Did you know ———?

[WelshGas]

After 3 Years ownership and many nights away I found out something new about the California.
I thought ALL the blinds in the rear of the California were straight forward spring loaded roller blinds like the tailgate blind that you pull out and clip to the top of the rear window. I thought the side blinds and the sliding door blind were similar the only difference being the Aluminium Extrusion Handle Running in a tight channel, either side, with friction holding the blind at whatever position you choose.
I was wrong. Whilst away in Oxfordshire last Sunday night I put the Off-side rear blind down to find it wouldn’t stay down and the Handle seemed very loose in the guide/side slots.
Closer inspection showed there was a fine braided wire running the length of each guide slot and at the bottom a black plastic slider with a horizontal tab on it. Angling the Aluminium Handle to get it out of the slot showed it was a hollow extrusion with the blind material clipped in the top and a slot below, at each end, the same size as the black plastic sliders tab.
Using a small screwdriver to lift the slider up the wire on each side it was easy to push the Aluminium Handle onto the slider tab each side and fix the problem.

 

[Hotel California]

After 5y ownersship and many dark nights sitting in the Cali ,
...... i knew about the metal wire as a guide to the blinds , you can see it in the runners if you look close enough.

Good you solved the problem !

 

[Velma's Dad]

While on the general subject (and I'm being a bit lazy because this MUST have come up somewhere before on the forum) does anyone have the same problem(-ette) as us with the sliding door blind? Ours comes down the main channel okay - although a bit jerkily - but won't fit easily into the U-shaped plastic fitting at the bottom, without a lot of faffing.

Bit of a First World Problem really, but if anyone has fixed it I'd be interested....

 

[motacyclist]

While on the general subject (and I'm being a bit lazy because this MUST have come up somewhere before on the forum) does anyone have the same problem(-ette) as us with the sliding door blind? Ours comes down the main channel okay - although a bit jerkily - but won't fit easily into the U-shaped plastic fitting at the bottom, without a lot of faffing.

Bit of a First World Problem really, but if anyone has fixed it I'd be interested....

Yes ours has that, it’s caused by the lower piece of trim on the door pillar being slightly misaligned with the upper. If you push it back into place the blind slides ok, but it always goes back to where it was before.

Not quite on a par with the roof rot problem!

 

[B J G]

While on the general subject (and I'm being a bit lazy because this MUST have come up somewhere before on the forum) does anyone have the same problem(-ette) as us with the sliding door blind? Ours comes down the main channel okay - although a bit jerkily - but won't fit easily into the U-shaped plastic fitting at the bottom, without a lot of faffing.

Bit of a First World Problem really, but if anyone has fixed it I'd be interested....

Seem to recall a thread on that, it may have been in relation to a 'U' bracket falling out.

Consensus was that it was a basic design fault with 'U' part not fitting in line.

Might be an inspection demarcation issue, interior guy or blinds guy responsibilty

 

[leightonjthomas]

After 3 Years ownership and many nights away I found out something new about the California.
I thought ALL the blinds in the rear of the California were straight forward spring loaded roller blinds like the tailgate blind that you pull out and clip to the top of the rear window. I thought the side blinds and the sliding door blind were similar the only difference being the Aluminium Extrusion Handle Running in a tight channel, either side, with friction holding the blind at whatever position you choose.
I was wrong. Whilst away in Oxfordshire last Sunday night I put the Off-side rear blind down to find it wouldn’t stay down and the Handle seemed very loose in the guide/side slots.
Closer inspection showed there was a fine braided wire running the length of each guide slot and at the bottom a black plastic slider with a horizontal tab on it. Angling the Aluminium Handle to get it out of the slot showed it was a hollow extrusion with the blind material clipped in the top and a slot below, at each end, the same size as the black plastic sliders tab.
Using a small screwdriver to lift the slider up the wire on each side it was easy to push the Aluminium Handle onto the slider tab each side and fix the problem.

I didn't know that and neither did Breeze - I pointed out on Monday that the O/S rear blind wasn't working properly. We could get it down but not back up. They merely ordered another one to be fitted after my roof corrosion work. Similarly they ordered a new sliding door for the cupboard in the boot to replace the one that has split and is held together with duck tape.
There will be lots more DIY jobs when my van is out of warranty!

 

[Joker 1299]

While on the general subject (and I'm being a bit lazy because this MUST have come up somewhere before on the forum) does anyone have the same problem(-ette) as us with the sliding door blind? Ours comes down the main channel okay - although a bit jerkily - but won't fit easily into the U-shaped plastic fitting at the bottom, without a lot of faffing.

Bit of a First World Problem really, but if anyone has fixed it I'd be interested....

I had the same thing on my T6. Fixed under warranty. It’s a common problem caused by the oversized head of a grommet I believe.

 

[flying banana]

While on the general subject (and I'm being a bit lazy because this MUST have come up somewhere before on the forum) does anyone have the same problem(-ette) as us with the sliding door blind? Ours comes down the main channel okay - although a bit jerkily - but won't fit easily into the U-shaped plastic fitting at the bottom, without a lot of faffing.

Bit of a First World Problem really, but if anyone has fixed it I'd be interested....

if the trim doesn't line up its a faff. my rear passenger side blind used to jam because of misaligned trim and cause it to crease.

 

[Skewif]

While on the general subject (and I'm being a bit lazy because this MUST have come up somewhere before on the forum) does anyone have the same problem(-ette) as us with the sliding door blind? Ours comes down the main channel okay - although a bit jerkily - but won't fit easily into the U-shaped plastic fitting at the bottom, without a lot of faffing.

Bit of a First World Problem really, but if anyone has fixed it I'd be interested....

My door blind was a real pain to move up and down as kept catching at one end or the other. Used some silicon dry lube on the wires and also in the channels each side and now has a silky smooth action. I popped off the upper trim and stuck some thin rubber draft excluder onto the trim parts to pack it out to bring the blind groove into better alignment. Worked a treat and now glides all the way top to bottom.

 

[flying banana]

I pulled my trim back and put sticky pads behind it to make it line up. I also had the u shaped trim break off on the sliding door panel. I just glued that back on.

 

[andrew bazeley]

I've had no end of problems with my sliding-door blind over the 9 years of my van. One of the guide wires actually broke 4 years ago, and I've never replaced it! It's still not perfect, but by a combination of candle-waxing and just being careful, it still sort-of works. Doesn't go back up straight though, and there's a sort of "wrinkle" in it. But then who cares what it looks like from the inside at night!