Discussion regarding T6 ONLY roof corrosion

[Bramco]

Anyone know how a class action works? Should we taking that kind of action?

Lowered resale expectations, repeat applications of the fix - which will become our responsibility once VW push the issue onto the repairers after the first repair.

Or does anyone know a rubber supplier who could advise on a non metallic version of the seal?

Wonder if we could find out who the supplier is? We have some spies entering the factory shortly - could anyone attending try to find out who the supplier is?

 

[Jabberwocky]

Not sure about Class Actions other than its an expensive business!
I suspect VW are looking to push this matter beyond even their extended 6 year paint warranty.

As for the supplier? All I can tell you is that they are in Poland and that the seal is of a unique profile so could be very difficult to replace I suspect. I have searched the internet high and low and cannot find the manufacturer. And anyway even if we did would they talk to us? Probably a major supplier to VW and would be wary of any approach.

 

[Bramco]

Might be worth talking to a UK supplier to find out if there are options re the metal inserts. Is it possible to build a profile with a plastic insert or other material with the same characteristics (well with the exception of being rusty old iron of course)?

I saw a supplier a while back that reckoned they could match any profile - think they supplied lots of vintage owners.

I can see that the VW supplier wouldn't be interested in talking to us - there's an obvious quality control issue regardless of the VW spec being not fit for purpose.

Just looking for ways foreward.

 

[sidepod]

You can see clearly here why the metal "spring section is required. Contact this company and ask for similar without metal. Bond the seal in place with Sikafkex.

 

[Andy]

The standard 12 year paint warranty covers perforation. The roof corrosion is not covered.
The folk who are not checking for roof corrosion till warranty period is nearly up need to be aware that with any warranty the customer is required to report any defect / claim in a timely manner as soon as you are aware of it.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[Amarillo]

The folk who are not checking for roof corrosion till warranty period is nearly up need to be aware that with any warranty the customer is required to report any defect / claim in a timely manner as soon as you are aware of it.

How could we be aware of it if we haven't checked for it? And if we should be checking for it, why don't VW check for it when the vehicle is with them for servicing?

 

[T6Beach]

Anyone that reads this forum is aware of it, don't trust the VW dealer to look for it, they will just fob you off.

I have reported mine, but as far as VW is concerned it is isolated until more people check!!!

By not checking you are not doing yourself or other members any favours.

 

[Amarillo]

By not checking you are not doing yourself or other members any favours.

It is a bit difficult to check a van roof for corrosion when the van has not yet been built.

This is not a safety critical issue. The problem is mainly cosmetic, however, it may effect resale value. I intend to keep the vehicle until my boys grow out of family camping holidays, and I hope that will not be for a great many years, perhaps 10 years when the eldest is 13. The best way for me to safeguard resale value is to leave it as late as possible to have any defects put right under warranty. If nothing is showing, checking hidden areas shortly before the first MOT seems wholly appropriate. Others may choose to check at regular intervals from new, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually etc. That is up to them.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Anyone that reads this forum is aware of it, don't trust the VW dealer to look for it, they will just fob you off.

I have reported mine, but as far as VW is concerned it is isolated until more people check!!!

By not checking you are not doing yourself or other members any favours.

T6Beach, What happened at your dealer inspection on 17th Jan?

 

[Jabberwocky]

The standard 12 year paint warranty covers perforation. The roof corrosion is not covered.
The folk who are not checking for roof corrosion till warranty period is nearly up need to be aware that with any warranty the customer is required to report any defect / claim in a timely manner as soon as you are aware of it.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Hi Andy, 12 year paint warranty? Are you sure?

My reading of the VW commercial vehicles warranty is that you have 12 years Body - "internal cavities" -protection against rust. This will not cover the roof panel corrosion issue but the Paint Protection Warranty will and is valid for 3 years. I also believe that VW have extended this warranty (for the roof panel only) to six years (an additional 3 years from std). JW

 

[WelshGas]

The standard 12 year paint warranty covers perforation. The roof corrosion is not covered.
The folk who are not checking for roof corrosion till warranty period is nearly up need to be aware that with any warranty the customer is required to report any defect / claim in a timely manner as soon as you are aware of it.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

No where is it mentioned that the Elevating Roof seal has to be removed for an inspection of the underlying paintwork. So NOT removing it until close to the end of the 3 year warranty period is fine.
Now if VW implemented an Annual Inspection of the paintwork below this seal then that is an Admission by VW of a problem. Very unlikely to happen. Would be nice if it was introduced but cannot see it happening in the next decade.

 

[Grey one]

Hi Andy, 12 year paint warranty? Are you sure?

My reading of the VW commercial vehicles warranty is that you have 12 years Body - "internal cavities" -protection against rust. This will not cover the roof panel corrosion issue but the Paint Protection Warranty will and is valid for 3 years. I also believe that VW have extended this warranty (for the roof panel only) to six years (an additional 3 years from std). JW

Please find below written comments from a dealer to me a few weeks ago regarding this issue, ...............
Paint warranty is 3 years.
Paint related claims on California T5 were on vehicles produced up to the end of 2013.
Affected customers were offered a 6 year warranty of goodwill from the brand from date of registration.
Corrosion warranty is 12 years.
Body corrosion warranty does not includes perforation damage.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Please find below written comments from a dealer to me a few weeks ago regarding this issue, ...............
Paint warranty is 3 years.
Paint related claims on California T5 were on vehicles produced up to the end of 2013.
Affected customers were offered a 6 year warranty of goodwill from the brand from date of registration.
Corrosion warranty is 12 years.
Body corrosion warranty does not includes perforation damage.

Thanks GO.

 

[Dedee]

I am about to take delivery of my new Ocean in a few weeks and concerned about the issues written up so fully here as I live on an island by the sea and it will live outside! I love to wrap my vehicles in mostly matt or satin wraps so I am wondering about asking the wrap shop to make the wrap a little wider so that it laps over the seal so stopping the water from egressing..what do you think?

 

[Loz]

I am about to take delivery of my new Ocean in a few weeks and concerned about the issues written up so fully here as I live on an island by the sea and it will live outside! I love to wrap my vehicles in mostly matt or satin wraps so I am wondering about asking the wrap shop to make the wrap a little wider so that it laps over the seal so stopping the water from egressing..what do you think?

What would be better, would be for him to remove the seal and wrap right over the edge and then put the seal back on..

In fact I'm going to ask the guys that wrapped the front of mine to do exactly that..

 

[Dedee]

What would be better, would be for him to remove the seal and wrap right over the edge and then put the seal back on..

In fact I'm going to ask the guys that wrapped the front of mine to do exactly that..

GREAT IDEA...will do just that!! Makes me feel way more comfortable and that should be a FULL PROOF fix as long as it goes right in and seals it underneath.

 

[Ambler]

Well if it helps mine was "fixed" in August 2014 including tape around the edge after re-prime and respray. So far no recurrence. Lives outside.

 

[Jabberwocky]

What would be better, would be for him to remove the seal and wrap right over the edge and then put the seal back on..

In fact I'm going to ask the guys that wrapped the front of mine to do exactly that..

Would that not negate any warranty in the case where the wrapping did not work? I guess it's worth the risk in light of @Ambler 's experience.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Well if it helps mine was "fixed" in August 2014 including tape around the edge after re-prime and respray. So far no recurrence. Lives outside.

Hi Ambler, Tape round the edge? Not heard of this before. Are you able/willing to let me know point by point what the "fix" entailed? I have heard various but only yours involving a tape hence my curiosity. If you know the materials used i.e. type, make etc that would be a bonus.
Thanks JW

 

[Grumposaur68]

Well if it helps mine was "fixed" in August 2014 including tape around the edge after re-prime and respray. So far no recurrence. Lives outside.

So yours isn't a T6 then.

 

[snowy55]

Hi Ambler, Tape round the edge? Not heard of this before. Are you able/willing to let me know point by point what the "fix" entailed? I have heard various but only yours involving a tape hence my curiosity. If you know the materials used i.e. type, make etc that would be a bonus.
Thanks JW

Shorrade at Cannock, one othe original four specialist trained bodyshops, put tape around the edge of the first few roofs they repainted but VW told them to stop doing it as it was not in their repair procedure.
Shorrade no longer repair California roofs.

 

[gear box oil]

Hi,
It maybe interesting to try and get some feed back from the bodyshops as to the issues the faced with the repair. if they where willing or able to give that information.
Possibly a professional opinion may shed some more light on the issues discussed here.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Shorrade at Cannock, one othe original four specialist trained bodyshops, put tape around the edge of the first few roofs they repainted but VW told them to stop doing it as it was not in their repair procedure.
Shorrade no longer repair California roofs.

Thanks Snowy. This kind of detail is really important!

 

[larrylamb]

So yours isn't a T6 then.

Corrosion to the roof is common to T5 and T6 Californias, a solution to front panel corrosion was supposedly applied to models after 2014/15.

 

[Andy]

Hi,
It maybe interesting to try and get some feed back from the bodyshops as to the issues the faced with the repair. if they where willing or able to give that information.
Possibly a professional opinion may shed some more light on the issues discussed here.

Then you will need to speak to the body shops directly & get their permission to 'use or reproduce' their comments.