Discussion regarding T6 ONLY roof corrosion

[Erbster]

I'm amazed the roof is NOT made of fibreglass. We wouldn't have this agonising if that were the case


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[Jabberwocky]

There was a good point made a few posts back.... Can't spot it now! It was suggesting that perhaps few owners have had main roof corrosion ACTUALLY rise up above the removable seal? Is that right? If it is, it maybe that it's all explained by the water in the (waterbased) paint trying to exit, when the seal is applied to still curing paint.
Wishful thinking perhaps, but if it were true, and could be fixed by properly baking a well executed repair before fitting the seal, things may be heading in the right direction.....
If vw have then filxed the front spoiler bit of the roof (from T6/very late T5, and with the encapsulation repair to older vans).... Even better.
I've obviously been taking hallucinogenic drugs. I'll take myself to A&E and await the destruction of my post.

T4WFA, I think you are correct.

I know of two T6 elevating roof issues, both are corrosion behind the seal, not above it. i.e. the seal has been removed to see the bubbles. It is also true, to date, that no one has reported any issue with the front panel on a T6.

I am happy to be told otherwise.

I hope I don't speak too soon but it dose seem as if progress is being made - even if slowly! I have a vested interest in being positive about these issues as I am only a few weeks away from taking delivery of a new Cali. (Build Wk4)
JW

 

[RichardP]

The front roof corrosion is definitely some form of galvanic corrosion.

In my opinion the raising roof is not galvanic, it's purely poor quality paint or primer or base metal and damp held for long periods by the seal. The seal, or at least all except maybe the front section, does not have a metal strip. If the front section does have a strip it's buried pretty well in the rubber and is not making a circuit. So, in my opinion, these two corrosion problems are not directly related, although the primer and paint used may be a contributory factor to both.

Using some sort of grease in the grove on the seal should prevent moisture and thus the corrosion, but it will have to be checked regularly as the grease will slowly be wiped away when washing etc. Something like WaxOyl may be a slightly longer term solution. I would prefer to use something that did not prevent seal removal for inspection.

The real solution here is for VW to design the painting process correctly, other manufacturers, even VW on other vehicles, have Aluminium panels which don't have these problems.

I'm amazed the roof is NOT made of fibreglass. We wouldn't have this agonising if that were the case


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Pretty sure it would weigh too much if made of simple fibre glass, it would need to be carbon fibre which would be much more expensive to produce than Aluminium.

 

[sbmcd]

T4WFA, I think you are correct.

I know of two T6 elevating roof issues, both are corrosion behind the seal, not above it. i.e. the seal has been removed to see the bubbles. It is also true, to date, that no one has reported any issue with the front panel on a T6.

I am happy to be told otherwise.

I hope I don't speak too soon but it dose seem as if progress is being made - even if slowly! I have a vested interest in being positive about these issues as I am only a few weeks away from taking delivery of a new Cali. (Build Wk4)
JW

After reading Tomatoman65's post re the silicon grease, if I was picking up my new T6 I would be very tempted to remove the seal and fill it with silicon grease before refitting in an effort to avoid the roof corrosion issue completely. Once my T5 is repaired it will be getting the silicon grease treatment.

 

[Meoncoast]

I know of two T6 elevating roof issues, both are corrosion behind the seal, not above it. i.e. the seal has been removed to see the bubbles. It is also true, to date, that no one has reported any issue with the front panel on a T6.

As the T6 is so new I would be amazed if it is popping up above the seal as said in my other comment how many t5s spread above the seal ours looked like the t6 pictures posted by snowy when 1st found and about the same 2 years later when in for repair. Did it come back I do not know as I did not look again, The front looked good as new when sold.

 

[Jabberwocky]

After reading Tomatoman65's post re the silicon grease, if I was picking up my new T6 I would be very tempted to remove the seal and fill it with silicon grease before refitting in an effort to avoid the roof corrosion issue completely. Once my T5 is repaired it will be getting the silicon grease treatment.

Yes, tempting isn't it!

 

[snowy55]

After reading Tomatoman65's post re the silicon grease, if I was picking up my new T6 I would be very tempted to remove the seal and fill it with silicon grease before refitting in an effort to avoid the roof corrosion issue completely. Once my T5 is repaired it will be getting the silicon grease treatment.

The first time the raising roof was repaired the seal was filled with some kind of waxoil type fluid, maybe cavity wax, but the bubbling still reoccurred.
Also putting your own remedy in there could invalidate any future warranty claim.

 

[2into1]

@snowy55, did your main (rising) roof corrosion (s) extend beyond the rubber and become visible (on the t5)?

 

[snowy55]

@snowy55, did your main (rising) roof corrosion (s) extend beyond the rubber and become visible (on the t5)?

No, they didn't get above the seal line but then again they weren't left long enough to develop that far.
If you look at page 8 of this thread the first photo of hotel California shows the bubbling has spread above the seal line on a T5.

 

[2into1]

Thanks. Interesting that the corner area is the worst patch.
I wonder if summer made Cali's fair better in this department..... Thinking the heat of summer would help cure the paint..... All wild speculation I know.

 

[sbmcd]

The first time the raising roof was repaired the seal was filled with some kind of waxoil type fluid, maybe cavity wax, but the bubbling still reoccurred.
Also putting your own remedy in there could invalidate any future warranty claim.

I take your point but if it avoided the need for a further claim it may be worth a try, if corrosion did occur the silicon grease could be removed before any claim. VW clearly have no permanent remedy to offer just a stop gap repair method which will fail for the same reason it did in the first place.

 

[Ambler]

Based on what the body shop manager who repaired ours told me, the primer also needs attention.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Just been outside and we have it too on our T6 Beach

The rubber seal was quite tight but once budged the rest of it came away easily, we have several areas of small bubbles on both sides.

Inspection booked in for the dealer next Tuesday, they say I need to allow 2 hours!

Has nobody else checked ???

Hi T6B, tomorrow is the day of inspection?
Could you let me know the dealers name and reaction? Has he seen this in a T6 before? Is he surprised? Could he tell you what VW have done to the T6 to prevent a repeat of the T5 issues?
Thanks
JW

 

[sbmcd]

My T5 is going to be inspected tomorrow, will advise what they say about warranty periods, repair guarantee and proposed repair method.

 

[Jabberwocky]

My T5 is going to be inspected tomorrow, will advise what they say about warranty periods, repair guarantee and proposed repair method.

Can you ask them if they know what VW have done to fix the problem on the T6? Thanks, JW

Sorry, who is your dealer?

 

[Ambler]

Can you ask them if they know what VW have done to fix the problem on the T6? Thanks, JW

I think we all know the answer to that one.

 

[GrannyJen]

I think we all know the answer to that one.

and the answer is: "what problem?"

 

[sbmcd]

Can you ask them if they know what VW have done to fix the problem on the T6? Thanks, JW

Sorry, who is your dealer?

Will do.

 

[Ambler]

and the answer is: "what problem?"

"Nothing"

 

[Sheffield10]

Does anyone have an idea of the actual incidence of roof corrosion after say 5 years? Is it 5% or 95% etc.

I can see there is 375 on the poll saying they have it which is 375 too many, but curious how many Calis don't have the issue.

I found this website - apparently showing how many California's are registered in the UK - https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/volkswagen_california - of course, the next question is what proportion of owners visit the California Club pages and see the polls! If they all do (and vote if they've had a corrosion problem), the incidence rate seems to be close to 9%. Given that surveys rarely get 100% response rate, it must be a deal higher than that.

It is amazing VW are not more motivated to find a solution, even if each repair only costs them £3k, 375 is still over £1M of profit they have thrown away. Even with the likely healthy margins the factory makes on California's, that's quite a lot of units shifted just to stand still.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I found this website - apparently showing how many California's are registered in the UK - https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/volkswagen_california - of course, the next question is what proportion of owners visit the California Club pages and see the polls! If they all do (and vote if they've had a corrosion problem), the incidence rate seems to be close to 9%. Given that surveys rarely get 100% response rate, it must be a deal higher than that.

It is amazing VW are not more motivated to find a solution, even if each repair only costs them £3k, 375 is still over £1M of profit they have thrown away. Even with the likely healthy margins the factory makes on California's, that's quite a lot of units shifted just to stand still.

Good find! Looks pretty legitimate. Wow that is double the figure I had seen in a post somewhere on this forum of 2000 units registered.

 

[Richardmk]

Good find! Looks pretty legitimate. Wow that is double the figure I had seen in a post somewhere on this forum of 2000 units registered.

I find this data puzzling, as I bought a California SE in early 2007, as did others I know. These figures show nothing presaging 2010. Am I missing something?


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[Jabberwocky]

I find this data puzzling, as I bought a California SE in early 2007, as did others I know. These figures show nothing presaging 2010. Am I missing something?


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Its a good point! I wonder if the DVLA called it something else? Its worth a question to the web site.

 

[MrCaliMan]

Its a good point! I wonder if the DVLA called it something else? Its worth a question to the web site.

See Volkswagen Transporter Calif

 

[Jabberwocky]

See Volkswagen Transporter Calif

Also Volkswagen Motor Caravan, https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/volkswagen_motor_caravan

The more you look at the data the more you find California related names - I think we have our answer!

See Volkswagen Transporter Calif

Just made a trawl of the data - I make it about 9600 VW Cali variants currently licenced (Q3-2016) in the UK under various names.