Discussion regarding T6 ONLY roof corrosion

[gear box oil]

Good point yes progress so far.

If at first you don't succeed.

(I bet if we set up some form of Petition to VW requiring affected members writing a simple letter with name address, Dealership who registered problem and Reference we would probably get a few dozen at most.)

Lets try it and see.

 

[sbmcd]

I have a 2014 beach I just checked my roof today cleaned my van and removed the roof seal.
I started at the middle of the roof and worked my way round there are bubbles all the way round the roof edge .
Removing the seal was a bit daunting to start with and I was not sure I was doing the right thing but as I carried on it came off no problem.
there was a good build up of grime on the edge of the roof where the seal had been I cleaned this off and used a tooth brush to clean the inside of the seal under a running tap.
after taking some pictures.
I replaced the seal which went back on no problem start at the front and work down the edges and fit the back last.
I would urge everyone to check under the seal now VW need to be informed of the issues we are having with the roof.
View attachment 19263 View attachment 19264

Did you check the inside of the elevating roof under the seal? I had bubbling paint there too, not as much as the outer edge.

 

[jts46]

Good point yes progress so far.

If at first you don't succeed.

(I bet if we set up some form of Petition to VW requiring affected members writing a simple letter with name address, Dealership who registered problem and Reference we would probably get a few dozen at most.)

Lets try it and see.

We tried it on the original T5 front roof panel and roof "corrosion" ask @SusiBus he did an awful amount of work trying to get it sorted with VW. I think its call apathy.

 

[snowy55]

We are trying to tie up the loose ends of our roof corrosion journey and would like to hear from anyone who has anything in writing from VW or their dealers suggesting that the corrosion on the raising section of the roof would not affect the T6.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Sheffield10]

I am awaiting delivery of a T6 and posed the following questions to the dealer:

1. Did VW change the construction or materials used for the T6 roof vs the T5 roof – e.g. will the T6 roof be any less prone to corrosion problems than the T5 roof ?
2. Does the goodwill 6 year warranty extension for roof corrosion issues apply to the T6 ?
3. Will roof corrosion be covered by the 5 year extended warranty I am purchasing from VW ?

The answers I received were:

1. We are aware of a number of customers having issues, but only due to the forum – we have not had an instance of a T6 California which we have supplied having any problems with corrosion on the roof panel.
   The production process was changed on California’s from the end of 2013 to eradicate the corrosion problems on the front panel so the T6 will not be affected in this area.
2. T6 California’s have the standard three years cover and there will be no additional cover
3. The 5 year extended warranty will not extend the Paint Protection part of the warranty, so this will remain at three years

 

[B J G]

I am awaiting delivery of a T6 and posed the following questions to the dealer:

1. Did VW change the construction or materials used for the T6 roof vs the T5 roof – e.g. will the T6 roof be any less prone to corrosion problems than the T5 roof ?
2. Does the goodwill 6 year warranty extension for roof corrosion issues apply to the T6 ?
3. Will roof corrosion be covered by the 5 year extended warranty I am purchasing from VW ?

The answers I received were:

1. We are aware of a number of customers having issues, but only due to the forum – we have not had an instance of a T6 California which we have supplied having any problems with corrosion on the roof panel.
   The production process was changed on California’s from the end of 2013 to eradicate the corrosion problems on the front panel so the T6 will not be affected in this area.
2. T6 California’s have the standard three years cover and there will be no additional cover
3. The 5 year extended warranty will not extend the Paint Protection part of the warranty, so this will remain at three years

Much the same response from my Dealer. Also intimated that Forums were full of doom & gloom plus misleading.

 

[snowy55]

The production process was changed on California’s from the end of 2013 to eradicate the corrosion problems on the front panel so the T6 will not be affected in this area.

My T5 was built 13th Feb 2014 and it had front panel corrosion so beware!!

 

[Digger]

6 month old T6 checked again and no problem. Will keep checking.

 

[sbmcd]

I am awaiting delivery of a T6 and posed the following questions to the dealer:

1. Did VW change the construction or materials used for the T6 roof vs the T5 roof – e.g. will the T6 roof be any less prone to corrosion problems than the T5 roof ?
2. Does the goodwill 6 year warranty extension for roof corrosion issues apply to the T6 ?
3. Will roof corrosion be covered by the 5 year extended warranty I am purchasing from VW ?

The answers I received were:

1. We are aware of a number of customers having issues, but only due to the forum – we have not had an instance of a T6 California which we have supplied having any problems with corrosion on the roof panel.
   The production process was changed on California’s from the end of 2013 to eradicate the corrosion problems on the front panel so the T6 will not be affected in this area.
2. T6 California’s have the standard three years cover and there will be no additional cover
3. The 5 year extended warranty will not extend the Paint Protection part of the warranty, so this will remain at three years

Answer one ignores the elevating roof which has the known problem, a deliberately evasive answer I think.

 

[T6 CFO]

Have I missed anything? I thought we were getting this pinned down to it being an issue with the roof seal and suspect metal strip in it.?


Mike

 

[Jabberwocky]

Hi Jabberwocky,
good to know someone is keeping track of the figures be they T5 or T6.
I have also posted the pictures on the T5 thread but I have also been following the T6 thread and the debate regarding the removal of the seal and when this should be done within the warranty period.
Given I don't have a great deal of warranty and being a noise bugger I don't have much choice so at the first opportunity I was taking the seal off.
So I posted on the T6 thread to let everyone know that removing and replacing the seal was easier than it looked.
Having see first hand the extent of the bubbles and in some places white powder coming through and paint flaking off had I known about the problem I would have had the seal off on day one in the VW forecourt.
Would I have taken the van upon finding bubbles, probably yes.
Anyway the sooner everyone checks under the seal the better, they can report back to the forum T5 or T6 and then make a decision as to when they want to be tortured by the VW dealer.
At the end of the day we all have the same badge on the front grill and probably the same bubbles under the roof seal.
If we speak as one then hopefully VW will take some notice.

Hi GBO, only just got to be catching up with all the posts on this matter - It's getting to be very complex to follow all the input on this matter. As is already evidenced we are not all speaking with one voice and you can be sure VW know this. They follow this forum and I have absolutely no doubt that even this post will be read.
I am not sure how we can galvanise our forces to overcome this fragmented situation as we are not able to force folk to do things they either do not want to do or are not interested enough to engage with. There are some private conversations going on and it remains to be seen if these will bear real fruit in the fullness of time. Always happy to hear new ideas though. JW

 

[Jabberwocky]

6 month old T6 checked again and no problem. Will keep checking.

Thanks D.

 

[Bramco]

Have I missed anything? I thought we were getting this pinned down to it being an issue with the roof seal and suspect metal strip in it.?

Mike, I was also under the impression that we were pinning the issue down to the metal strip in the seal. All the discussions seem to be about the symptoms not the cause. To my understanding, the aluminium roof will not corrode unless there is a bimetallic reaction. This must be being caused by the metal in the roof seal, which several people have suggested is not contained in the rubber properly and has rusted.

If anyone is having their roof repaired, I would make certain that the old seal is not re-used (probably will be due to cost etc.) and I would also check any new seal for evidence of the metal in the seal not being contained completely by the rubber, i.e already prone to rusting and therefore kicking off a new bout of roof corrosion.

I still wonder if a fix wouldn't be to have an independent supplier develop a replacement seal with say a plastic insert instead of metal - this must be possible. Anyone have any contacts with automotive seal suppliers?

 

[WelshGas]

My T5 was built 13th Feb 2014 and it had front panel corrosion so beware!!

The Front Panel was changed mid 2014, MY 2015, so 1st July 2014 or thereabouts.

 

[WelshGas]

As I've said before. People are confusing the 2 roof Issues.

1. Front Panel, above windscreen, is a problem for the T5 supposedly fixed by VW for MY 2015, so changes made mid-2014. The T6 was made with this change so that problem should NOT occur on the T6.

2. Elevating Roof - bi-metalic corrosion around the panel edge starting under the rubber seal.
Affects the T5 AND the T6 as there has been NO CHANGE in materials or manufacturing process between the 2 models.

No 2 is what should be concentrated on.

 

[snowy55]

The Front Panel was changed mid 2014, MY 2015, so 1st July 2014 or thereabouts.

So why do VW say end of 2013?

 

[GrannyJen]

So why do VW say end of 2013?

I was assured it was third quarter 2013 so letting mine off the hook. As it is there is no corrosion but yet again the story seems to vary dealer to dealer.

 

[Loz]

3rd Q 2013 is MY14, in conversations it could be easily misquoted..

 

[snowy55]

I was assured it was third quarter 2013 so letting mine off the hook. As it is there is no corrosion but yet again the story seems to vary dealer to dealer.

We were also told end of 2013 so we waited and specifically purchased a 2014 manufactured Cali but it didn't do us anygood!

 

[Jabberwocky]

I am awaiting delivery of a T6 and posed the following questions to the dealer:

1. Did VW change the construction or materials used for the T6 roof vs the T5 roof – e.g. will the T6 roof be any less prone to corrosion problems than the T5 roof ?
2. Does the goodwill 6 year warranty extension for roof corrosion issues apply to the T6 ?
3. Will roof corrosion be covered by the 5 year extended warranty I am purchasing from VW ?

The answers I received were:

1. We are aware of a number of customers having issues, but only due to the forum – we have not had an instance of a T6 California which we have supplied having any problems with corrosion on the roof panel.
   The production process was changed on California’s from the end of 2013 to eradicate the corrosion problems on the front panel so the T6 will not be affected in this area.
2. T6 California’s have the standard three years cover and there will be no additional cover
3. The 5 year extended warranty will not extend the Paint Protection part of the warranty, so this will remain at three years

Hi Sheffield10.

Answer 3 concerns me greatly as I believe there are a good number of members who, like you, bought the extended warranty believing it would give them the extra two years of protection (there is a clause in the extended warranty which is certainly open for debate).

Were these answers given verbally or in writing. If verbally could you get them in writing? If already in writing would you be prepared to send me a copy via a conversation?
Thx JW

 

[gear box oil]

Did you check the inside of the elevating roof under the seal? I had bubbling paint there too, not as much as the outer edge.

Yes same bubbles on the inside of the seal.

 

[gear box oil]

Hi GBO, only just got to be catching up with all the posts on this matter - It's getting to be very complex to follow all the input on this matter. As is already evidenced we are not all speaking with one voice and you can be sure VW know this. They follow this forum and I have absolutely no doubt that even this post will be read.
I am not sure how we can galvanise our forces to overcome this fragmented situation as we are not able to force folk to do things they either do not want to do or are not interested enough to engage with. There are some private conversations going on and it remains to be seen if these will bear real fruit in the fullness of time. Always happy to hear new ideas though. JW

Hi Jabberwocky.
Thanks for the reply. totally agree
At this point making people aware that they might have a problem is a start.
Deciding how to act on any issues will be very much down to the individual.

 

[El Greco]

Shoot me down if this is a stupid suggestion but would it not be possible and beneficial to apply a transparent flexible tape to cover the edge of the roof that is in contact with the seal? The tape would be a few mm proud of the seal and would not be visible being transparent. I have no idea how possible it would be to obtain such a tape but I am sure someone here would know.

 

[Loz]

Shoot me down if this is a stupid suggestion but would it not be possible and beneficial to apply a transparent flexible tape to cover the edge of the roof that is in contact with the seal? The tape would be a few mm proud of the seal and would not be visible being transparent. I have no idea how possible it would be to obtain such a tape but I am sure someone here would know.

I suggested this a while back and asked the guy who did my clear front wrap and he said this would be pretty straightforward to do.

 

[Billy]

Good idea, helicopter tape would possibly do the trick but you would need a lot.

However, if VW were to offer this as a fix, would we accept it? I wouldn't!

and if you are suggesting we all pay for this ourselves , why should we? It's not our problem to fix.