for the Rcd310 then its got to worth a punt. A quick look at the inside will tell you if its splined and the same size. Maybe SMG could take a look.
Yes you have to fit it but there is a tutorial on how to strip the unit somewhere,so if your a bit handy it could save you hundreds.

knobs £25 a pair ! What are they made of? Unobtainium ! No wonder people get upset and feel they are ripped off. I bet VAG screw their supplier down to about 10 cent each. I am sure this is a job for a 3D printer although you would probably get your door knocked down at 3 am for copyright theft. Off for a rant!

 

[Calincolnshire]

http://www.shop4volkswagen.co.uk/product/Radio_Knobs_000059549G

£10.21+vat. Against £500 sounds like a bargain (if it fits) but I know what you mean . They must cost all of 20p to make.

 

[caligraphy]

I've opted for the German knob maker who published the replacement tutorial. I translated it with google. He is sending me one for 16 euros + postage.

Seems a helpful guy. He also speaks English (or writes it via Google)

 

[Volksvans Club]

Hi, for some reason my old username "Volksvans" is blocked, you can contact me regarding all California electrical problems..

Many thanks Mark

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

It's interesting that the guy on eBay who is repairing the faulty/broken knob issues says he is using genuine VW parts . So it makes me think that there is another knob from something else that fits. I do know when I have been on the VW/Audi computerised parts catalogue the knobs for the radio are a separate item ( I guess as they get nicked from dealers and hire cars) . So I am assuming one of these parts from another VW model fits the Cali control unit. Just a thought but the knobs on the RCD310 radio are about 20mm and this looks the same size as the control panel (just another colour). From memory the replacement knobs for the stereo in my A1 were about £25 a pair . If they do actually do spares for the Rcd310 then its got to worth a punt. A quick look at the inside will tell you if its splined and the same size. Maybe SMG could take a look.
Yes you have to fit it but there is a tutorial on how to strip the unit somewhere,so if your a bit handy it could save you hundreds.

Which bit do you want us to try and look at?

cheers

 

[shambly]

I am sure this is a job for a 3D printer

I've offered on another control panel failure thread to print some replacement knobs; I have the 3D scanner, cad software, and professional 3D printer to do it.

All I need is a knob to use as a reference (it can even be broken as long as the original shaft shape is obvious)

Simon

 

[2into1]

It seems a bit counter-productive that a member who can fix the knobs for next to no money appears to be being blocked on this thread.
I understand the site owners wouldn't want unauthorised spam posts by someone hiring Calis (or treading on other sponsors' toes), but is it really helpful to the community to see members shelling out £600+ when they could simply allow the small guy to make a very modest wage because he's worked out how to do this?

Are we going to be stopped from giving positive reviews about campsites who aren't paying their way as a sponsor? Obviously not, so lets get sensible.

 

[2into1]

So my posts are now being removed??!! That's a shame as I thought I'd expressed myself pretty well. It would be nice to see it replaced.

 

[motorpaint]

I'm all for having our own fault data base.
It makes sense for VW to have genuine hands-on customer feedback and also for the forum to have a genuine reference point for our beloved Califoria's.

Let's hope it moves forward.

 

[apolaine]

Hi folks - I had the same faulty knob issue (no jokes) on our 2005 T5 Cali in around 2010. It got replaced here in Germany under the Lifetime Guarantee that we had at the time. The display has just died on the new one this year - the old stripy pixels issue. So they seem to have about a 2-4 year lifespan, which is really rubbish. Here in Germany the guarantee is two years, but mine is out of guarantee of course. I seem to remember being over 500 Euros just for the part.

I haven't taken mine apart yet, but my guess from the pictures I've seen here is that either damp gets into the unit's seam (since this is also the area where roof corrosion occurs, no?) and corrodes the connections on the ribbon cables or soldered onto the screen's circuit board, or they use some kind of conductive paste to make the connections and summer heat kills it. My Cali is black. Out of interest, I wonder what colour the Calis are of others who have these problems?

Since the unit is useless anyway, I might take it apart a bit more and see if I can find the cause and fix it. My experience with laptops having these kinds of screen troubles, though, is that it's not really possible to fix.

 

[JimJ]

apolaine How did you get on?

Just noticed yesterday we've got a pixel line missing near the top on ours. I have seen some on eBay, but if they die in a few years could be a waste of time.

 

[ron b]

The control panel in our 2009 van has been losing pixel lines for approximately nine months with recent increased deterioration leading to replacement when the roof needed to be raised for warranty work on edge corrosion. £583.43 + £35 for half hour labour and £123.69 vat = £742.12. Ouch! Reading previous comments, it is hard to believe a 1:20 failure rate. If your pixel lines are beginning to disappear and you are planning a trip this year to Europe, it might be worth buying a unit over there while the Euro is weak. Half an hour labour charge appears to confirm a previous post stating that the units are just a plug-in.

 

[kahlda]

We are in New Zealand with 2009 cali and our control panel was replaced on warranty in 2010 because of missing lines in the display. The same thing has now happened again and the display is now totally unreadable. We now operate the roof by the correct # of pressing the centre button and knob rotations. I would recommend that you figure all this out before your display goes totally blank. We have not priced a new unit here in NZ but I dont really see the point as I would bet the same thing will happen to a new unit.

 

[T5sevilla]

I have just ordered my THIRD control panel (2nd replacement,) for my 2008 LHD Comfortline. Not impressed at all that they don't stay the distance!

 

[franckyuccas]

The same illness for me....
There is a place in hell for the guy who made this !!!
I'll try to fix it by myself...it's allready broken so...

 

[GrannyJen]

My 2013 Cali is now booked in for it's third control panel.

It came back to me today from the van centre where they are still trying to find out why it will not charge from 240v and when I went to check on the battery state ... hey ho.... bottom lines are missing on the display.

 

[T5sevilla]

Have just had my third control panel fitted, (2nd replacement.)
The original lasted from new (Apr 2008) until Apr 2013. The second one from Apr 2013 until now (annoyingly just over the 2 year guarantee period..)
A few interesting observations regarding the latest control panel:
1. It has a new part number, the original and 1st replacement started with 7H7, this one starts with 7E7 (the rest of the part no. is the same) - is this just an evolution/normal update, or has the part changed significantly, perhaps acknowledging that the 'old' part was defective?
2. Linked to the above, the display colour is different. The background colour is monochrome black/grey, where before it was still monochrome, but blue, which matched the background lighting for the rest of the instruments (radio etc.) Everything else, display icons, functions etc. are the same. The 4 buttons on the periphery are the same red backlit, which still change to amber/yellow when selected.
3. The rotary knob seems much stiffer and more robust (imho it needs slightly more effort to turn it,) and each turn/click to select the next upper/lower line on the display appears to be more positive.

Finally, the problems I have had all relate to pixelation/unreadability of the screen - I have never had an issue with the rotary knob. I therefore have 2 spare units, just in case I need replacement rotary knobs

I wonder if the change in the display screen means that VW have finally fixed a problem that they were reluctant to admit existed in the first place? (Have they ever admitted it??) I will wait to see how long this panel lasts!
Any comment from our sponsor (SMG Cowfold)?

 

[Les]

Have just had my third control panel fitted, (2nd replacement.)
The original lasted from new (Apr 2008) until Apr 2013. The second one from Apr 2013 until now (annoyingly just over the 2 year guarantee period..)
A few interesting observations regarding the latest control panel:
1. It has a new part number, the original and 1st replacement started with 7H7, this one starts with 7E7 (the rest of the part no. is the same) - is this just an evolution/normal update, or has the part changed significantly, perhaps acknowledging that the 'old' part was defective?
2. Linked to the above, the display colour is different. The background colour is monochrome black/grey, where before it was still monochrome, but blue, which matched the background lighting for the rest of the instruments (radio etc.) Everything else, display icons, functions etc. are the same. The 4 buttons on the periphery are the same red backlit, which still change to amber/yellow when selected.
3. The rotary knob seems much stiffer and more robust (imho it needs slightly more effort to turn it,) and each turn/click to select the next upper/lower line on the display appears to be more positive.

Finally, the problems I have had all relate to pixelation/unreadability of the screen - I have never had an issue with the rotary knob. I therefore have 2 spare units, just in case I need replacement rotary knobs

I wonder if the change in the display screen means that VW have finally fixed a problem that they were reluctant to admit existed in the first place? (Have they ever admitted it??) I will wait to see how long this panel lasts!
Any comment from our sponsor (SMG Cowfold)?

The loss of lines on the display is due failure of the ribbon connection to the pcb and is repairable..

 

[GrannyJen]

I am on my second CCU, I've gone from monochrome white to monochrome blue. I have an unreadable bottom third of the display. Sometimes it's a line missing, other times only a line remaining.

 

[Barryjm]

The loss of lines on the display is due failure of the ribbon connection to the pcb and is repairable..

But does anyone know who can repair it? I have one in the shed waiting to be brought back to life, my current one was bought off ebay and doesn't read the water and waste levels correctly, but I can live with this especially at £600 less than a new one.

 

[franckyuccas]

I've just fix mine...
The job isn't a piece of cake,but with time and good tools...My screan came back to life....twice...
The first time was a prefect one with no line missing...this time few are missing and it's the last repair...
If you want to sell me your old unit, I can try to fix it...but I can't do for somebody else (I'll never be sure if it will work after my work).

Cheers ;-)

 

[Rossboy2009]

I've just fix mine...
The job isn't a piece of cake,but with time and good tools...My screan came back to life....twice...
The first time was a prefect one with no line missing...this time few are missing and it's the last repair...
If you want to sell me your old unit, I can try to fix it...but I can't do for somebody else (I'll never be sure if it will work after my work).

Cheers ;-)

Hi. Would you be able to let the forum know what you did to fix it? Is it just a loose connection?