Discussion regarding T6 ONLY roof corrosion

[stephen watson]

I do believe it is only 3 years on the T6 as VW think/thought they had cured the problem.

That's what I thought. It seems they haven't cured the problem and although it seems some T6s have already had corrosion and been repaired I presume it is too soon to see if the repair works. I haven't read the thread in detail but it wouldn't surprise me if it's only as good as the inept T5 repairs (although I realise the tape is relatively new and may make the difference.) I don't know how long it took or what the process was to get the extra 3 years on the T5, but if repairs on T6s start failing maybe we T6 owners should start thinking about how we can get the same?
Congratulations on your new van by the way, Granny Jen. Looking forward to seeing some pics.

 

[Trebor]

Well folks .
Finally after 2 years ( partly my fault because we’ve been away sailing for 4 months in the summer for the last 2 years ) I received a new roof seal ( identical to T6 ) which appears to be perfect ! (You may recall a while ago I published high magnification photos of my original corroded roof seal and a second new seal with numerous areas of exposed metal inside ) . I’ve fitted it today and will keep a close eye on it .

I have an April 2015 180 Dsg 4 motion and was very disappointed to hear about leightonjthomas’s front panel corrosion we all thought had been cured .

 

[Trebor]

View attachment 26771 View attachment 26772
Pictures taken this morning of the front roof panel corrosion on my May 2015 T5. I know that this thread is for T6 only but this may be of interest because the problem clearly was not "fixed" in 2014.

Just a thought do you live / spend a lot of time by the sea leightjthomas ?

 

[leightonjthomas]

Just a thought do you live / spend a lot of time by the sea leightjthomas ?

We live half a mile from the sea but the van is parked tucked in between the house and the garage, facing away from the sea. I’ve never had a Corrosion issue with any other cars.

 

[Martin Batt]

Hi - yes, my 2016 T6 Ocean has this fault, now in the process of being handled by VW Exeter. Seems they have had quite a few, and that the "repair" will take 2 weeks, while we will be without our vehicle. I really wonder if that will be the end of it, though. Quite unbelievable how VW allowed this to go through the design/specifying system in developing the T6. Same with last summer's melting awning seam, which was replaced with the self-same Thule product - with a seam! Let's see how it survives French sunshine next month ;-)

UPDATE: Some six months later, I have just been on the phone again this morning to Carrs VW Van Centre in Exeter. I dropped the Cali off with them on 8th November, after a great summer of trips. Neal at Carrs apparently rang the body shop in Tonbridge after hearing nothing for weeks, and was told that the vehicle was still in their lot awaiting sign off from Terry at VW Warranty Dept in Milton Keynes. Terry told the bodyshop that VW was refusing to honour the warranty as it was a T6 and this was the first T6 that had been sent for this repair. Permission had to be sought from Germany, who were being difficult.I find all that a little hard to believe given all the posts on this thread. I may get the van back by mid January, and maybe not. This is excruciatingly poor service from almost all involved. What do club members think? I think some rather inventive storytelling may have been going on, and I plan to follow this up.

 

[sbmcd]

UPDATE: Some six months later, I have just been on the phone again this morning to Carrs VW Van Centre in Exeter. I dropped the Cali off with them on 8th November, after a great summer of trips. Neal at Carrs apparently rang the body shop in Tonbridge after hearing nothing for weeks, and was told that the vehicle was still in their lot awaiting sign off from Terry at VW Warranty Dept in Milton Keynes. Terry told the bodyshop that VW was refusing to honour the warranty as it was a T6 and this was the first T6 that had been sent for this repair. Permission had to be sought from Germany, who were being difficult.I find all that a little hard to believe given all the posts on this thread. I may get the van back by mid January, and maybe not. This is excruciatingly poor service from almost all involved. What do club members think? I think some rather inventive storytelling may have been going on, and I plan to follow this up.

Hi Martin, what a mess, VW obviously still in denial on this issue, was your T6 built before or after they started fitting the roof edge tape, Dec 2016 I think that change was made.

 

[Digger]

Jackanory springs to mind. Someone is either telling porkies or the VWCS UK lot are totally incompetent. As for warranty they cannot refuse to honour in such a new vehicle as that is a case of breach of contract surely. Time to talk directly to head of the VWCS methinks.

 

[Martin Batt]

Hi Martin, what a mess, VW obviously still in denial on this issue, was your T6 built before or after they started fitting the roof edge tape, Dec 2016 I think that change was made.

Hi there. My T6 was built in spring 2016 and delivered in June to Manchester Van Centre. So I've had the melting awning replaced that autumn with one that still has the heat-prone seam, and it looks like they modified the roof build later that year or early in 2017... Hey ho. Just would like to get my vehicle back now, having taken it to Exeter Van Centre on 8th November!!! Needless to say, I will be monitoring the repair over the next few years....

 

[Martin Batt]

Jackanory springs to mind. Someone is either telling porkies or the VWCS UK lot are totally incompetent. As for warranty they cannot refuse to honour in such a new vehicle as that is a case of breach of contract surely. Time to talk directly to head of the VWCS methinks.

I agree - does anybody have a contact at VWCS? This surely needs flagging up with them.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Sadly I hope there is some story telling going on.
First of all because although it's too late for you it doesn't bode well for others who may suffer the same corrosion issues.
Secondly because if true, then it's a poor show for VW after sales care in the general sense.
Seems bad enough that the service T5 owners have had upto this point has been inconsistent to say the least with varying degrees of success.
I wish you well with the completed job.

 

[sbmcd]

I agree - does anybody have a contact at VWCS? This surely needs flagging up with them.

Gary Kitchin

Customer Relations Manager

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Executive Office


Ext: 356643

Direct line: 01908 547 327

Email: gary.kitchin@vwcv.co.uk

Internet: www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

 

[thehorse]

Out of interest have there been any failures from post Dec16 Calis with the tape added?

 

[sbmcd]

Out of interest have there been any failures from post Dec16 Calis with the tape added?

This is a critical question as the tape is the only difference between the T5 and T6 elevating roofs.

 

[DOUG MILNE]

UPDATE: Some six months later, I have just been on the phone again this morning to Carrs VW Van Centre in Exeter. I dropped the Cali off with them on 8th November, after a great summer of trips. Neal at Carrs apparently rang the body shop in Tonbridge after hearing nothing for weeks, and was told that the vehicle was still in their lot awaiting sign off from Terry at VW Warranty Dept in Milton Keynes. Terry told the bodyshop that VW was refusing to honour the warranty as it was a T6 and this was the first T6 that had been sent for this repair. Permission had to be sought from Germany, who were being difficult.I find all that a little hard to believe given all the posts on this thread. I may get the van back by mid January, and maybe not. This is excruciatingly poor service from almost all involved. What do club members think? I think some rather inventive storytelling may have been going on, and I plan to follow this up.

I can not believe this crap from VW. Ihad a problem with a AUTOSLEEPER VW ENGINE a few years ago. I went directly ti VW Germany before I got a result. I have a T6 here in NZ & I will be keeping an very close eye on it. JUST BLOODY SLACK ON VW;S PART. SADLY THESE VEHICLES ARE SO POPULAR. PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT OTHER CONVERSIONS OUT THERE.

 

[Martin Batt]

Gary Kitchin

Customer Relations Manager

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Executive Office


Ext: 356643

Direct line: 01908 547 327

Email: gary.kitchin@vwcv.co.uk

Internet: www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk

Thanks Gary. I'll keep everyone posted....

 

[sbmcd]

Thanks Gary. I'll keep everyone posted....

sbmcd = Stuart

 

[Martin Batt]

Thanks Gary. I'll keep everyone posted....

Sorry! Thanks sbmcd....

 

[Jabberwocky]

Out of interest have there been any failures from post Dec16 Calis with the tape added?

I am aware of about ten corrosion failures of the T6 pop up roof (elevated Section) pre Dec 2016 but have not heard of any post this date.

 

[California Dreamin]

Having been an avid forum reader a while ago, work has kept me away from things recently. Having read this thread I am wondering if there is an emerging consensus on what to do if you have a pre-dec 16 T6?

1. Blissful ignorance until bubbles appear above seal or until just before warranty expires
2. Apply tape now (on top of what will probably, upon inspection, be early small bubbles in the paint
3. Remove, find small bubbles and claim now.
4. Sell it and buy something else

One nuance is having bought the extended warranty (from VW not third party) from new stating it extends the original warranty on the same basis - is the time to look now, end of original or extended warranty?

My approach to date has been 1. - getting on and enjoying the cali - but it has been in the back of my mind.

 

[Borris]

Our Beach was registered in March 2016. I haven't looked under the roof seal and don't intend to until just before the original three year warrantee runs out next year. Then, if there is evidence of corrosion I will report it to VW and insist on them carrying out the necessary remedial action. We purchased an extended warranty to take us up to five years and our original intention was to sell just before that runs out and apply for a repeat prescription with only minor changes. However if it's still behaving faultlessly we might just keep it longer. After all, I estimate it would then cost around £10k at the bare minimum, to replace new for old and then there's extra the cost of the increased RFL tax. That kind of money could buy a fair bit of repairs/servicing.
I am still not convinced that the tape has fully resolved this issue.

 

[burnercan]

I am still not convinced that the tape has fully resolved this issue.

Rightly so too. It's nearly equivalent to putting a bandaid on cancer. A material change is the only realistic long term cure for this.

 

[sbmcd]

Our Beach was registered in March 2016. I haven't looked under the roof seal and don't intend to until just before the original three year warrantee runs out next year. Then, if there is evidence of corrosion I will report it to VW and insist on them carrying out the necessary remedial action. We purchased an extended warranty to take us up to five years and our original intention was to sell just before that runs out and apply for a repeat prescription with only minor changes. However if it's still behaving faultlessly we make keep it longer. After all I estimate it would then cost around £10k at the bare minimum, to replace new for old and then there's extra the cost of the increased RFL tax. That kind of money could buy a fair bit of repairs/servicing.
I am still not convinced that the tape has fully resolved this issue.

I agree, to early to tell if the tape will be completely effective, but if I had an untaped T6 with no corrosion bubbles at all I would inclined add the tape.

 

[Amarillo]

Rightly so too. It's nearly equivalent to putting a bandaid on cancer. A material change is the only realistic long term cure for this.

I reckon the Cali roof should be one large integrated solar panel supplying a nominal 500 watts.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

 

[El Greco]

I reckon the Cali roof should be one large integrated solar panel supplying a nominal 500 watts.


Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

I agree. Together with double the battery capacity and a 2.5 kW inverter, one could use most appliances

 

[B J G]

Having been an avid forum reader a while ago, work has kept me away from things recently. Having read this thread I am wondering if there is an emerging consensus on what to do if you have a pre-dec 16 T6?

1. Blissful ignorance until bubbles appear above seal or until just before warranty expires
2. Apply tape now (on top of what will probably, upon inspection, be early small bubbles in the paint
3. Remove, find small bubbles and claim now.
4. Sell it and buy something else

One nuance is having bought the extended warranty (from VW not third party) from new stating it extends the original warranty on the same basis - is the time to look now, end of original or extended warranty?

My approach to date has been 1. - getting on and enjoying the cali - but it has been in the back of my mind.

Does the extended warranty cover parts other than specific mechanical ones?