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Perry Blain

Perry Blain

Messages
11
Location
DA5 2DA
Vehicle
T6 Ocean 204 4Motion
Picked up our brand new California Ocean on Friday and less than 24 hours later the pop-up roof on the driver side got stuck up! the passenger side lowers (until we stopped it noticing that the other side wasn't moving), then it started to just go down on it's own without touching anything, so we kept having to 'open' it fully as we were worried about damaging it.

Only third time we'd raised it (and one of those was the sales guy in the shop) !! Haven't even gone anywhere in it yet and less than 25 miles on the clock.

We obviously called the sales guy straight away and were advised to lower it ourselves, which we managed eventually, locating a screw to manually do it - my god what a place to put it! - why on earth isn't it in a more accessible place ?! Guess the only good thing is the we now know how to do this if it happens again!

Is this normal ? does it happen a lot ? what would cause this ?

We're worried now as obviously invested a lot of money in it and were really looking forward to going away this weekend on our first trip. Now trying to get hold of someone at the dealers to try and get it fixed :(
 
Hi and welcome. I understand your disappointment. Only solace is that it is a complicated vehicle and the chances of a niggle here or there are more likely than a normal motor. Trick is on how the issue is addressed by your dealer.

I seem to remember others having a similar problem and a search should answer this. From memory it's a case of getting the dealers to replace both hydraulic struts but no doubt someone who has had the same issue will give you the answers.

Good luck.

Mike


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Hi and welcome. I understand your disappointment. Only solace is that it is a complicated vehicle and the chances of a niggle here or there are more likely than a normal motor. Trick is on how the issue is addressed by your dealer.

I seem to remember others having a similar problem and a search should answer this. From memory it's a case of getting the dealers to replace both hydraulic struts but no doubt someone who has had the same issue will give you the answers.

Good luck.

Mike


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Thanks Mike, we're trying to be positive :)
 
No good news .
But reading what you say :
It lowerd on one side , the other side stayed up but then started lowering...

To me that seems the punmp and struds are working fine , oil is pumping back to reservoir when lowering .
But the mecanism seems not to come down.
Could be someting is wrong mecanicly instead of hydrolic .
Needs greasing , a obstruction , ...
Could be i am totaly wrong also....

Have it fixed under warrenty asap!
 
A warranty job. It needs doing properly, not a quick fix. Bummer to happen, you are very unlucky, it's quite rare.
 
Unfortunately these things happen and that is why there is a warranty. I'm sure the hydraulic system prototype was tested to destruction with no problems, but each and every component thereafter cannot be and variations due to anything can affect each component and possibly the reliability of the whole assembly.
The fact that the Manual Release is hidden should tell you something - it is rarely required. VW will get it fixed and then as they say " Onward and Upward ".
 
Also check it hasn't warped the roof, probably be fine but always worth checking.
 
No good news .
But reading what you say :
It lowerd on one side , the other side stayed up but then started lowering...

To me that seems the punmp and struds are working fine , oil is pumping back to reservoir when lowering .
But the mecanism seems not to come down.
Could be someting is wrong mecanicly instead of hydrolic .
Needs greasing , a obstruction , ...
Could be i am totaly wrong also....

Have it fixed under warrenty asap!

Thanks for your support and suggestions, we took it back to the dealer this morning and they're keeping it and sorting it out ! Hopefully just a blip :)
 
A warranty job. It needs doing properly, not a quick fix. Bummer to happen, you are very unlucky, it's quite rare.


Thanks GrannyJen, good to hear it's rare, just put a bit of a damper on our enthusiasm :(
 
Same thing happened to me shortly after I got my Cali but it was two years old - new to me though!
I had the roof (both sides) and the control panel fixed under warranty which meant that I couldn't use it for a while. It didn't help that the 'master technician' who was the only one qualified to do the work on the inside of the Cali went on holiday for two weeks.
You have been unlucky and it doesn't say much for the PDI but it will be worth a short wait for your first trip.
Better it happen at home than when you are in the middle of a trip away.
Hope you get it sorted quickly.
 
Our California is nearly 4 years old en after 2 years and 2 months (just out of warranty) we had the same problems, first at the right side and then at the left side. Back home fro€m a trip in Italy, we went to our dealer and they made some phone-calls to VW-collegs.... and VW knows there is sometimes a problem. Out of warranty VW paid the materials to repair...and we paid the working hours ( 120 € ... not so much). Since then everthing goes well with the roof!
 

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